What do you think?
Rate this book
What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez
A deeply powerful, raw debut novel of a Puerto Rican family in Staten Island who discovers their long‑missing sister is potentially alive and cast on a reality TV show
The Ramirez women of Staten Island orbit around absence. When thirteen‑year‑old middle child Ruthy disappeared after track practice, her family was left scarred. Then one night twelve years later, oldest sister Jessica spots a woman on TV in Catfight, a raunchy reality show. She rushes to tell her younger sister, Nina: This woman's hair is dyed red, and she calls herself Ruby, but the beauty mark under her left eye is instantly recognizable. Could it be Ruthy?
The Ramirez women of Staten Island orbit around absence. When thirteen‑year‑old middle child Ruthy disappeared after track practice, her family was left scarred. Then one night twelve years later, oldest sister Jessica spots a woman on TV in Catfight, a raunchy reality show. She rushes to tell her younger sister, Nina: This woman's hair is dyed red, and she calls herself Ruby, but the beauty mark under her left eye is instantly recognizable. Could it be Ruthy?
240 pages, Hardcover
First published March 7, 2023
About the author
Claire Jiménez
5 books189 followersClaire Jimenez is a Puerto Rican writer who grew up in Brooklyn and Staten Island, New York. She is the author of the short story collection Staten Island Stories (Johns Hopkins Press, December 2019), which received the 2019 Hornblower Award for a first book from the New York Society Library. Jimenez is a PhD student in English with a concentration in ethnic studies and digital humanities at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She received her MFA from Vanderbilt University. Recently, she was a research fellow at the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College. In 2020, she was awarded a Mellon Foundation grant from the U.S Latino Digital Humanities Program at the University of Houston. Currently, she is an assistant fiction editor at Prairie Schooner. Her fiction, essays and reviews have appeared in Remezcla, Afro-Hispanic Review, PANK, The Rumpus, el roommate, Eater, District Lit, The Toast and the Los Angeles Review of Books, among other publications.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,528 reviews
March 23, 2023
To all the reviewers complaining about the rampant usage of “Fuck” and multiple other cuss words in this book must not be from Brooklyn or the East Coast. Fuckin crybabies.🙄😂😂😂
This book reminded me so much of both sides of my family back in Brooklyn. Weirdly, this book helped me understand my Mami more. She is a firecracker, aggressive, Queen of tough love, and a churchwoman like Dolores. I resonated so much with Nina, being both Afro-Latinas. I laughed so much at reading this book, listening to the audiobook because it was genuine and honest. The last page broke my heart, though and had me thinking about the characters all that night.
This book reminded me so much of both sides of my family back in Brooklyn. Weirdly, this book helped me understand my Mami more. She is a firecracker, aggressive, Queen of tough love, and a churchwoman like Dolores. I resonated so much with Nina, being both Afro-Latinas. I laughed so much at reading this book, listening to the audiobook because it was genuine and honest. The last page broke my heart, though and had me thinking about the characters all that night.
May 15, 2023
i love lit fic because there is never a plot so it's even more impressive when i find it unputdownable.
this had that trademark Debut feeling (kinda clunky and error-ridden writing), but not when it came to the characters, who felt fleshed out and real even though there were 900 of them and the perspective kept switching!
i will take that trade any day.
bottom line: good stuff! i'll be keeping an eye on this author.
3.5
-----------------------
tbr review
if i see a book more than 3 times i physically have to read it
(thanks to netgalley for the e-arc)
this had that trademark Debut feeling (kinda clunky and error-ridden writing), but not when it came to the characters, who felt fleshed out and real even though there were 900 of them and the perspective kept switching!
i will take that trade any day.
bottom line: good stuff! i'll be keeping an eye on this author.
3.5
-----------------------
tbr review
if i see a book more than 3 times i physically have to read it
(thanks to netgalley for the e-arc)
March 7, 2023
{BLEEEEP} ‼️
I lost track of the number of times that the word f*ck ( or a derivative of it) was used. If you find bad language or references to bodily fluids or functions amusing than you might enjoy this book more than I did.
OUTLIER 🚨 ALERT!
In 1996, Ruthy Ramirez, a thirteen year old girl with long red hair, and a beauty mark beneath her left eye, failed to come home after track practice one day.
There were no clues in the diary she left.
Years later, her now grown up sisters, Nina and Jessica, think that they spot her as a contestant called Ruby, on a raunchy, reality TV show called “Catfight”. (For some reason when I read the initial blurb, I thought they spotted her on “The Bachelor”- now that would have been funny!!)
