Review Detail

Summer in the City of Roses is a unique spin of fairy tale/myth retelling mixed with punk rock. This book was not what I expected but I was pleasantly surprised. Iph and Orr are siblings left alone with their father for the summer. But their summer begins to unravel when has orr kidnapped and set to Bootcamp.

What I liked: This book is unlike anything I have read. While there are some familiar tropes and folkloric elements it also deals with some pretty deep topics:abuse, neglect, identity issues, neurodivergence, homelessness just to name a few. The story flows like a labyrinth full of twists and turns, moments of solid reality mixed with magical fantasy. Michelle Ruiz Keil does a fantastic job handling important topics while keeping the tone of the piece a little bit lighter. Once I was deep into the story it was hard to put down. I didn't want to leave.

What left me wanting more: There were times I felt I needed to know more and was left with questions. There were a few points in the story I had to pause and ask, "What is happening?" This is not unusally for me with magical realism. But, reflecting back on this- this wanting of more made the book a great read as well.

Final Verdict: Magical Realism is still a new genre for me. The story is beautifully written and leaves the reader with some important questions. Overall, a good read with an unusal ending.