Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Apr 2023
320 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
A contemporary YA debut from award-winning playwright Gina Femia, Alondra is a coming-of-age story of friendship and romance, about a bisexual teen girl and her friends wrestling their way through the summer--sometimes on the playgrounds of Coney Island, sometimes with their feelings and at home.
Sixteen-year-old Alonda loves professional wrestling. So when she meets a group of teens with aspirations of wrestling fame in her Coney Island neighborhood, she couldn't be happier. So as the ragtag team works to put on a show to remember, Alonda sheds her old self behind and becomes Alondra―the Fearless One. But with her conflicting feelings for King, the handsome leader of their group, and Lexi, the girl with the beautiful smile, Alonda has to ask herself: can she be as fearless outside of the ring as she is inside it?
"There's much to praise in this fast-paced and engaging debut, from the sense of found family that is part of Alonda's life in multiple ways to the commentary on the impact of gentrification...A satisfying and joyful read." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Alonda's determination to explore a bold new side of herself, and her gradual self-acceptance of her bisexuality, are immediately endearing, amounting to a sweetly introspective read." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
This information about Alondra was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Gina Femia is an award-winning playwright and performer who has written over 30 plays that have been produced all over the country. As a bisexual writer, Gina is interested in uplifting queer narratives that embrace joy. She still lives in her hometown of Brooklyn, NY with her great husband, Freddy. Alondra is her first novel.
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