They reach out to her on the show’s website but when they get no response-they decide to take a road trip along with their mom, Dolores and her friend, Irene, to the condo where the show is filming-so they can bring Ruthy/Ruby home.
This was described as hilarious and that is what I was expecting when I picked this up. I loved the premise!!
Unfortunately, the “humor” just didn’t resonate with me.
READ it if other reviews intrigue you, and you don’t mind swear words on almost EVERY page.
SKIP it if my first paragraph convinced you that it isn’t a fit for you, either.
A buddy read with DeAnn…was she laughing out loud? Check out her review!
AVAILABLE NOW!
Thank You to Grand Central Publishing for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
I lost track of the number of times that the word f*ck ( or a derivative of it) was used. If you find bad language or references to bodily fluids or functions amusing than you might enjoy this book more than I did.
OUTLIER 🚨 ALERT!
In 1996, Ruthy Ramirez, a thirteen year old girl with long red hair, and a beauty mark beneath her left eye, failed to come home after track practice one day.
There were no clues in the diary she left.
Years later, her now grown up sisters, Nina and Jessica, think that they spot her as a contestant called Ruby, on a raunchy, reality TV show called “Catfight”. (For some reason when I read the initial blurb, I thought they spotted her on “The Bachelor”- now that would have been funny!!)
They reach out to her on the show’s website but when they get no response-they decide to take a road trip along with their mom, Dolores and her friend, Irene, to the condo where the show is filming-so they can bring Ruthy/Ruby home.
This was described as hilarious and that is what I was expecting when I picked this up. I loved the premise!!
Unfortunately, the “humor” just didn’t resonate with me.
READ it if other reviews intrigue you, and you don’t mind swear words on almost EVERY page.
SKIP it if my first paragraph convinced you that it isn’t a fit for you, either.
A buddy read with DeAnn…was she laughing out loud? Check out her review!
AVAILABLE NOW!
Thank You to Grand Central Publishing for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
April 20, 2023
What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jimenez is a Family Fiction Story!
Thirteen-year-old Ruthy disappeared without a trace in 1996.
Twelve years later her two sisters, Jessica and Nina, are watching "Catfight", a trashy reality TV show, and see a woman called 'Ruby' who looks just like Ruthy right down to the red hair and beauty mark under her left eye.
Convinced this woman who calls herself 'Ruby' could be Ruthy, they make plans for a road trip to where the show is being filmed to take a closer look...
Reading the premise, I was excited for this one but it wasn't what I expected. I was looking for humor but it wasn't there. What I did find was an excess use of expletives and a pace that slowly rehashed the family backstory, chapter after chapter. I did continue to read because I was actually curious about what happened to Ruthy. It's what originally drew me in to this story.
As I continued, I didn't connect with any of the characters, who didn't seem to connect with each other. The characters felt mean-spirited, from Ruthy and her middle-school friends, to her sisters and her mother, and even her mother's friend. The constant conflicts felt over-the-top and impacted my overall reading experience.
I am, admittedly, an emotional reader. How I feel about a book relates back to how the book makes me feel. There was an underlying essence of 'anger' in this story that was unsettling to me. I felt a sense of relief when I finished.
There are many positive reviews and ratings of What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez and I'm glad it has found an audience.
Thank you to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Claire Jimenez for an ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
Thirteen-year-old Ruthy disappeared without a trace in 1996.
Twelve years later her two sisters, Jessica and Nina, are watching "Catfight", a trashy reality TV show, and see a woman called 'Ruby' who looks just like Ruthy right down to the red hair and beauty mark under her left eye.
Convinced this woman who calls herself 'Ruby' could be Ruthy, they make plans for a road trip to where the show is being filmed to take a closer look...
Reading the premise, I was excited for this one but it wasn't what I expected. I was looking for humor but it wasn't there. What I did find was an excess use of expletives and a pace that slowly rehashed the family backstory, chapter after chapter. I did continue to read because I was actually curious about what happened to Ruthy. It's what originally drew me in to this story.
As I continued, I didn't connect with any of the characters, who didn't seem to connect with each other. The characters felt mean-spirited, from Ruthy and her middle-school friends, to her sisters and her mother, and even her mother's friend. The constant conflicts felt over-the-top and impacted my overall reading experience.
