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The Education of Margot Sánchez
Pretty in Pink comes to the South Bronx in this bold and romantic coming-of-age novel about dysfunctional families, good and bad choices, and finding the courage to question everything you ever thought you wanted—from debut author Lilliam Rivera.
THINGS/PEOPLE MARGOT HATES:
Mami, for destroying my social life
Papi, for allowing Junior to become a Neanderthal
Junior, for becoming a Neanderthal
This supermarket
Everyone else
After “borrowing” her father's credit card to finance a more stylish wardrobe, Margot
Sánchez suddenly finds herself grounded. And by grounded, she means working as an indentured servant in her family’s struggling grocery store to pay off her debts.
With each order of deli meat she slices, Margot can feel her carefully cultivated prep school reputation slipping through her fingers, and she’s willing to do anything to get out of this punishment. Lie, cheat, and maybe even steal…
Margot’s invitation to the ultimate beach party is within reach and she has no intention of letting her family’s drama or Moisés—the admittedly good looking but outspoken boy from the neighborhood—keep her from her goal.
THINGS/PEOPLE MARGOT HATES:
Mami, for destroying my social life
Papi, for allowing Junior to become a Neanderthal
Junior, for becoming a Neanderthal
This supermarket
Everyone else
After “borrowing” her father's credit card to finance a more stylish wardrobe, Margot
Sánchez suddenly finds herself grounded. And by grounded, she means working as an indentured servant in her family’s struggling grocery store to pay off her debts.
With each order of deli meat she slices, Margot can feel her carefully cultivated prep school reputation slipping through her fingers, and she’s willing to do anything to get out of this punishment. Lie, cheat, and maybe even steal…
Margot’s invitation to the ultimate beach party is within reach and she has no intention of letting her family’s drama or Moisés—the admittedly good looking but outspoken boy from the neighborhood—keep her from her goal.
296 pages, Hardcover
First published February 21, 2017
115 people are currently reading
7613 people want to read
About the author
Lilliam Rivera
27 books551 followersLilliam Rivera is an award-winning author of children’s books including her latest Never Look Back, a retelling of the Greek myth Orpheus and Eurydice set in New York by Bloomsbury Publishing. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, and Elle, to name a few. Lilliam lives in Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 588 reviews
February 9, 2017
4.5 Stars
This was a very fun, quick read about a teenager who is made to work at her father's supermarket for using his credit card without permission. But it does tackle some heavy subjects as well! While she works there, Margot will meet new people and make new friends, and struggle to maintain the normalcy of her previous life and relationships. I say previous life because this summer will change Margot profoundly.
Margot's "education" will be about gentrification, privilege, and the complexity of relationships - both familial and romantic. I highly recommend it. It's out in 2/21/2017, so you should preorder!
Read the in-depth review on my blog,Read Diverse Books.
This was a very fun, quick read about a teenager who is made to work at her father's supermarket for using his credit card without permission. But it does tackle some heavy subjects as well! While she works there, Margot will meet new people and make new friends, and struggle to maintain the normalcy of her previous life and relationships. I say previous life because this summer will change Margot profoundly.
Margot's "education" will be about gentrification, privilege, and the complexity of relationships - both familial and romantic. I highly recommend it. It's out in 2/21/2017, so you should preorder!
Read the in-depth review on my blog,Read Diverse Books.
April 24, 2017
3.75* These characters are absolutely infuriating. But real. This book touches on a lot of really important issues, and it's so unapologetically Boricua. I recommend it.
December 30, 2016
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for approving my request for a free digital copy in exchange for a review.
It pains me to say that I did not enjoy The Education of Margot Sanchez (TEOMS). I would describe TEOMS as Gossip Girl with a Latina lead, which is truly refreshing as reader. In fact, this book can easily be expanded into a series. However, I found the lead character vapid and selfish. There little to no character development, and what development there is to speak of only occurs within the last 10% of the book. I am all for unlikeable characters but Margot is by far the worst lead I have come across this year.
The secondary characters are no more interesting that Margot herself. The male love interests (because of course there had to be a love triangle) are extremely boring and inconsistent. On one hand, there is Moises, the guy from the other side of the tracks, the Latino with a bad boy past. His background had the potential to be interesting given that it is key to the secondary storyline. However, the author made him an inconsistent blob, socially consciousness in one sentence, then in the next, caught up with hollerin' at Margot. In contrast, Nick, the uptown kid brings nothing to the plate other than money and a love for soccer. Can he get anymore boring? By failing to develop these characters the storyline ends up falling flat as this book is neither character driven nor plot driven.
With regard to the plot. I am firstly confused as to who exactly the target audience is. The story deals with heavy issues such as addiction, sex, and peer pressure. Moreover, the language, primarily the use of curse words gives one the sense that this is meant for individuals 15 and up. However, the storyline is so predictable that there is little to no chance that someone the age will not see what's coming. In fact, I found myself disinterested around the 1/2 way mark. The secondary story-line (gentrification) is much more interesting but again, this is not properly explored and is used more as a macguffin rather than a pivot part of the storyline. I think that the book would have been more interesting, and the underdevelopment forgivable, had the secondary story line been the focal point of the book.
In summary, TEOMS is a good try but falls flat in many regards. I would not recommend this or adopt for curricula.
It pains me to say that I did not enjoy The Education of Margot Sanchez (TEOMS). I would describe TEOMS as Gossip Girl with a Latina lead, which is truly refreshing as reader. In fact, this book can easily be expanded into a series. However, I found the lead character vapid and selfish. There little to no character development, and what development there is to speak of only occurs within the last 10% of the book. I am all for unlikeable characters but Margot is by far the worst lead I have come across this year.
The secondary characters are no more interesting that Margot herself. The male love interests (because of course there had to be a love triangle) are extremely boring and inconsistent. On one hand, there is Moises, the guy from the other side of the tracks, the Latino with a bad boy past. His background had the potential to be interesting given that it is key to the secondary storyline. However, the author made him an inconsistent blob, socially consciousness in one sentence, then in the next, caught up with hollerin' at Margot. In contrast, Nick, the uptown kid brings nothing to the plate other than money and a love for soccer. Can he get anymore boring? By failing to develop these characters the storyline ends up falling flat as this book is neither character driven nor plot driven.
With regard to the plot. I am firstly confused as to who exactly the target audience is. The story deals with heavy issues such as addiction, sex, and peer pressure. Moreover, the language, primarily the use of curse words gives one the sense that this is meant for individuals 15 and up. However, the storyline is so predictable that there is little to no chance that someone the age will not see what's coming. In fact, I found myself disinterested around the 1/2 way mark. The secondary story-line (gentrification) is much more interesting but again, this is not properly explored and is used more as a macguffin rather than a pivot part of the storyline. I think that the book would have been more interesting, and the underdevelopment forgivable, had the secondary story line been the focal point of the book.
