Once Upon A Quincenera, by Julia Alvarez

An informative, yet entertaining book that portrays what it is like to grow up in the USA as a Latina. The author investigates the traditional ceremony of a Quincenera. A quinceanera, also called a quince, is a ceremony where a girl of fifteen officially transitions into womanhood. Practiced in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and various parts of Southern America it is a very important ritual for teenage girls. The author decides to tell the story of one girl’s quinceanera, Monica, and how everything is planned out and put together.

Everything is covered from the dress, to the dinner plates, to the shoes, to the flowers. By covering all matters related to the quince, Alvarez tries to show how the ceremony is a time and money consuming project that causes a great deal of trouble and stress to everyone involved. She also describes its evolution from its home countries to its introduction into the US. She weaves the story, Once Upon A Quincenera, by Julia Alvarez, of the Monica’s quinceanera with her own reminiscing about the quinceanera she always dreamed of but never had, indicating that this is something that every girl dreams of. She breaks down everything very well: she describes the meaning of the “last doll”, the style and preferences of the dress, the sentimental meaning of the father and daughter dance, and the role of the court of fourteen couples. Although some of her explanations became dull when over-explained, Alvarez was not shy in giving readers the full history behind everything. She adds a lot of sentimental and tearful moments to remind the reader that this is the end of young childhood and the beginning of young adulthood. This book is especially well for young Latina's growing up here in the USA; it can be seen as a small portal to the roots of their rich culture with its many important and heartfelt ceremonies like the quinceanera.

Reviewed by Lilit, Grade 12

Grandview Library