Thank you for the opportunity to read this. I will be posting a full review to Goodreads, Amazon, and Instagram.

The fact that this book was written by an author with this disability and that it features a main character with a disability makes it unique and inspiring. The book takes place through several months of Mafalda's life as she is progressively losing her eyesight from Stargardt's Disease. Some parts of the book seemed a little far-fetched and I don't know if that had more to do with cultural differences of where the novel takes place or that it's a translation from the original work. I had many mixed emotions throughout the reading of this book, ranging from sad to uplifting, and the author really made you feel all of them. Read for a good cry, which I guess I should have expected already.

I feel like a number of my complaints about this book can probably be attributed to it being a translation. Some things simply don't come through correctly when translated, especially complex emotional ideas. The line to line writing was quite clear but there are cultural references that went over my head.

The Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree by Paola Peretti is the story of Mafalda, a girl who is losing her sight and will eventually be blind due to a genetic condition. As Mafalda recognizes what is to come, she reflects on what she is going to lose in the process. She also begins to see how the world around her is changing. With her fate decided, she makes a resolution to move into the cherry tree. This tree brings her happiness, and as she stands to lose so much, she decides to find refuge in a place that she feels comforted and safe. Y'all, this is a middle grade book full of feels. Mafalda's story is emotional. That emotion becomes even more real knowing this is a condition the author also has. Through Mafalda, she is telling the story of what it feels like to lose a sense. Even though there is a lot of sad, there is also a lot of good stuff as Mafalda learns to lean on her family, as well as friends she finds along the way. In all this, she learns who she is able to count on and trust through the process. This is another middle grade book that centers a character with an identity that isn't often seen, and it tells her story with such authenticity. Thanks to NetGalley for the connection with a wonderful, real story out now.

LOVED this book! It drew me in and held me tight to the very end. We get to meet a very strong (although she certainly doesn't feel it) girl dealing with a condition that causes her to go blind. Step by step she goes down the path that will leave her in the darkness - the scary place where monsters are after you. She feels alone, so very much alone and so scared. Mafalda has to figure out things that are essential for her - things she cannot live without, things that she will still have in her heart once darkness surrounds her.
I could tell that the book was translated, it does set it apart from books written by English speaking authors. However, in no way do I think that it is a disadvantage, on the contrary, it allows the reader to compare what is typical for them with another take on the world. And that's how we learn the best.

Translated YA book about a young girl whose vision is fading and whose personal life is subject to change and turmoil. I found the language at times unnecessarily stylized and confusing, but I'm not sure if this is the result of the original author's word choice or down to a (for me) less than ideal translation. I think lots of people will love this book, I'm just not one of them.