In summary, TEOMS is a good try but falls flat in many regards. I would not recommend this or adopt for curricula.
July 26, 2018
Can we stop comparing this book to Pretty in Pink? Okay, thanks. That's a start.
I had super high hopes for this book, but I just ended up being uncomfortable for like most of it. There is so much fat shame and slut shame in this book and most of it are comments made by Margot herself and it goes unchallenged. I had hoped the issue on colorism would be explored, but all we get is Margot saying that yeah she's lighter skin than the people in her family and her mom was considered ugly for being darker and that's it. That's literally it. And I don't even want to talk about Margot thinking she's better than pretty much everybody else or hearing all her former friends being judgy af.
This book didn't make me happy. It made me sad. I buddy read it with my best friend and I was so glad for us to read a book about a latina, because I wanted my best friend to see herself in a book, but it just made us uncomfortable and sad.
I had super high hopes for this book, but I just ended up being uncomfortable for like most of it. There is so much fat shame and slut shame in this book and most of it are comments made by Margot herself and it goes unchallenged. I had hoped the issue on colorism would be explored, but all we get is Margot saying that yeah she's lighter skin than the people in her family and her mom was considered ugly for being darker and that's it. That's literally it. And I don't even want to talk about Margot thinking she's better than pretty much everybody else or hearing all her former friends being judgy af.
This book didn't make me happy. It made me sad. I buddy read it with my best friend and I was so glad for us to read a book about a latina, because I wanted my best friend to see herself in a book, but it just made us uncomfortable and sad.
February 7, 2017
Excellent! And oh Moises. You have my heart.
April 26, 2017
Margot wants to be someone else.
However, her family, friends, and pseudo-community will guarantee her desire won't happen.
The Education of Margot Sanchez is a coming of age story featuring a Latina coping with two masks: the one she wears when she's at Somerset Prep and it's ritzy, privileged crowd and the one, more geared towards her true self, she wears around her father, mother, brother, best friend Elizabeth, and a guy locking her heart down without her permission, Moises.
Pretty in Pink meets the South Bronx it is not. Margot's dealing with deeper issues than homemade dresses and whether or not she'll choose Ducky over Blane.
Pros:
1. A Latina character, unsure of herself, while aware she wears two masks society forces her to wear (Another book discussing the masks/code-switching is Piecing Me Together). Can she be her true self around the popular, rich, and white crowd of her prep school while maintaining her roots back in the Boogie Down Bronx, and if so, when will they inevitably collide?
2. Complex issues: Colorism (her dad considers Triguenos bad luck and blanchquitos good luck), drug selling and use, marital affairs, "keeping it real", classism, gentrification, and one's place in society are shown.
3. Afro-Latina representation!!
4. A vibrant picture of the Bronx and cultural nuances often ignored.
5. While Margot starts off as vapid, she
6. Discussion of machismo. My word. I'm glad Rivera discussed as much as she could without becoming too preachy.
7. No insta-love between her and Moises.
8. No real love triangle between her, Moises, and Nick. I'm not counting it as one. Also, don't count
9.
Cons:
1. I knew the outcome of
2. A little short. Would've liked more. Oh well. A little more could've been used for a fuller arc, but YA requires shorter time, I suppose.
What baffles me is the low rating on Goodreads. 3.6? This is a fine read, especially for those thirsting for representation by same hands. Bump the rating higher. I recommend this for everyone.
*This book sits happily on my bookshelf*
However, her family, friends, and pseudo-community will guarantee her desire won't happen.
The Education of Margot Sanchez is a coming of age story featuring a Latina coping with two masks: the one she wears when she's at Somerset Prep and it's ritzy, privileged crowd and the one, more geared towards her true self, she wears around her father, mother, brother, best friend Elizabeth, and a guy locking her heart down without her permission, Moises.
Pretty in Pink meets the South Bronx it is not. Margot's dealing with deeper issues than homemade dresses and whether or not she'll choose Ducky over Blane.
Pros:
1. A Latina character, unsure of herself, while aware she wears two masks society forces her to wear (Another book discussing the masks/code-switching is Piecing Me Together). Can she be her true self around the popular, rich, and white crowd of her prep school while maintaining her roots back in the Boogie Down Bronx, and if so, when will they inevitably collide?
2. Complex issues: Colorism (her dad considers Triguenos bad luck and blanchquitos good luck), drug selling and use, marital affairs, "keeping it real", classism, gentrification, and one's place in society are shown.
3. Afro-Latina representation!!
4. A vibrant picture of the Bronx and cultural nuances often ignored.
5. While Margot starts off as vapid, she
6. Discussion of machismo. My word. I'm glad Rivera discussed as much as she could without becoming too preachy.
7. No insta-love between her and Moises.
8. No real love triangle between her, Moises, and Nick. I'm not counting it as one. Also, don't count
9.
Cons:
1. I knew the outcome of
2. A little short. Would've liked more. Oh well. A little more could've been used for a fuller arc, but YA requires shorter time, I suppose.
What baffles me is the low rating on Goodreads. 3.6? This is a fine read, especially for those thirsting for representation by same hands. Bump the rating higher. I recommend this for everyone.
*This book sits happily on my bookshelf*
March 2, 2017
I had some world issues with this book and a few character-reader connection issues.
Other wise it was a good book overall but it fell short in a few places. Video coming soon!!
Other wise it was a good book overall but it fell short in a few places. Video coming soon!!
July 1, 2022
margot sanchez is not supposed to be a likable protagonist, but i'm not a fan of how so much of her sex shaming, body shaming, and general rudeness go unchallenged. she does learn and grow, and by the end she drops some of her spoiled rich girl attitude, but not really enough. and i had a hard time dealing with her attitude in the beginning. her hunger for popularity is insufferable.
i was really interested in margot's long-suffering mother, and wish they'd spent more time on her story and their relationship. also i love curly-haired activist moises, and i was happy that there was some romantic chemistry but that was not the focus of the book, and not a matter of importance at the end. in general it was an entertaining read, if predictable and very teenagery.
the audiobook is fun because i tried to understand as much spanish as i could. i've noticed that some books in english which incorporate spanish basically do a translation of every spanish phrase after it's spoken. this book doesn't do that, and it feels more natural to have a little spanish peppered in without the redundancy of an immediate translation.
i was really interested in margot's long-suffering mother, and wish they'd spent more time on her story and their relationship. also i love curly-haired activist moises, and i was happy that there was some romantic chemistry but that was not the focus of the book, and not a matter of importance at the end. in general it was an entertaining read, if predictable and very teenagery.
the audiobook is fun because i tried to understand as much spanish as i could. i've noticed that some books in english which incorporate spanish basically do a translation of every spanish phrase after it's spoken. this book doesn't do that, and it feels more natural to have a little spanish peppered in without the redundancy of an immediate translation.
