I’ll start by saying that memoir is not my favorite genre. I was interested to learn more about Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican culture, but most of the story takes place in Ohio, cut off from the author and her mother’s Puerto Rican heritage. I now see that the book is more about the Mother than the Island. That for the author’s identity forming childhood, she was stranded on the island of her mother’s traumas, whims, abandonment, whitewashed identity, and an endless sea of men her mother temporarily put in front of her daughters’ needs.

In this book, the author paints a picture of how these experiences and trauma made her who she is and also unsure of who she is, her trauma and her healing. Which had a little bit to do with Puerto Rico and more to do with her own inner journey.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC).

I love reading authentic stories and Mother Island is such a book. Jaime Figueroa takes us through her journey to reconnect with her ties to Puerto Rico after being raised in the mainland United States. Her childhood, family ties and her move back to the island are all topics that are explored.

As a first-generation American, I could identify with the struggle that Figueroa goes through with trying to reconnect with our roots. I appreciate the chance to read this book from Netgalley.

Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, Pantheon via Netgalley for providing me with this ARC!

Jaime Figueroa is a fellow "boricua" by way of Ohio and long-time resident of northern New Mexico. Her first book Sister, Mother, Explorer was released in 2021, in which she explored fiction and magical realism while dealing with topics like generational traumas. Mother Island on the other hand is a memoir, in which Figueroa tackles the very institutions—family, society, country—that defined her, a Puerto Rican woman, living outside of the island.

While I liked how the story talks about things like colorism, motherhood, and how to navigate being afro-latina in a place where being different is STILL an issue, I found myself a little bit detached from the story. I think my problem with it, was the writing. Not that theres anything wrong with it, it was just difficult to for me to get into it.

Other than that, powerful memoir, stories that NEED to be told and heard, since the conflict of identity and representations of Latinx individuals are things that people like me have a difficult time finding in publishing.

Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, Pantheon via Netgalley for providing me with this ARC! This memoir was a beautiful, elaborate, and rich depiction of the multifaceted concept of motherhood. Through her prose, it’s clear the connection the author has with her intergenerational legacy, both the strength she draws from it and the burdens of ingrained colonization and misogyny. This book reminded me why I love reading memoirs so much. I hope that eventually the audiobook will be released with the author reading, because I think the power of her words would be especially compelling. Recommending to all my friends who enjoy memoirs, especially those looking for more Afro-Latine authors!

This is a beautiful memoir about family, motherhood and identity. Jamie Figueroa shares her upbringing with a stunning mother who carries a lifetime of trauma as she navigates romantic relationships and raising her three daughters. It is so empowering to read Jamie's journey, as she navigates childhood, her own marriage, returning to her mother's homeland and parenting her son. Many readers from the Caribbean will identify with Figueroa's journey of identity, colorism and trying to navigate white spaces. What a powerful read!

In Jamie Figueroa's forthcoming memoir, "Mother Island," she reflects on the institutions that shaped her as a Puerto Rican woman, unraveling the complexities of her cultural heritage and the process of unlearning to rediscover herself.

Growing up in the Midwest, Figueroa and her sisters grappled with estrangement from their Puerto Rican roots, ensconced in a world dominated by whiteness. "Mother Island" traces Figueroa's quest for identity, set against the backdrop of a mother who sought safety in assimilation. The lyrical and blistering prose paints a vivid picture of her Ohio childhood, marked by the shadows of her mother's failed marriages and Figueroa's own unconventional marriage in her early twenties.

The narrative unfolds in New Mexico, where Figueroa finally forges her own path and employs writing to reshape her origin story. Through a journey that traverses Puerto Rico and back, the author seeks a reconnection with her ancestors, using Puerto Rican folklore and mythology to weave a cultural coming-of-age story. In "Mother Island," Figueroa transcends her personal narrative, expanding into a broader exploration of motherhood and self-identity.

The memoir's depth is amplified by Figueroa's reflections on the intergenerational legacy she inherits, emphasizing the interconnectedness of her story with that of her family, foremothers, and ancestors. Her accounts of the inadvertent revelation of her family members' identities after her first memoir adds a layer of authenticity to her story, underscoring the complex dance between truth and memory.

"Mother Island" is a testament to Figueroa's ability to craft a compelling narrative that transcends individual experience, offering readers a mirror to reflect on our own journeys of self-discovery. As she traces her legacy back to her grandfather "Aniceto," who left Puerto Rico in the 1940s, Figueroa invites us to embark on a collective exploration of identity, heritage, and the power of reclaiming one's narrative by going back to our roots. Thank you to the author and publisher for the e-arc copy!

This is such a powerful story. I was amazed at how raw and real Jamie's writing was. I appreciated the chance to read her words. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I feel this is a book I'd like to revisit and share with a book buddy. Five stars.