At the beginning of June, I committed to reading more Black stories. Whether that be educational resources like How To Be AntiRacist by Ibram X. Kendi, books that get you to reflect like Me & White Supremacy by Laylaa F Saad, personal stories about growing up Black in America like More Than Enough by Elaine Weltheroth or stories told by Black authors like today’s read, Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo.
It’s taking me longer to get through this list (originally shared in The Preppy Book Club Facebook Group) because I’m consciously digesting every word that I’m reading. I’m re-reading passages that strike me to be impactful and challenging myself to think critically about everything I’m consuming. In between some of the denser and educational options, I turned to Clap When You Land. And I was enthralled.
Overall Rating of Clap When You Land: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Clap When You Land is a story of two sisters as they deal with the grappling days following the death of their father. Except, there’s a catch, one sister lives in New York City and the other in the Dominican Republic, and until the death of their father, they never knew the other existed.
The story alternates between the perspective of Camino (who lives in the Dominican Republic) and Yahira (who lives in New York City) and is told through a series of absolutely beautifully written poems. At first, I didn’t know if I’d be a fan of the poem-style of writing but I absolutely loved it. Not only did it help make it a quick read (finished it in one weekend!), it felt like it was more than a story, it was a work of art.
I promise that I don’t give all books 5 stars, but this one was non-negotiable. This story pulls at your heartstrings, feeds your adrenaline, plays into difficult family dynamics, and illustrates the magic of sisterhood.
Share and discuss what you loved/didn’t love in the comments below (I’ll go first!) and then head over to The Preppy Book Club Facebook Group to join our virtual Zoom, which will at 7p on Tuesday, July 7th.
1| Who did you connect with more, Camino or Yahira? And why?
2|How did you feel when you found out about Pappi’s secrets?
3|Camino and Yahira dealt with grief and trauma in extreme ways. How did that make you feel?
4|If you were Camino, would you reach out to Yahira or would you let her learn Pappi’s secret on her own?
5|Following Mami’s character arc was frustrating and empowering at the same time. When did you start warming up to her?
6|How did you feel about Camino’s departure?
1| I think I’d have to choose Camino. While both women were extremely complex characters and I grew up in a world very different than both of them, I appreciated Camino’s drive and determination to make a better life for herself. She was determined to stay at her private school to receive the best education possible. She was determined to move to New York some day and attend Columbia. While I am very fortunate to grow up having a strong family and in a safe community, Camino’s nature of wanting to better herself at all costs resonated with me.
2| Oy. Pappi made me so angry sometimes. Both girls had such love for him but it was clear that he was unfaithful, hid secrets, and deprived his children of the joy of sisterhood for far too long. I think there is more to know about Pappi than we do. He had this double life but we never really understood the motive behind it all. Of course, Mami was his ticket to U.S. Citizenship but I want to know if he thought it was worth it. Is a life in New York City worth more than family, marriage, love, among other things?
3| I cried hard with this girls. They were both so young and dealing with unimaginable grief. While both dealt with it differently, Camino keeping herself busy with Tia, Yahira blocking herself off from the world, in the end they both chose escape from their current life, which is scary to think about.
4| I 100% think Camino did the right thing. While I’m sure this would have been a horrifying moment for Yahira, I couldn’t bare going through life knowing that I have a sister that I’d never know. Especially in Camino’s position where her only family is Tia. I’m someone who loves investigating random people from my high school on the internet, you better believe I’d message a long, lost sister.
5| Mami is the unexpected superhero of this entire story. While at first she seems cold and unhinged, there are subtle nods to her being a genuinely amazing human being. I first realized it when Yahira said that her mom just knew that she was gay but never put too much pressure on Yahira to talk about it. She let Yahira take her time with how she shared this fact with the world. Similarly, when Yahira mentioned Mami hated when she ate at the Johnsons because she was worried people would think her mother couldn’t feed her herself, that is such a ‘momism.’ These were the little things but Mami going against all odds and flying down to the DR to not only retrieve her daughter but attend her husband’s burial, mingle with people she felt shame among, and ultimately bring another daughter home with her, is absolutely incredible. Especially after decades of grief, guilt and embarrassment that Pappi put her through.
6| So many mixed emotions. As a total homebody, leaving her birthplace had me crying. It made me remember leaving home for the first time (which was 1 thousand times less monumental than Camino’s experience) and I was a wreck remembering what it was like saying goodbye to loved ones and thinking that the next time I’d be back it would be the same but my perspective would be so different that the place itself was almost entirely new. That being said, I was proud and happy for Camino because I knew that this means that she’d be closer to her life goals and ultimately live a better life than she was in the DR.