March 1, 2017
3.5 stars!
I had extremely high expectations and sadly, I have to say that the book didn't quite deliver. There are a lot of things I loved about it, but also some things that the book lacked. I especially found the ending not really satisfying because while all the conflicts were more or less worked out, there were still scenes that I wished for that never happened.
But I loved the heroine Margot, in all her flawed glory (though I wanted to shake her sometimes), the complicated family dynamics (though I wanted to punch both her brother and father MANY times), and her friend Elizabeth and Moises (though, as mentioned above, I wanted some more scenes with Margot and each of them). I also loved the little bits of Spanish that were everywhere (and they were not in italics!) and that I actually understood all of it. I forgot less than I thought, apparently, and that makes me want to continue studying the language even more.
So all in all, I would recommend you give this a try because although I had my issues with some things, it's still a great, enjoyable and pretty fast read!
I had extremely high expectations and sadly, I have to say that the book didn't quite deliver. There are a lot of things I loved about it, but also some things that the book lacked. I especially found the ending not really satisfying because while all the conflicts were more or less worked out, there were still scenes that I wished for that never happened.
But I loved the heroine Margot, in all her flawed glory (though I wanted to shake her sometimes), the complicated family dynamics (though I wanted to punch both her brother and father MANY times), and her friend Elizabeth and Moises (though, as mentioned above, I wanted some more scenes with Margot and each of them). I also loved the little bits of Spanish that were everywhere (and they were not in italics!) and that I actually understood all of it. I forgot less than I thought, apparently, and that makes me want to continue studying the language even more.
So all in all, I would recommend you give this a try because although I had my issues with some things, it's still a great, enjoyable and pretty fast read!
July 17, 2016
Sometimes a book really lives up to its (totally gorgeous) cover. Margot Sanchez is so endearingly flawed and real. As a kid who crossed class/cultural boundaries to attend private high school, I really identified with her struggle to reconcile her new self with her family and community of origin. And that community is so brilliantly nuanced! I loved seeing so many stereotype-busting Latinx characters in one book. Elizabeth, Moises, Paloma, Mami, and Jasmine had my heart strings especially. Each has such a distinct point of view--all sympathetic, even where they come into conflict with each other.
This would make a great classroom read--so much meaty material to discuss about community change & ownership, finding one's identity in the midst of confusing messages about culture/class/gender, navigating familial loyalty & conflict, and learning to being real... I could go on and on. HIGHLY recommend.
This would make a great classroom read--so much meaty material to discuss about community change & ownership, finding one's identity in the midst of confusing messages about culture/class/gender, navigating familial loyalty & conflict, and learning to being real... I could go on and on. HIGHLY recommend.
Read
February 5, 2017After being caught stealing money from her father, Margot's summer will be spent working at the family store, rather than in the Hamptons with the girls she wants to have an in with at her school. It's a summer that, more than she anticipates, teaches Margot a million and two lessons about life, family, secrets, and about how to be her own person.
The voice in this book is phenomenal and the story itself is SO teen. The trouble Margot finds herself in is big stuff but it's big stuff in the sense of the teen perspective -- stealing! Lying! Those around her find themselves in bigger trouble, but it's through her series of smaller transgressions that Margot discovers she wants to be better, and she wants to make sure she doesn't fall down the path those around her have.
There's a strong exploration of friendship here and more specifically, the way people grow apart from one another. There's romance, but it was probably the least interesting aspect of the story for me, save the part where she really, really wants the attention of a boy and when she gets it, realizes it wasn't all she thought it would be (#TeenLessons).
While I love the cover, it's much harder than the book itself is. This is set in the Bronx, and there is an edge to the story, but it's lighter in tone than the cover might suggest.
Pair this one with ALLEGEDLY by Tiffany D Jackson and THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas. They're all set in some part of New York City, all explore real teen situations, and there is a lot explored in terms of sexism in all three reads (macho culture deconstruction in Rivera's is noteworthy!).
The voice in this book is phenomenal and the story itself is SO teen. The trouble Margot finds herself in is big stuff but it's big stuff in the sense of the teen perspective -- stealing! Lying! Those around her find themselves in bigger trouble, but it's through her series of smaller transgressions that Margot discovers she wants to be better, and she wants to make sure she doesn't fall down the path those around her have.
There's a strong exploration of friendship here and more specifically, the way people grow apart from one another. There's romance, but it was probably the least interesting aspect of the story for me, save the part where she really, really wants the attention of a boy and when she gets it, realizes it wasn't all she thought it would be (#TeenLessons).
While I love the cover, it's much harder than the book itself is. This is set in the Bronx, and there is an edge to the story, but it's lighter in tone than the cover might suggest.
Pair this one with ALLEGEDLY by Tiffany D Jackson and THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas. They're all set in some part of New York City, all explore real teen situations, and there is a lot explored in terms of sexism in all three reads (macho culture deconstruction in Rivera's is noteworthy!).
February 6, 2017
4.5 Stars!!!! Thank you Simon & Schuster and Lilliam Rivera for the eGalley of The Education Of Margot Sanchez in exchange for an honest review.
I devoured this book & loved every minute I spent flipping pages this weekend. I've said it before & I'll say it again, there is something special for a reader when they pick up a #ownvoices book. I've heard this book be described as familial and comforting by other Latinx readers/bloggers & I couldn't agree more. Full review to come on my blog Lairofbooks (Link is in the bio) :)
UPDATE: Full Review
https://lairofbooksblog.wordpress.com...
I’d like to thank Simon & Schuster for approving me to receive an eGalley of The Education Of Margot Sanchez by William Rivera via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
PLOT
Ok Guys & Gals, the time has come for me to review this awesome book & I cannot tell you how excited I am to do so! the Goodreads synopsis more than covers the plot so I won't repeat what's already up above, instead i'll touch on some of my fave plot points. The Education Of Margot Sanchez is first & foremost a Own Voices book about a Puerto-Rican family living in the Bronx, New York. Margot's dad is the owner of two Grocery Stores from which he provides for his wife, son, and daughter. Margot attends a prep school in Manhattan along with the children of wealthy families. Her brother Junior works with their father in the grocery in hopes to one day take over the family business. We start off with Margot getting caught stealing her fathers credit card to order clothes online. Her punishment is to work off the debt in one of the grocery stores throughout the summer. This does not bode well for Margot who has a social life to maintain back in the city if she ever wants to "fit in" with the wealthy kids in her school. We follow Margot's daily routine as she fulfills her duties in the grocery store by stocking shelves, working in the deli with the meat, and basically handling all of the grunt work. Her dad has every intention of teaching her a lesson but also utilizing her knowledge of social platforms to possibly give the store a new edge. The neighborhood is experiencing Gentrification and the family business is feeling the side effects. Situated next to a college and a new and upcoming food market, the family business can either benefit or be hurt by the change in demographics in their neighborhood. Margot however, could NOT be bothered with these things. Her thoughts are occupied by that guy back in her prep school who may or may not be interested in her and the "friends" she's made by appearing to be someone she's not. Margot is pretty much living a double life, something she has learned to do in one way or another by her own family. When Margot meets a guy while working in the grocery store, who is the complete opposite of the guy she's had her eyes on in prep school...everything she worked so hard to create starts to fall apart. Moises represents everything her family does not want for her & yet he seems so right. This story is about Margot & how certain events lead to her growing up & learning some hard lessons from those she loves most.