I am, admittedly, an emotional reader. How I feel about a book relates back to how the book makes me feel. There was an underlying essence of 'anger' in this story that was unsettling to me. I felt a sense of relief when I finished.
There are many positive reviews and ratings of What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez and I'm glad it has found an audience.
Thank you to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Claire Jimenez for an ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
June 8, 2023
I had very low expectations for this book based on some other reviews, and I was actually a bit surprised to find that this book was quite touching.
This is a short book about a Puerto Rican family affected when their thirteen-year-old sister/daughter Ruthy disappears one day after school. Twelve years later, Ruthy's sisters see a woman on a reality TV show that looks exactly like their sister. They set out to find her.
Frustratingly, this book is another instance where the blurb/synopsis gives nearly everything away. Some of the things that it talks about don't even happen until the end. So if you are going to read this book, don't read the blurb. There is a large amount of profanity here, but for whatever reason it didn't bother me as much as the other reviewers. I thought it gave a realistic tone to the tale.
What we mostly receive from this story is the aftereffects of Ruthy's disappearance on her family. How in some ways they remain stuck and in some ways they are able to move forward. Yet they are all scarred in some way. This novel is short, and so there's not a lot of time spent dwelling on things. A few of the situations are blink-and-you-might-miss-it and that's unfortunate, because all of those things do add up to forming these women into who they are and were. The novel is told from the perspectives of sisters Nina and Jessica, their mother Dolores, and Ruth's perspective from the past. I didn't really connect with the characters, I almost felt like I was watching a television show myself rather than entering into their story and that detracted from its impact for me. The ending, while not unexpected, was very sad.
This is a well-written book, surprisingly poignant despite its brevity.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
This is a short book about a Puerto Rican family affected when their thirteen-year-old sister/daughter Ruthy disappears one day after school. Twelve years later, Ruthy's sisters see a woman on a reality TV show that looks exactly like their sister. They set out to find her.
Frustratingly, this book is another instance where the blurb/synopsis gives nearly everything away. Some of the things that it talks about don't even happen until the end. So if you are going to read this book, don't read the blurb. There is a large amount of profanity here, but for whatever reason it didn't bother me as much as the other reviewers. I thought it gave a realistic tone to the tale.
What we mostly receive from this story is the aftereffects of Ruthy's disappearance on her family. How in some ways they remain stuck and in some ways they are able to move forward. Yet they are all scarred in some way. This novel is short, and so there's not a lot of time spent dwelling on things. A few of the situations are blink-and-you-might-miss-it and that's unfortunate, because all of those things do add up to forming these women into who they are and were. The novel is told from the perspectives of sisters Nina and Jessica, their mother Dolores, and Ruth's perspective from the past. I didn't really connect with the characters, I almost felt like I was watching a television show myself rather than entering into their story and that detracted from its impact for me. The ending, while not unexpected, was very sad.
This is a well-written book, surprisingly poignant despite its brevity.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
May 14, 2023
I liked this story about a family of Puerto Rican women searching for their long-missing sister who shows up on the cast of a reality TV show many years later. Claire Jiménez does a great job of highlighting the violence and microaggressions faced by Latina women, as well as the messy dynamics of this particular family. I appreciated the realness in which Jiménez portrayed her characters and how she didn’t hold back from displaying their raw, authentic selves. I mainly give this book three stars because I feel like there was a lot of conflict happening between the characters, which is fine, however I wanted more introspection and unpacking of the emotional dynamics underlying each of the characters’ behaviors and thoughts. If the plot had slowed down and given the characters’ histories and growth more time to breathe, I think What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez could have been an even stronger debut.
January 22, 2023
How can I sob at the end of book that cracked me up so much? Thank you to the publishers at Grand Central Publishers for an eARC ahead of the novel’s release in exchange for an honest review!
What Happened to Ruth’s Ramirez is a book that takes head-on the messiness of family, being in-between cultures, and the wide scope of generational trauma. It’s also a book that features a Puerto Rican auntie cutting the line at a club with her bestie from church; a No Sabo kid trying to mime to communicate with a customer despite having told her boss that she spoke Spanish; and even more hilarious scenarios courtesy of the women of the Ramirez household.
The book’s humor offers a humanizing touch to the awful circumstances that these characters face, and more importantly gives the narrative around missing girls back to both the girl herself and the women who are still looking for her.
