What a phenomenal book! Firstly I just want to say that Dominican Republic is such a special place to me. I have been 8 or 9 times (I've kind of lost count) throughout my life. It was the first place abroad I visited, when I was 6 months old. My parents got married there the year before I was born. I have made so many lasting friendships there, both who live there and who live in the UK. I have also climbed Isabel de Torres, the mountain in Puerto Plata.. random point I know but to me it makes sense. Anyway, about the book. Dom Rep already having special place in my heart meant that this book, realistically, could do nothing more than amaze. From the get go the writing and story telling through verse always blows me away.. what do you expect when it's Elizabeth Acevedo?! It took me a while to read for a number of reasons: 1. I was reading an ebook on my phone which I don't like to do very often and it often means I read slow & 2. the story kept getting to me. I shed a tear a number of times, felt myself hurting, laughing and remembering at all the various moments that made my heart feel deeply. The idea of clapping when you land brought back so many memories of actually landing and clapping myself when I was there. I remember when I was younger, believing that it was because holidaymakers were so happy to have finally arrived at their holiday destination after such a long flight. Even in my generations lifetimes, a 9 hour flight was looong when I was a kid (though with the casual 24hr flights you can now take, things are a bit different). As I grew up, I began to learnt he real reason, particularly when there was the big planes crash. I remember hearing about it on the news and through people I knew there and it was heartbreaking. Reading two joining sides of a story centred around this, was incredible, moving and so damn powerful! Love this book with all my heart. Look forward to buying the physical book :D