CHARACTERS
I'll start off with saying what I've seen many readers say about Margot...she's not the nicest, she's self-absorbed, selfish, deceitful, and ultimately an unlikeable protagonist. However, I understood this to be the whole point in educating her. Margot hasn't had the best examples at home. Yes, her dad does pay for her to attend a pricey prep school in Manhattan but her values are all screwed up. Her parents marriage is not all that it seems and her brother is going through substance abuse issues. The problem is, there is no communication whatsoever between any of these family members. All is solved by simply not talking about it. On the surface this family appears to have it all but underneath they are hurting and divided. As a Latina woman, my childhood/family set up looked a lot like Margot's. I experienced first hand what it's like to look towards Papi (dad) as the bread winner and more than anything wanting to please him with success in school. Both Margot & Junior (son) want to succeed but get lost while trying to please a man who himself was failing. Mami (mom) was pretty much a silent figure in the background but you could feel her pain through her compulsion to keep everything extremely clean & tidy all day every day. I took this as her way of keeping control over something in her life when underneath it was all a giant mess. This family touched me because I was able to relate to their experiences, culture, and pain. This after all is the beauty of reading books by Own voice authors. I still think about this family & wonder whether these fictional characters are ok now...
WRITING & THOUGHTS
The Education Of Margot Sanchez was a light read that I flew through in just under two days. I enjoyed reading from the perspective of a Puerto-Rican family since it truly is rare to come across. This family felt familiar and relatable making this read one that I devoured all the while making comparisons to my own experiences growing up Puerto-Rican. I was pleasantly surprised to see the topic of gentrification play a role in this neighborhood since it's one that i've personally seen have an affect on local mom & pop stores. There are other more serious topics covered in this book however, I feel that mentioning them is very spoilery since when I came across them I was taken aback and was moved by them. Although I know that at it's core the story is about Margot and her family, I would've enjoyed seeing her take on a more hands on approach with the issues & concerns affecting her community as a symptom of gentrification. I do however appreciate how Lilliam Rivera explored the morals and values of this family in a very realistic sense. These characters were deeply flawed and were all weathering internal battles that seeped into their relationships with one another. Sometimes parents don't always have it right themselves. A lot of times the kids get caught up in the unspoken. Such is the story of Margot & her brother Junior.
I devoured this book & loved every minute I spent flipping pages this weekend. I've said it before & I'll say it again, there is something special for a reader when they pick up a #ownvoices book. I've heard this book be described as familial and comforting by other Latinx readers/bloggers & I couldn't agree more. Full review to come on my blog Lairofbooks (Link is in the bio) :)
UPDATE: Full Review
https://lairofbooksblog.wordpress.com...
I’d like to thank Simon & Schuster for approving me to receive an eGalley of The Education Of Margot Sanchez by William Rivera via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
PLOT
Ok Guys & Gals, the time has come for me to review this awesome book & I cannot tell you how excited I am to do so! the Goodreads synopsis more than covers the plot so I won't repeat what's already up above, instead i'll touch on some of my fave plot points. The Education Of Margot Sanchez is first & foremost a Own Voices book about a Puerto-Rican family living in the Bronx, New York. Margot's dad is the owner of two Grocery Stores from which he provides for his wife, son, and daughter. Margot attends a prep school in Manhattan along with the children of wealthy families. Her brother Junior works with their father in the grocery in hopes to one day take over the family business. We start off with Margot getting caught stealing her fathers credit card to order clothes online. Her punishment is to work off the debt in one of the grocery stores throughout the summer. This does not bode well for Margot who has a social life to maintain back in the city if she ever wants to "fit in" with the wealthy kids in her school. We follow Margot's daily routine as she fulfills her duties in the grocery store by stocking shelves, working in the deli with the meat, and basically handling all of the grunt work. Her dad has every intention of teaching her a lesson but also utilizing her knowledge of social platforms to possibly give the store a new edge. The neighborhood is experiencing Gentrification and the family business is feeling the side effects. Situated next to a college and a new and upcoming food market, the family business can either benefit or be hurt by the change in demographics in their neighborhood. Margot however, could NOT be bothered with these things. Her thoughts are occupied by that guy back in her prep school who may or may not be interested in her and the "friends" she's made by appearing to be someone she's not. Margot is pretty much living a double life, something she has learned to do in one way or another by her own family. When Margot meets a guy while working in the grocery store, who is the complete opposite of the guy she's had her eyes on in prep school...everything she worked so hard to create starts to fall apart. Moises represents everything her family does not want for her & yet he seems so right. This story is about Margot & how certain events lead to her growing up & learning some hard lessons from those she loves most.
CHARACTERS
I'll start off with saying what I've seen many readers say about Margot...she's not the nicest, she's self-absorbed, selfish, deceitful, and ultimately an unlikeable protagonist. However, I understood this to be the whole point in educating her. Margot hasn't had the best examples at home. Yes, her dad does pay for her to attend a pricey prep school in Manhattan but her values are all screwed up. Her parents marriage is not all that it seems and her brother is going through substance abuse issues. The problem is, there is no communication whatsoever between any of these family members. All is solved by simply not talking about it. On the surface this family appears to have it all but underneath they are hurting and divided. As a Latina woman, my childhood/family set up looked a lot like Margot's. I experienced first hand what it's like to look towards Papi (dad) as the bread winner and more than anything wanting to please him with success in school. Both Margot & Junior (son) want to succeed but get lost while trying to please a man who himself was failing. Mami (mom) was pretty much a silent figure in the background but you could feel her pain through her compulsion to keep everything extremely clean & tidy all day every day. I took this as her way of keeping control over something in her life when underneath it was all a giant mess. This family touched me because I was able to relate to their experiences, culture, and pain. This after all is the beauty of reading books by Own voice authors. I still think about this family & wonder whether these fictional characters are ok now...