Ruthy is more than a just another missing brown girl, but the book eloquently points out that all of these missing black and brown girls are so much more than a picture under a “Lost Child” poster. Some are talented track stars. Many are funny. Some of them take no shit and get labelled troublemakers. Above all, they are all loved.
What Happened to Ruth’s Ramirez is a book that takes head-on the messiness of family, being in-between cultures, and the wide scope of generational trauma. It’s also a book that features a Puerto Rican auntie cutting the line at a club with her bestie from church; a No Sabo kid trying to mime to communicate with a customer despite having told her boss that she spoke Spanish; and even more hilarious scenarios courtesy of the women of the Ramirez household.
The book’s humor offers a humanizing touch to the awful circumstances that these characters face, and more importantly gives the narrative around missing girls back to both the girl herself and the women who are still looking for her.
Ruthy is more than a just another missing brown girl, but the book eloquently points out that all of these missing black and brown girls are so much more than a picture under a “Lost Child” poster. Some are talented track stars. Many are funny. Some of them take no shit and get labelled troublemakers. Above all, they are all loved.
March 2, 2023
Thirteen-year-old Ruthy Ramirez disappeared without a trace in 1996. One night, twelve years later, her sister Jessica sees a woman named Ruby on "Catfight", a tacky reality TV show, a woman who looks just like Ruthy right down to the red hair and beauty mark under her left eye. She and another sister Nina binge-watch four hours of the series and come to the conclusion that Ruby is Ruthy and they hatch a plan to confront her and bring her home. Then Dolores, their mother, realizes what's up and wants in on the plan.
The story is told from the POVs of the three sisters and their mother. It wasn't a bad book but it wasn't a great book. As others have mentioned, there's a lot of profanity in the book, much of it unnecessary, although that definitely seems to be the trend these days, on tv as well as in books. I guess I'm old so I still find that kind of language offensive when it's overused. My other quibble is the amount of Spanish sprinkled throughout the book (did I mention the family is Puerto Rican?). I know basically no Spanish except maybe "hola" and I got tired of looking up words pretty quickly. A little glossary would've been nice. This is where the Kindle version would've come in handy but I had the paperback version. I was expecting more humour in the story and not so much fighting and yelling at each other. Once again, half stars would've been nice - I'd give this one 2.5 rounded up.
I won an Advance Reading Copy of What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez through a Goodreads giveaway so thanks to them and to Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: March 7, 2023
The story is told from the POVs of the three sisters and their mother. It wasn't a bad book but it wasn't a great book. As others have mentioned, there's a lot of profanity in the book, much of it unnecessary, although that definitely seems to be the trend these days, on tv as well as in books. I guess I'm old so I still find that kind of language offensive when it's overused. My other quibble is the amount of Spanish sprinkled throughout the book (did I mention the family is Puerto Rican?). I know basically no Spanish except maybe "hola" and I got tired of looking up words pretty quickly. A little glossary would've been nice. This is where the Kindle version would've come in handy but I had the paperback version. I was expecting more humour in the story and not so much fighting and yelling at each other. Once again, half stars would've been nice - I'd give this one 2.5 rounded up.
I won an Advance Reading Copy of What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez through a Goodreads giveaway so thanks to them and to Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: March 7, 2023
May 9, 2023
What a great debut! The ending breaks your heart.
Please note I received this book via NetGalley.
Trigger warning: Not described in detail but discussion of rape and molestation.
Full review: Wow. I just don't even know what to say. I have never read anything by Claire Jimenez before, but definitely want to seek her out in the future. This book was heartbreaking. Following three of the Ramirez women (Dolores, the mother, Jessica, the oldest sister, and then Nina, the younger sister) they have been left to pick up the pieces after middle sister, Ruthy Ramirez disappeared when she was 13 years old. Taking place in 2008, the book follows the Dolores, Jessica, and Nina after Jessica sees a woman in a reality competition who she claims has to be her long lost sister, Ruthy. Now going by Ruby, Jessica is determined to find her and bring her back.
Yeah so that's a lot right? I mean at first I was like, um what is going on. But the book lures you in and you feel nothing but sympathy for everyone involved. I honestly liked Dolores and Jessica the most (and I still liked Nina) but those two right there really become the primary focus of the book. We also get points of view following Ruthy (told in the first person) on the day she disappeared.
Dolores I really enjoyed reading. She's old school, like my mom was. Also like my mom, I wasn't allowed to go to sleep overs. She was constantly thinking about keeping me safe. But sometimes the way she went about it, does mess you up. Dolores blames herself for Ruthy being gone, but she's telling herself she has kept her other two daughters safe.
