We Never Asked for Wings: A Novel

This felt like a "based on true events" novel. It was survival, love and forgiveness. It covered life experiences that most of us have had or will confront in our lifetime.

I liked this book very much, very fast read because it's well written! I highly recommend "we never asked for wings."

Although it was a little slower to take off, this was another good novel by the author of The Language of Flowers. Its themes of atonement and risk were well developed and believable and the characters were engaging.

A decent read about children of Mexican immigrants who are law abiding and hard working. Romanticized DACA that it should somehow make illegal immigrants here in America acceptable when they are still illegal. No mention made of trying to take steps to become a legal US citizen, that part was very disappointing. DACA is not the answer to undocumented, illegal immigrants in our country. They become entitled to US resources that are not rightfully theirs, health care and education, to name only two.

Truly interesting, some of the things that happened seemed pretty far fetched but they worked with the point that was being made regarding being afraid in the shadows. Yet it also showed what determination and hope can do in our lives.

This book had California as the setting, however, the author did not take into consideration that California is a sanctuary state. The author played on the readers sympathy and empathy toward the characters and totally ignored that realistically ICE would not have been notified. The h was immature and all her problems were someone else's fault. The book is based on the immagration issue, but would have been more believable if not based in California. The author should have researched and known that it is a sanctuary state. I know that it is a work of fiction, but it lost its appeal to me with totally ignoring laws and facts.

Vanessa Diffenbaugh's first novel, The Language of Flowers, was one of the best first novels I have read in quite some time. I was prepared for a letdown with her sophomore effort, mainly because I did not think it was possible for her to achieve the heights of her first novel, but also because of some of the thoughtful reviews I read. For me, the letdown never came. She tackles the subjects of poverty, teenage mothers, single parenthood, and the challenges faced by illegal immigrants struggling to make better lives for themselves and their families in compelling and heartfelt fashion. Most impressive is her ability turn a simple and not particularly exciting plot line into a real page-turner. As with her first novel, I found We Never Asked for Wings very difficult to put down.

I really enjoyed "The Language of Flowers" and was expecting the same level of writing. How disappointing! The first couple of chapters were confusing, I wasn't sure who had done what. By the time I had read most of the book, I concluded that she was addressing illegal immigration however, the story wasn't believable.

The book was intriguing, the characters were developed well. The protagonist and antagonist worked within this story. Felt h read. On this was good. Didnt like how it ended, wanted the story to go on, so you might say well done to the author for pulling us in.

An incredible story about a first generation American and the struggles she faces as her parents migrate back to their home country.
Moving, authentic and riveting! I didn't want to put my reader down.

I loved We Never Asked For Wings, every moment of it. I was sad when I finished and had to say goodbye to these characters. Vanessa definitely followed L.O.F. With a book just as good. Can't wait for book #3

Everything just seemed "nice"....
nice.....new boyfriend waiting for Letty until she knew to pick him, nice.....new boyfriend so good with Letty's daughter, the grandfather was so good to Alex, leaving him with the feather collection, so nice....everyone wanting to help Yesenia so she doesn't get deported, so nice that Alex only sees her as beautiful....
and there are more! Just nothing gripping in this novel. Very predictable.