WRITING & THOUGHTS
The Education Of Margot Sanchez was a light read that I flew through in just under two days. I enjoyed reading from the perspective of a Puerto-Rican family since it truly is rare to come across. This family felt familiar and relatable making this read one that I devoured all the while making comparisons to my own experiences growing up Puerto-Rican. I was pleasantly surprised to see the topic of gentrification play a role in this neighborhood since it's one that i've personally seen have an affect on local mom & pop stores. There are other more serious topics covered in this book however, I feel that mentioning them is very spoilery since when I came across them I was taken aback and was moved by them. Although I know that at it's core the story is about Margot and her family, I would've enjoyed seeing her take on a more hands on approach with the issues & concerns affecting her community as a symptom of gentrification. I do however appreciate how Lilliam Rivera explored the morals and values of this family in a very realistic sense. These characters were deeply flawed and were all weathering internal battles that seeped into their relationships with one another. Sometimes parents don't always have it right themselves. A lot of times the kids get caught up in the unspoken. Such is the story of Margot & her brother Junior.
May 27, 2017
¡Arriba la diversidad!
En este libro, hay mucha representación latina. Nuestra protagonista, más bien casi todos los personajes, son de Puerto Rico que viven en Nueva York, por las calles de Bronx.
No se me ocurren palabras para describir que tan identificada y cercana me sentí, no con la protagonista, sino con el entorno familiar (Expresiones, actitudes, referencias, etc de mi querida Isla del Encanto)
Sin embargo, no le pongo mis 5 estrellas porque me hubiese gustado que hubiera más desarrollo con los personajes secundarios, en especial la historia de Moises, el pretendiente de Margot.
Sinceramente, el titulo le cae como anillo al dedo. Margot es una chica muy insegura de si misma y quiere impresionar a las chicas populares del prestigiado colegio al que asiste, pero aprenderá que hay más cosas importantes que el maquillaje, ropa y fiestas. Reseña completa aquí.
En este libro, hay mucha representación latina. Nuestra protagonista, más bien casi todos los personajes, son de Puerto Rico que viven en Nueva York, por las calles de Bronx.
No se me ocurren palabras para describir que tan identificada y cercana me sentí, no con la protagonista, sino con el entorno familiar (Expresiones, actitudes, referencias, etc de mi querida Isla del Encanto)
Sin embargo, no le pongo mis 5 estrellas porque me hubiese gustado que hubiera más desarrollo con los personajes secundarios, en especial la historia de Moises, el pretendiente de Margot.
Sinceramente, el titulo le cae como anillo al dedo. Margot es una chica muy insegura de si misma y quiere impresionar a las chicas populares del prestigiado colegio al que asiste, pero aprenderá que hay más cosas importantes que el maquillaje, ropa y fiestas. Reseña completa aquí.
Read
February 25, 2017Margot Sanchez is in big trouble. She used her father’s credit card to update her wardrobe and now she’s stuck behind the deli counter of the family grocery store, working off the charges as punishment. But Margot isn’t going to let anyone – or anything – stand in the way of her dreams and schemes. When she learns of an exclusive beach party, she’s set on attending, even if it means getting in more trouble. A charming coming-of-age novel about how when you’re a teen it can seem like your parents are trying to ruin your life, and the choices that feel like the biggest things that will ever happen to you.
Backlist bump: Labyrinth Lost (Brooklyn Brujas) by Zoraida Cordova (Teen angst AND magic!)
Tune in to our weekly podcast dedicated to all things new books, All The Books: http://bookriot.com/listen/shows/allt...
Backlist bump: Labyrinth Lost (Brooklyn Brujas) by Zoraida Cordova (Teen angst AND magic!)
Tune in to our weekly podcast dedicated to all things new books, All The Books: http://bookriot.com/listen/shows/allt...
April 13, 2017
Am a grown up & loved this for me! What a terrific book!
Read
September 17, 2019Dnf at 28%
Just can’t relate, Margot and her family are horrible people. It’s frustrating and I can’t get into the story though Moises and his battle against gentrification was what I wanted to keep going for, but the rest is just so annoying I can’t.
Just can’t relate, Margot and her family are horrible people. It’s frustrating and I can’t get into the story though Moises and his battle against gentrification was what I wanted to keep going for, but the rest is just so annoying I can’t.
March 4, 2018
Originally going to give this book 2 stars, but this book actually caused me so distress.
I was VERY disappointed that I did not enjoy this book. As a Latinx, you hardly get any representation.
This book, just fell flat for me.
I'm not a fan of people calling main characters "annoying" but holy crap, I truly couldn't stand her. She was incredibly infuriating, spoiled and privileged. I understand, she was trying to be someone she wasn't because society has negatively influenced her about her background and lifestyle BUT...
This book just didn't tap the serious issues as it did.
I admit that it is indeed refreshing to see your first language and culture represented in young adult, but this book is everything I hate.
Cliches, predictability, and teenage dialogue that is SO obviously written by an adult. It ruined every "decent" part of the book and I really couldn't take it seriously after like three chapters.
Quite frankly, it's truly insulting to see how grown ass adults try to patronize young adults.
This book raises my blood pressure in the worst way possible.
I'm so angry, and I'm really upset I'm ending my 24 Hour Readathon with this gigantic bomb of disappointment.
I was VERY disappointed that I did not enjoy this book. As a Latinx, you hardly get any representation.
This book, just fell flat for me.
I'm not a fan of people calling main characters "annoying" but holy crap, I truly couldn't stand her. She was incredibly infuriating, spoiled and privileged. I understand, she was trying to be someone she wasn't because society has negatively influenced her about her background and lifestyle BUT...
This book just didn't tap the serious issues as it did.
I admit that it is indeed refreshing to see your first language and culture represented in young adult, but this book is everything I hate.
Cliches, predictability, and teenage dialogue that is SO obviously written by an adult. It ruined every "decent" part of the book and I really couldn't take it seriously after like three chapters.
Quite frankly, it's truly insulting to see how grown ass adults try to patronize young adults.
This book raises my blood pressure in the worst way possible.
I'm so angry, and I'm really upset I'm ending my 24 Hour Readathon with this gigantic bomb of disappointment.
March 13, 2017
Margot's voice is perfectly teen. She is self-absorbed yet open to learning more about the world around her. She is consumed by petty goals and desires yet has a real desperate need to figure out what she's truly meant to do and live for. She is both shallow and deep. She is incredibly real and the situations she finds herself in are very much typical teen problems. The cover makes this book seem like it might be edgier than it actually is. Margot's family has some serious problems, and part of her journey is learning to navigate those as well as her own social circle's dramas. It all comes together very well. Highly recommended.
September 28, 2017
FINALLY this is out in audio. I am so thrilled to have the chance to listen because it was even better than I imagined.
February 6, 2017
This book was the perfect way to start my 2017!
It's fun, full of drama, and best of all? It's diverse! I must admit that the main reason of my enjoyment of this book is that I felt represented. Sometimes I could see myself in the main character and well... it had me sold!