Jessica feels caught I think. She's great at her job and I think wonders if she should want something else. A recent new mother she's scrambling to deal with that and with the guilt she feels about keeping a secret that could have something to do with Ruthy's disappearance.
I thought Nina read as oblivious as anything. I really don't know what was happening with her til we get to a turning point in her story as well. Ruthy's disappearance and then her father's death and her mother's reaction to all definitely affected her.
The writing was really good and so was the flow. Though the book bounces between all four women, it works.
The setting of New York in 2008, ah the memories.
The ending is a gut punch. You do find out what happened to Ruthy. It sat with me a long time after I finished.
Please note I received this book via NetGalley.
Trigger warning: Not described in detail but discussion of rape and molestation.
Full review: Wow. I just don't even know what to say. I have never read anything by Claire Jimenez before, but definitely want to seek her out in the future. This book was heartbreaking. Following three of the Ramirez women (Dolores, the mother, Jessica, the oldest sister, and then Nina, the younger sister) they have been left to pick up the pieces after middle sister, Ruthy Ramirez disappeared when she was 13 years old. Taking place in 2008, the book follows the Dolores, Jessica, and Nina after Jessica sees a woman in a reality competition who she claims has to be her long lost sister, Ruthy. Now going by Ruby, Jessica is determined to find her and bring her back.
Yeah so that's a lot right? I mean at first I was like, um what is going on. But the book lures you in and you feel nothing but sympathy for everyone involved. I honestly liked Dolores and Jessica the most (and I still liked Nina) but those two right there really become the primary focus of the book. We also get points of view following Ruthy (told in the first person) on the day she disappeared.
Dolores I really enjoyed reading. She's old school, like my mom was. Also like my mom, I wasn't allowed to go to sleep overs. She was constantly thinking about keeping me safe. But sometimes the way she went about it, does mess you up. Dolores blames herself for Ruthy being gone, but she's telling herself she has kept her other two daughters safe.
Jessica feels caught I think. She's great at her job and I think wonders if she should want something else. A recent new mother she's scrambling to deal with that and with the guilt she feels about keeping a secret that could have something to do with Ruthy's disappearance.
I thought Nina read as oblivious as anything. I really don't know what was happening with her til we get to a turning point in her story as well. Ruthy's disappearance and then her father's death and her mother's reaction to all definitely affected her.
The writing was really good and so was the flow. Though the book bounces between all four women, it works.
The setting of New York in 2008, ah the memories.
The ending is a gut punch. You do find out what happened to Ruthy. It sat with me a long time after I finished.
April 13, 2024
One day Ruthy Ramirez supposedly got on a bus and never made it home.
This devastated her family – especially her mother (Mami), and her sisters, Jessica and Nina.
What could have happened to the independent 13-year-old?
This was not like her to not come straight home after track practice.
Years later, her sister Jessica sees a maybe-Ruthy on the screen and is determined that this supposed “reality” actress has got to be their long-lost sister. And off the family goes to claim her.
What will this adventure reveal?
How will it help the family bonds after all these years of questions and no answers?
There is so much to see in this story – besides an underlying sense of humor.
There is also a vivid portrayal of generational violence and resentments.
But...
Can we appreciate the closeness between these women, as they seek their daughter/sister?
In the end…what will this family discover?
Will they be disappointed?
In many ways, as a reader, I was. But, I really can't tell you why, without giving away spoilers.
Will we as readers find out what really happened to Ruthy Ramirez?
And of course, I can't tell you, because I don't give away spoilers.
This devastated her family – especially her mother (Mami), and her sisters, Jessica and Nina.
What could have happened to the independent 13-year-old?
This was not like her to not come straight home after track practice.
Years later, her sister Jessica sees a maybe-Ruthy on the screen and is determined that this supposed “reality” actress has got to be their long-lost sister. And off the family goes to claim her.
What will this adventure reveal?
How will it help the family bonds after all these years of questions and no answers?
There is so much to see in this story – besides an underlying sense of humor.
There is also a vivid portrayal of generational violence and resentments.
But...
Can we appreciate the closeness between these women, as they seek their daughter/sister?
In the end…what will this family discover?
Will they be disappointed?
In many ways, as a reader, I was. But, I really can't tell you why, without giving away spoilers.
Will we as readers find out what really happened to Ruthy Ramirez?
