First published 2005
Esmeralda Santiago grew up surrounded by the sounds, smells, and rhythms of Puerto Rico. Her island childhood shaped her understanding of family, identity, and belonging. Then everything changed when her family moved to New York City. The familiar world of her native island gave way to confusing new customs, a different language in school, and the challenge of navigating between two cultures. Santiago found herself caught between the girl she had been in Puerto Rico and the young woman she was becoming in America. She struggled to hold onto her roots while adapting to life in an unfamiliar city. This memoir captures the complexity of growing up between worlds, the pain of leaving home, and the strength required to build a new identity without losing the old one.
Genres: family-life, coming-of-age, autobiography, memoir, biography-memoir, cultural
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, identity
Setting: New York City, Puerto Rico
Period: 20th-century
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