Margot Sanchez lives a - relatively - privileged life. Her family owns "a chain of supermarkets" (just two supermarkets, but why not call it a chain to make it sound better, right?) which is why her family can afford to send her to Somerset, a private high school for the wealthy. Here she's the Latina girl with a wild fashion sense who can't really seem to fit in. But that changes once she meets some very (shallow) friends who in ways have made her change who she is to become part of the popular crowd.
In the process of trying to impress her friends, Margot "borrows" her dad's credit card and gets grounded when her parents discover what she's done with it. As her punishment, she must work at the family supermarket to repay the money. Sounds pretty fair, right? Well, not to the teenager who desperately wants to fit in and has been deprived of an amazing summer in The Hamptons! Nonetheless, her big chance to make a comeback is a big party at the end of the summer; but HOW WILL SHE GO IF SHE'S GROUNDED?!
Other than the typical teenager situations, this book deals with a LOT of family situations. Margot's family plays a big role in this book. A big part of Margot's education through this summer revolves around her family and the situations that they (as a family) are going through. Not only Margot grows as an individual, she also grows as a daughter.
To close up my review... Someone on twitter (sorry that I cannot remember who it was!) brought up that this book doesn't use italics for the Spanish language and they thought that was good; and let me tell you why this is great! Spanish is my main language, and seeing it in italics in other books, makes it seem foreign to me. My first language shouldn't feel foreign! Thankfully this book makes it feel real. Every time something is brought up in Spanish, it's a phrase or a saying that Latinos use a lot, or at least here in Puerto Rico we do! Latinos have a lot of sayings; I was very happy to see them here!
Anyway, this book was amazing, and it is living proof of how important diversity is! We all get very excited when we can see ourselves represented in a book, and I finally could have that feeling with a book! ♥
Overall rating: 5 stars
- @Serialbibliophile
BLOG / INSTAGRAM / TWITTER
It's fun, full of drama, and best of all? It's diverse! I must admit that the main reason of my enjoyment of this book is that I felt represented. Sometimes I could see myself in the main character and well... it had me sold!
Margot Sanchez lives a - relatively - privileged life. Her family owns "a chain of supermarkets" (just two supermarkets, but why not call it a chain to make it sound better, right?) which is why her family can afford to send her to Somerset, a private high school for the wealthy. Here she's the Latina girl with a wild fashion sense who can't really seem to fit in. But that changes once she meets some very (shallow) friends who in ways have made her change who she is to become part of the popular crowd.
In the process of trying to impress her friends, Margot "borrows" her dad's credit card and gets grounded when her parents discover what she's done with it. As her punishment, she must work at the family supermarket to repay the money. Sounds pretty fair, right? Well, not to the teenager who desperately wants to fit in and has been deprived of an amazing summer in The Hamptons! Nonetheless, her big chance to make a comeback is a big party at the end of the summer; but HOW WILL SHE GO IF SHE'S GROUNDED?!
Other than the typical teenager situations, this book deals with a LOT of family situations. Margot's family plays a big role in this book. A big part of Margot's education through this summer revolves around her family and the situations that they (as a family) are going through. Not only Margot grows as an individual, she also grows as a daughter.
To close up my review... Someone on twitter (sorry that I cannot remember who it was!) brought up that this book doesn't use italics for the Spanish language and they thought that was good; and let me tell you why this is great! Spanish is my main language, and seeing it in italics in other books, makes it seem foreign to me. My first language shouldn't feel foreign! Thankfully this book makes it feel real. Every time something is brought up in Spanish, it's a phrase or a saying that Latinos use a lot, or at least here in Puerto Rico we do! Latinos have a lot of sayings; I was very happy to see them here!
Anyway, this book was amazing, and it is living proof of how important diversity is! We all get very excited when we can see ourselves represented in a book, and I finally could have that feeling with a book! ♥
Overall rating: 5 stars
- @Serialbibliophile
BLOG / INSTAGRAM / TWITTER
March 30, 2017
3.5/5
The Education of Margot Sanchez was a total cover lure for me. The promise of a Puerto-Rican family just sealed the deal for me. Lilliam Rivera is a great writer and I foresee a very bright future for her if she continues with such solid writing. Here are some of my quick opinions about the book.
-First things first, Margot is not going to be the protagonist for everyone. She is one angry girl, and she’s not afraid to let out her frustrations. She wasn’t particularly likeable. I thought her constant desire to want to be noticed, and to separate her friends perspective of her from her reality was frustrating to read about. But thinking back, I think we’ve all had our moments as teens when we said/did things to make us seem cooler in our friend group. Being a teenager is HARD and Rivera portrays that beautifully here.
-The Education of Margot Sanchez, as you can probably tell from the title, is Margot’s story of growth and coming-of-age. Like I said, Margot is not the most pleasant protagonist ; she tended to be materialistic and a bit shallow, in my opinion, but we do see growth from her as the story progressed. However, I wished that we had seen her starting to change and realize how awful her behavior was towards certain people in her life earlier on. It would have made a stronger story for me personally.
-Family is at the center of The Education of Margot Sanchez, and it’s messy and complicated, and just a bit sad as well. Her brother and her father frustrated me to no ends, but the characters were so well-developed that even those who were frustrating in their actions were great to read about. Besides complicated family relationships, the book also explored complicated friendships. And there was also a sweet romance with a neighborhood activist who went by Moises. I would have liked to know more about his character to be honest, but I still really liked the glimpses we saw of his personality.
-I really really loved the Latinx culture here too. I think it’s always wonderful to learn more about different people, their lifestyles and their culture. The portrayal read very realistic to me, and I think Latinx teens will love to see pieces of themselves in Margot and her family.
Overall, this was a decent book for me and I’ll be looking forward to reading more from Lilliam Rivera in the future.
The Education of Margot Sanchez was a total cover lure for me. The promise of a Puerto-Rican family just sealed the deal for me. Lilliam Rivera is a great writer and I foresee a very bright future for her if she continues with such solid writing. Here are some of my quick opinions about the book.
-First things first, Margot is not going to be the protagonist for everyone. She is one angry girl, and she’s not afraid to let out her frustrations. She wasn’t particularly likeable. I thought her constant desire to want to be noticed, and to separate her friends perspective of her from her reality was frustrating to read about. But thinking back, I think we’ve all had our moments as teens when we said/did things to make us seem cooler in our friend group. Being a teenager is HARD and Rivera portrays that beautifully here.
-The Education of Margot Sanchez, as you can probably tell from the title, is Margot’s story of growth and coming-of-age. Like I said, Margot is not the most pleasant protagonist ; she tended to be materialistic and a bit shallow, in my opinion, but we do see growth from her as the story progressed. However, I wished that we had seen her starting to change and realize how awful her behavior was towards certain people in her life earlier on. It would have made a stronger story for me personally.
