I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter tackles mature themes of death, suicide, abortion, and rape. Julia also must learn to stop comparing herself to her sister and accept who she is and what she wants to be: a writer. Although Amá has difficulty understanding Julia, she learns to see what makes Julia unique and different from Olga. The book has a strong theme of self-acceptance and acceptance of others. Although she has her friend, Lorena, and a new attentive boyfriend, Connor, Julia realizes grief is a difficult experience and it can take a lot of time to heal. As the child of Mexican immigrants, Julia experiences both generational and cultural conflicts with Amá and her father “Apá” who, while physically present, is often emotionally absent from Julia’s life.
She works hard to figure out her place in the world even though she makes mistakes along the way. Julia is a very realistic and relatable protagonist. To make matters worse, after exploring her sister’s room, Julia discovers that Olga may not have been a perfect daughter after all. Julia struggles with her mental health and feels misunderstood by her parents and friends. Eventually, the pressure from her mom becomes too much for Julia to handle.
Amá, who grew up in Mexico, wants an obedient and responsible daughter, while Julia, who was raised in America, wants to explore the world and dreams of being a famous writer.
However, after Olga’s sudden and tragic death, Julia feels pressure to fill the gap in her family, despite not being able to live up to her mother’s expectations.ĭealing with grief and conflicting personalities, Julia and her mother “Amá” struggle to mend their relationship. Her sister, Olga, was who her mother considered a “perfect Mexican daughter.” Olga was content with living at home, helped her mother cook and clean, and never got into trouble. An ambitious and fiercely independent teenager, Julia Reyes never seemed to fit in with her family’s traditional Mexican values.
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