And of course, I can't tell you, because I don't give away spoilers.
August 1, 2023
I haven't laughed that much through an entire book in a while. 🤣 I needed that.
Ruthy Ramirez has been missing for twelve years. One night her sister Jessica is watching a reality show named “Catfight” and sees a woman that looks to be about Ruthy’s age (25 now). She has a beauty mark under her left eye, just like Ruthy has. It has to be her, doesn’t it? She tells her younger sister Nina, and before you know it, they are on their way to go find Ruthy. But not before their mother Dolores finds out about it and then of course her friend Irene, and they both have to join as well (OMG Irene was a hoot!!).
I thought that this was an impressive debut from Claire Jimenez. Why so much laughter about a book with such a heavy topic? Well, that’s just the thing, the majority of the book focuses on the trip to find Ruthy, not the fact that she has disappeared or what happened to her. And what a trip it was!!! I laughed to the point of tears on many occasions. It reminded me of my friend who lives in Staten Island. They just have their own style/vibe up there. The book really focused on the bonds that women share, and I love the personal light and influence Jimenez was able to share on Puerto Rican families.
This is a short book coming in at only 240 pages. So, if you are looking for a quick read that gives you a chuckle, look no further. I am looking forward to reading more work from Jimenez in the future.
Thanks to Net Galley for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ruthy Ramirez has been missing for twelve years. One night her sister Jessica is watching a reality show named “Catfight” and sees a woman that looks to be about Ruthy’s age (25 now). She has a beauty mark under her left eye, just like Ruthy has. It has to be her, doesn’t it? She tells her younger sister Nina, and before you know it, they are on their way to go find Ruthy. But not before their mother Dolores finds out about it and then of course her friend Irene, and they both have to join as well (OMG Irene was a hoot!!).
I thought that this was an impressive debut from Claire Jimenez. Why so much laughter about a book with such a heavy topic? Well, that’s just the thing, the majority of the book focuses on the trip to find Ruthy, not the fact that she has disappeared or what happened to her. And what a trip it was!!! I laughed to the point of tears on many occasions. It reminded me of my friend who lives in Staten Island. They just have their own style/vibe up there. The book really focused on the bonds that women share, and I love the personal light and influence Jimenez was able to share on Puerto Rican families.
This is a short book coming in at only 240 pages. So, if you are looking for a quick read that gives you a chuckle, look no further. I am looking forward to reading more work from Jimenez in the future.
Thanks to Net Galley for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 18, 2023
I found this book hard to put down. It has the kind of writing that I like - punchy, with great dialog and interesting characters. Not exactly a mystery, but more of a portrait of a family devastated when one of its members disappears.
June 10, 2023
https://instagram.com/p/CtJmzSbrv4K/
A humorous and heartbreaking debut that examines the fault lines that loss and uncertainty leave on a family. From the women of the Ramirez family we see a raw and colorful account of growing up against the backdrop of trauma, of all the ways in which we try to fill in the gaps that tragedy leaves. We see the different ways in which we try to piece our won lives back together, and how we look for glimpses of those lost in every face, every unexplainable moment. A strong and fierce debut that says so many powerful things within its pages.
A humorous and heartbreaking debut that examines the fault lines that loss and uncertainty leave on a family. From the women of the Ramirez family we see a raw and colorful account of growing up against the backdrop of trauma, of all the ways in which we try to fill in the gaps that tragedy leaves. We see the different ways in which we try to piece our won lives back together, and how we look for glimpses of those lost in every face, every unexplainable moment. A strong and fierce debut that says so many powerful things within its pages.
July 15, 2022
This is officially the best thing I’ve read all year.
Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read.
This is the story of the women in the Ramirez family.
Two sisters Jess and Nina are convinced their missing sister is a reality show participant on the show Catfight. Think like classic VH1 reality show. She looks like her, talks like her, even has the same birthmark.
I am such a sucker for stories of sisterhood. The back and forth telling between the sisters, their mom and even Ruthy is just such a honest tale of love, grief, Puerto Rican generational womanhood, and hope.
I can’t wait for this to get to everyone!
Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read.
This is the story of the women in the Ramirez family.
Two sisters Jess and Nina are convinced their missing sister is a reality show participant on the show Catfight. Think like classic VH1 reality show. She looks like her, talks like her, even has the same birthmark.
I am such a sucker for stories of sisterhood. The back and forth telling between the sisters, their mom and even Ruthy is just such a honest tale of love, grief, Puerto Rican generational womanhood, and hope.