-Family is at the center of The Education of Margot Sanchez, and it’s messy and complicated, and just a bit sad as well. Her brother and her father frustrated me to no ends, but the characters were so well-developed that even those who were frustrating in their actions were great to read about. Besides complicated family relationships, the book also explored complicated friendships. And there was also a sweet romance with a neighborhood activist who went by Moises. I would have liked to know more about his character to be honest, but I still really liked the glimpses we saw of his personality.
-I really really loved the Latinx culture here too. I think it’s always wonderful to learn more about different people, their lifestyles and their culture. The portrayal read very realistic to me, and I think Latinx teens will love to see pieces of themselves in Margot and her family.
Overall, this was a decent book for me and I’ll be looking forward to reading more from Lilliam Rivera in the future.
November 20, 2016
Disclosure: I was given an eARC from Simon & Schuster and Jellybooks in exchange for reading statistics. (Release Date- February 21, 2017) No spoilers.
Before I start the actual review, I want you to just take a moment. A moment where you imagine yourself as a child, a child who doesn't know what they look like. A child who grew up hearing "But you don't look x," "You look like you have a raccoon on your head," or worse silence. Now imagine you see a YouTube video from a booktuber saying she doesn't give two craps about diversity. This is just a brief glimpse into my life and why I started blogging. I felt this was important to say because I'm proud of myself, and where I come from. I'm also so proud of Lilliam Rivera for writing this book, because books can educate people and hope this story really educates people.
Margot Sanchez is a confused teenage girl. I know shocking right? I mean what teenager regardless of gender isn't confused? Let me tell you why this may come as a shock to some. Margot goes to a virtually all-white prep school and is struggling to fit in. When she finally makes some "friends" she starts to change everything about herself to fit in. Margot takes it too far and is forced to work at her father's store.
Over the course of this novel you start to see how Margot has just completely reinvented herself just to be liked. It was honestly painful to read this at times, Margot reminded me of what I was like in school and just wanted to be seen and heard. Now, Margot doesn't just one day realize she doesn't need to do these things, it's a slow process for her to come to terms with this. I think it made the story more humanized than anything for her to slowly come to terms with this.
This book is just so poignant about Latinx culture and how we struggle to fit in. I just can't say enough about this book it means so much to me to have a book like this.The fact that it only comes out in a few months and the world will see it makes me so happy, I can't even tell you. Just buy the book when it comes and support this wonderful author!
Before I start the actual review, I want you to just take a moment. A moment where you imagine yourself as a child, a child who doesn't know what they look like. A child who grew up hearing "But you don't look x," "You look like you have a raccoon on your head," or worse silence. Now imagine you see a YouTube video from a booktuber saying she doesn't give two craps about diversity. This is just a brief glimpse into my life and why I started blogging. I felt this was important to say because I'm proud of myself, and where I come from. I'm also so proud of Lilliam Rivera for writing this book, because books can educate people and hope this story really educates people.
Margot Sanchez is a confused teenage girl. I know shocking right? I mean what teenager regardless of gender isn't confused? Let me tell you why this may come as a shock to some. Margot goes to a virtually all-white prep school and is struggling to fit in. When she finally makes some "friends" she starts to change everything about herself to fit in. Margot takes it too far and is forced to work at her father's store.
Over the course of this novel you start to see how Margot has just completely reinvented herself just to be liked. It was honestly painful to read this at times, Margot reminded me of what I was like in school and just wanted to be seen and heard. Now, Margot doesn't just one day realize she doesn't need to do these things, it's a slow process for her to come to terms with this. I think it made the story more humanized than anything for her to slowly come to terms with this.
This book is just so poignant about Latinx culture and how we struggle to fit in. I just can't say enough about this book it means so much to me to have a book like this.The fact that it only comes out in a few months and the world will see it makes me so happy, I can't even tell you. Just buy the book when it comes and support this wonderful author!
April 19, 2019
I'm glad I bought this book. Sometimes the writing isn't very strong (lots of short, choppy sentences or unrealistic dialogue), but I really liked the story. We have a lot of books about white girls who learn about themselves and learn that being popular isn't always the most important thing, and I loved this for being that story with a Latina protagonist. I liked the characters and that everyone had depth (good people messed up and did bad things, just like in real life) and wasn't a stereotype.
Also, I'm not Latina, but I straightened my hair throughout high school and college to adhere to white standards of beauty, so I kept wanting to yell JUST BE YOURSELF at Margot. I liked Margot, because she was annoyingly realistic (I probably wouldn't have liked her in real life), and she's one of those characters who stuck with me after I finished the book. I hope she keeps learning. I'd like a book in a few years that updates us on Margot in her 20s.
Also, I'm not Latina, but I straightened my hair throughout high school and college to adhere to white standards of beauty, so I kept wanting to yell JUST BE YOURSELF at Margot. I liked Margot, because she was annoyingly realistic (I probably wouldn't have liked her in real life), and she's one of those characters who stuck with me after I finished the book. I hope she keeps learning. I'd like a book in a few years that updates us on Margot in her 20s.
February 26, 2017
4.5
Fantastic story about a Latina girl who tried so hard to be somebody else, to learn how to undo herself to please others that she only ended up getting in trouble. Trouble that led to punishment, which led to some hard punishments, which led to her learning the most important lessons of her life.
The writing was a little choppy, and sometimes it worked for Margot's voice and sometimes it made the story seem stilted. But I really liked Margot and her story.
More later.
Fantastic story about a Latina girl who tried so hard to be somebody else, to learn how to undo herself to please others that she only ended up getting in trouble. Trouble that led to punishment, which led to some hard punishments, which led to her learning the most important lessons of her life.
The writing was a little choppy, and sometimes it worked for Margot's voice and sometimes it made the story seem stilted. But I really liked Margot and her story.
More later.
February 21, 2019
Low 3 stars | Honestly, the one thing I really like about this book is the cover. I gave it 3 stars because it did keep me entertained and I wanted to see how it would end, but damn this book has some truly awful characters. That said, I’d give this author another chance.
March 25, 2017
I thought this book was fun and quick, I liked the world that Margot inhabited, I just had a hard time liking her! 3.5 stars
April 17, 2017
Amazing. This is everything I know & understand & I saw myself in Margot & within these pages. Review to come.
February 13, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. Read my full review here!
February 23, 2017
Check out this and other reviews on my young adult book blog, Here's to Happy Endings!
The Education of Margot Sanchez is one of those books that I couldn't help but love. The characters were fun, the plot of the book was a good one, and the cover went really well with the story. There's a lot of emphasis on family, even if it isn't always in a positive light.
Margot Sanchez, called Princesa by her family and those in her neighborhood who know her, is looking at a long and terribly boring summer working in her father's grocery store. She was supposed to spend the entire summer with her popular best friends in the Hamptons - on the beach, having parties, and getting into a relationship with a guy she's had a long time crush on. But Margot made a mistake - she stole her father's credit card and charged over $600 worth of brand new designer clothes to it, and when her father found out, he told her he was making her spend the summer working at the grocery store to pay it off.
