Review: Water In May

Water In May
Author: Ismee Williams
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Rating: 4/5
Publisher: Abram Books And Chronicles



Mari is fifteen and when she found out that she was pregnant, she soon grows to love her baby. In him, she sees a chance for a family member who will always love her and never leave her. But when she finds out that her son has a heart condition, it all gets even more complicated.

I quickly grew to sympathize with Mari. Her mother took off when she was seven, her dad is in prison and her grandmother always makes her feel like she's a burden. But she has her girls and her boyfriend, who all support her.

The relationship that I most enjoyed, was the one between Mari, Yaz, Teri and Heavenly, her best friends, as they always hung around together and just had a really close bond, which was really great to read. The one between Mari and her unborn son, where also great to read. You could always tell that she really loved her son.

This is a fascinating contemporary that deals with heavy themes like teen pregnancy, sick babies, absent parents and drugs, all while never slipping in a too dramatic mood. Despite all of this happening, the story still manages to spread hope and it was really nice to see that.

I would write a spoiler, but I wont, that's the whole point of reading..just to let you know - this book has heavy content, Spanish in every other sentence and the slang! Oh, as a reader I got to know all Mari's grammar and punctuation errors. I also found this pregnancy sad, because there are pregnancies who are carried at the very young age and they do have these gene issues, something not right during the pregnancy..as a woman in general, I think it is something completely heartbreaking for both parents and does not matter the age, although being more mature we have more stability and we see more than a 15 year old who seeks love. 

I was most fascinated by the medical surgery staff roles, completely surprising and down to earth attitude, especially when one is 15 years old...

Water in May challenges stereotypes about single mothers. It presents Mari as a fighter, strong, determined, and wanting the best for her child. The people around her might not think his life is worth saving, but Mari does. And her love for him makes her capable of great sacrifice. It’s a heartwarming tale about how one life can change and challenge others.

My only criticism is of the personal sort. This novel won't hit everyone the same way. For me, it didn't hit just right. It's not for lack of a point or emotional appeal or character growth or good writing--it has all those things--but I thought it could stand up to more plot. The beginning and ending are excellent, but the in-between of doctor visits and moving from place to place wasn't quite enough. But overall? A solid debut. I would really like to see more of Williams' work in this setting, and I'm looking forward to her novels to come.


And a big thank you to publishers for sending me a review copy of this book !