Valentina/Vale is finally recovered enough from a serious injury to get back to fencing. Vale is always been number one and her whole identity is fencing. Her parents, who pushed her to be #1, now baby her and her leg. When she starts back, Myrka seems to have “replaced” her for the top spot. Myrka is not driven like Vale and all of this bugs her. Vale tries hard to comeback, but her leg doesn’t always cooperate. She starts to like Myrka, which complicates matters. This is the story of Vale finding herself again and deciding what really matters.

This book brought up many hard topics is a very appropriate manner and very well done. I enjoyed that it was a verse novel. I thought overall it was a good book. I liked how it had Spanish though out.

At various points in the MG novel the protagonist, a queer and hyper competitive girl of Puerto Rican descent, questions if non athletes can understand the mind and priorities of athletes. By the end of the novel I was wondering the same thing, because Vale’s obsessive need to win (which we are repeatedly told precedes her accident) felt uncomfortable and strange. While I loved the diverse representation and the very tender exploration of Vale’s slow acceptance that her value is not fully measured out in wins and losses, I really struggled to connect with Vale and her parents (seriously, what adult tells a child that second place is just another word for losing, much less a parent to their own child?!) and spent most of the book wondering how no one had spotted something was seriously wrong with this child other than her (admittedly awful) ex-best friend. I really hope this isn’t the pressure athletes, particularly child athletes, put on themselves. It is, as demonstrated here over and over, crushing.

From the author: “Puerto Rican kids can be athletes. They can be disabled. They can be queer. And I’m thrilled to share a middle grade story that explores all those interconnected parts of who Valentina is.”
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Valentina Camacho was the top fencer at her gym until an accident hurts her leg, making it hard to walk most days, let alone fence. Months later she attempts to return to the gym only to find Myrka, a peppy girl who’s taken over her top spot. Vale doesn’t want to like her, but Myrka’s positivity and friendliness makes it hard to ignore her. While Vale struggles with her return to fencing, she’s also dealing with feelings for Myrka and wondering if she were to quit fencing, would it end her identity.
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This MG novel in verse deals with so many topics in an age-appropriate way and with care and consideration. Vale’s resilience and journey to find who she is separate from fencing was endearing. We, as readers, see her pain and struggle throughout most of the #book and feel deeply for her fight. Her crush on Myrka is sweet and innocent and didn’t deal with any of the trauma that can come with coming out, but rather automatic acceptance from everyone in her life. This novel was moving and authentic—I loved the Spanish throughout and know my middle school students will love it when it releases February 11.

CW: accident, physical injury, ableism, bullying