I was browsing Goodreads to find interesting books to read in the future when I first heard of With the Fire on High. Its summary was so interesting that I was excited to read it, which was further amplified by the attractive book cover. Seeing that my university’s library had the book, you know I had to check it out. I read it while I was on my university’s campus, and after taking a minute to finish it thanks to my irregular reading times (a complicated story), it’s time that I deliver my thoughts on this read. So, what is With the Fire on High about?
The Synopsis: Written by Elizabeth Acevedo, With the Fire on High revolves around a high school student named Emoni Santiago. She’s a teen mom attempting to navigate the responsibilities of raising a child, having her abuela as her guardian, and figuring out life after graduation. She is not sure about which direction she wants to steer her life in, but she knows one thing about herself. Her biggest passion is cooking, and the kitchen is her happy place to create what her heart desires. In school, she explores and experiments with that by taking a cooking class at her charter school. As Emoni gets closer to obtaining her high school diploma, she learns more about herself, the world around her, and what her priorities are going into a new chapter of her life.
Review: This time, I am not formatting this review as ‘”The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly,” because there are hardly any bad things about this book. Even so, it is only my second book review on my blog, so you can say that it is okay that I am attempting to figure out what works for my style and personal voice. And don’t worry, there are no spoilers here.
There are many highlights to point out here. One is that there are bits of Spanish phrases and words in the book, which I was able to comprehend as a Spanish learner. I think that words in other languages should be utilized more often in novels, though I also think it would be helpful to provide a glossary on what each word means for those who are not learning that said language. Also, the character is Afro-Latina (more specifically half-Puerto Rican), which is not a common occurrence in literature and representation in general. Some people think that Latino is a race or that Latinos can’t be Black. But yes, Afro-Latinos exist and you can be any race and be Latino, as Latino is an ethnicity. So the combination of using Spanish and having an Afro-Latina protagonist is a great way to showcase the diversity of Latinidad.
Expanding on the diversity point, teen moms are constantly stereotyped in the media. Though for this book, I love how Emoni was showcased as a multidimensional character and not just a flat character who doesn’t have a life outside of parenting. She’s a human who has a voice, wants to have the best future for herself and her daughter, and has the motivation to work while juggling her present circumstances. In other words, she moves through life as the curveballs come and she doesn’t let them stop her from moving forward. There was one part towards the end of the story where Emoni was picking up her daughter, Emma, from daycare, and a woman stopped smiling after finding out that she [Emoni] was Emma’s mother. It was sweet that Emoni still showed loved to her daughter and didn’t have shame in accepting her reality. Though another thing to point out was how she said that she named her daughter Emma to make it easier for her to get a job and not be passed over solely due to her name. That part really touched my heart, because being discriminated due to your name is a real thing. Those with European names are more likely to get calls back than those with Black or African-American names.
As for the other elements of the book, the writing was really good! I loved how there were a few pages of Emoni’s emails or recipes in her own voice. The pop culture references were cute, especially to some of the Latino icons such as Marc Anthony, Héctor Lavoe, and my own queen, J.Lo (I literally lit up upon reading her name)! And by the way, there were also references to Bad Bunny and Rihanna, and I know Bad Bunny has become really popular over the past 2-3 years. Gosh, I love books that can teleport me to another world and make me imagine a movie playing in my mind. This one did just that for me with its plot progression, showing and not telling, and Emoni storytelling from her own point of view. I felt connected to her and like I was witnessing her story up close.
For anyone who loves Young Adult fiction, With the Fire on High is definitely a must-read! It is a very creative and interesting story that you don’t see on bookshelves all the time. It is important to read books with non-White protagonists, though it is not a great book only because of that, but also because there’s imagery and it’s well-written. Those types of stories inspire me and my writing. Elizabeth Acevedo is a really talented writer, and I can’t wait to give my take on the book Clap When You Land!