Only Margot didn't think he was serious.
When she walks into the grocery store to begin her summer of torture, she does so while wearing designer clothing and promises that she is going to be helping in the office - until her father and older brother, Junior, set her straight - telling her that she will be working in the deli and stocking shelves like everyone else.
When Margot meets a guy, Moises, outside the store who is trying to get signatures to stop the destruction of an apartment building that houses many families and older people, she sees something in him that she likes, despite her father and brother insisting that she doesn't spend time with him. Her brother even uses violence to get him off of their property, but he comes back.
When Margot starts spending more time with Moises, she hides it from her father and brother - after all, they're doing everything they can to make her summer miserable, so she uses Moises to get back at him. But after a while, she finds herself actually starting to fall for him, despite the fact that he isn't the usual type she would hang around with.
Over time, Margot's brother starts acting weird toward her - violent and unpredictable, and when money goes missing from the grocery store and one of the cashiers turns out to be pregnant, Margot finds herself trying to get to the bottom of both mysteries, although when she does, what she finds out threatens to tear her entire family apart.
To top it off, Margot is left trying to figure out what is going on with her and Moises, and trying to keep up her popular girl image for her friends, especially when she heads off to the Hamptons for an end of the summer party, where she confronts Nick.
I had a lot of fun reading this book. I saw a lot of people gave it somewhat negative reviews, especially concerning Margot's character - she was shallow and cared only about herself and material things - and yes, she was. But if you go into this book with that in mind (and you can tell that's the kind of character she's going to be after reading the synopsis), it can be a really enjoyable read - especially if you sometimes get tired of main characters who do no wrong and are incredibly sweet. Margot isn't sweet - she has a sassy, smart mouth and she speaks her mind, no matter how much everyone else around her doesn't want to hear it. I loved that about her. She tries to make people notice her no matter what, and she always has to be the center of attention.
Character growth in this book is something that you can't help but love, because Margot grows so much as a person from the beginning of this book up to the very end. I love books that really put a focus on this, and it was such a great way to write the book. There was just so much dislike for Margot at the beginning because of the type of person that she is, but as the book goes on, you get to see a lot of what is going on in her life, as well as how she changes little by little to become someone better than she originally was.
The family drama that goes on in this book is really jaw dropping, and I couldn't believe it. There was so much happening at once toward the end of the book, and while I did kind of see part of it coming, the other one was a huge shocker that I just couldn't believe. When things began unraveling themselves in Margot's world, it made her character seem that much more real.
The Education of Margot Sanchez is probably one of my favorite books in terms of "shallow, stuck up characters," because come on and face it - sometimes reading a book with a mean girl as the main character can be fun, and sometimes that's the point of reading, isn't it?
This book was one that I couldn't put down until I finished. It was full of twists and simply enjoyable.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
The Education of Margot Sanchez is one of those books that I couldn't help but love. The characters were fun, the plot of the book was a good one, and the cover went really well with the story. There's a lot of emphasis on family, even if it isn't always in a positive light.
Margot Sanchez, called Princesa by her family and those in her neighborhood who know her, is looking at a long and terribly boring summer working in her father's grocery store. She was supposed to spend the entire summer with her popular best friends in the Hamptons - on the beach, having parties, and getting into a relationship with a guy she's had a long time crush on. But Margot made a mistake - she stole her father's credit card and charged over $600 worth of brand new designer clothes to it, and when her father found out, he told her he was making her spend the summer working at the grocery store to pay it off.
Only Margot didn't think he was serious.
When she walks into the grocery store to begin her summer of torture, she does so while wearing designer clothing and promises that she is going to be helping in the office - until her father and older brother, Junior, set her straight - telling her that she will be working in the deli and stocking shelves like everyone else.
When Margot meets a guy, Moises, outside the store who is trying to get signatures to stop the destruction of an apartment building that houses many families and older people, she sees something in him that she likes, despite her father and brother insisting that she doesn't spend time with him. Her brother even uses violence to get him off of their property, but he comes back.
When Margot starts spending more time with Moises, she hides it from her father and brother - after all, they're doing everything they can to make her summer miserable, so she uses Moises to get back at him. But after a while, she finds herself actually starting to fall for him, despite the fact that he isn't the usual type she would hang around with.
"My friends at Somerset may not know me but I accepted that a long time ago. They like the small amounts of personality I reveal. With Moises, I expose too much and I'm unable to defend myself."
Over time, Margot's brother starts acting weird toward her - violent and unpredictable, and when money goes missing from the grocery store and one of the cashiers turns out to be pregnant, Margot finds herself trying to get to the bottom of both mysteries, although when she does, what she finds out threatens to tear her entire family apart.
To top it off, Margot is left trying to figure out what is going on with her and Moises, and trying to keep up her popular girl image for her friends, especially when she heads off to the Hamptons for an end of the summer party, where she confronts Nick.
I had a lot of fun reading this book. I saw a lot of people gave it somewhat negative reviews, especially concerning Margot's character - she was shallow and cared only about herself and material things - and yes, she was. But if you go into this book with that in mind (and you can tell that's the kind of character she's going to be after reading the synopsis), it can be a really enjoyable read - especially if you sometimes get tired of main characters who do no wrong and are incredibly sweet. Margot isn't sweet - she has a sassy, smart mouth and she speaks her mind, no matter how much everyone else around her doesn't want to hear it. I loved that about her. She tries to make people notice her no matter what, and she always has to be the center of attention.
Character growth in this book is something that you can't help but love, because Margot grows so much as a person from the beginning of this book up to the very end. I love books that really put a focus on this, and it was such a great way to write the book. There was just so much dislike for Margot at the beginning because of the type of person that she is, but as the book goes on, you get to see a lot of what is going on in her life, as well as how she changes little by little to become someone better than she originally was.
The family drama that goes on in this book is really jaw dropping, and I couldn't believe it. There was so much happening at once toward the end of the book, and while I did kind of see part of it coming, the other one was a huge shocker that I just couldn't believe. When things began unraveling themselves in Margot's world, it made her character seem that much more real.
The Education of Margot Sanchez is probably one of my favorite books in terms of "shallow, stuck up characters," because come on and face it - sometimes reading a book with a mean girl as the main character can be fun, and sometimes that's the point of reading, isn't it?
This book was one that I couldn't put down until I finished. It was full of twists and simply enjoyable.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
June 27, 2017
Very well written. I got sucked into the typical life of a 15-year-old who worries about what other people think of her. She tries too hard to fit in at her new experience private school where she got in trouble and is now paying back her Papi. This really shines a light on how stupid teenagers can be. I know I wasn't like these kids but I knew kids like this. Very enjoyable and a fast read. I liked Margot even though she was a selfish person. Well rounded characters.
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