I can’t wait for this to get to everyone!
March 24, 2023
There is something really special when a story can talk about serious and emotional topics while keeping a tone that is funny and engaging — and Claire did it so well.
‘What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez’ follows a Puerto-Rican family in Staten Island. Ruthy disappeared after not returning home from track practice one day after school. Years later they discover their Ruthy to be cast on a reality tv show (think Bad Girls Club 🤣) and the plot unravels from there as we find out what happened to Ruthy.
The story is told through different POVs of the Ramirez women who have strong voices and separate experiences and feelings about Ruthy’s disappearance. I love multi-generational family dramas and the inclusion of the mystery surrounding Ruthy was the perfect amount of added suspense for me.
The women are at different places emotionally, intellectually, and financially and we see how they figure out how to come together after Nina’s return from college.
Jessica, the oldest daughter, is a new mom living with her high school boyfriend managing how to navigate her career and her family.
Nina, the youngest, is a recent college grad from a PWI who is struggling with her unfortunate disappointment of not going to medical school to now being underemployed as a sales associate at a lingerie store.
Dolores, the mom, teaches a parenting class at church navigating the rage of her loss, her faith, and how to parent her daughters.
This was an impactful story despite being 240 pages! Crimes that happen towards Black, Brown & indigenous women are underrepresented in media and this story explores how that affects those who are normally forgotten.
This book is unapologetic and honest. The women do not care about being judged and it is refreshing to see characters shown authentically. These women have experienced something unimaginable and I loved how Claire did not mute their emotions. I hope everyone who reads keeps an open mind and doesn’t let how these women show up in the world affect their ability to look at their lives and experiences in totality.
The prologue alone is so good!👏🏾
Endless gratitude for the copy GCP❤️ I loved it!!
‘What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez’ follows a Puerto-Rican family in Staten Island. Ruthy disappeared after not returning home from track practice one day after school. Years later they discover their Ruthy to be cast on a reality tv show (think Bad Girls Club 🤣) and the plot unravels from there as we find out what happened to Ruthy.
The story is told through different POVs of the Ramirez women who have strong voices and separate experiences and feelings about Ruthy’s disappearance. I love multi-generational family dramas and the inclusion of the mystery surrounding Ruthy was the perfect amount of added suspense for me.
The women are at different places emotionally, intellectually, and financially and we see how they figure out how to come together after Nina’s return from college.
Jessica, the oldest daughter, is a new mom living with her high school boyfriend managing how to navigate her career and her family.
Nina, the youngest, is a recent college grad from a PWI who is struggling with her unfortunate disappointment of not going to medical school to now being underemployed as a sales associate at a lingerie store.
Dolores, the mom, teaches a parenting class at church navigating the rage of her loss, her faith, and how to parent her daughters.
This was an impactful story despite being 240 pages! Crimes that happen towards Black, Brown & indigenous women are underrepresented in media and this story explores how that affects those who are normally forgotten.
This book is unapologetic and honest. The women do not care about being judged and it is refreshing to see characters shown authentically. These women have experienced something unimaginable and I loved how Claire did not mute their emotions. I hope everyone who reads keeps an open mind and doesn’t let how these women show up in the world affect their ability to look at their lives and experiences in totality.
The prologue alone is so good!👏🏾
Endless gratitude for the copy GCP❤️ I loved it!!
July 22, 2024
Book club selection for this month.
October 13, 2022
I read an ARC of this and absolutely loved it! It follows two sisters and their mom after seeing who they think is Ruthy, their sister who went missing at age 13 on a reality TV show. This story was very heartwarming and funny, with a touch of mystery. This would be perfect for fans of Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid!
March 8, 2023
2.5 stars
Set on Staten Island and features three sisters. The middle child, Ruthy, disappears at age 13, and the Ramirez family is never quite the same. Fast-forward 12 years and Jessica is flipping through the channels when she lands on a reality tv show and it seems like she’s found Ruthy.
Jessica, now with a baby, is working at the hospital, and helps take care of her mother. Nina graduated from college but didn’t make it to medical school. Jessica asks her to move back home to do her part with their mother. She ends up with a mostly miserable job at a lingerie store at the mall.
Once they spot Ruthy, the sisters feel they have to go get her and bring her home. They plot a weekend trip to where the show is filming.
This family story never quite hooked me. I was curious enough to keep reading, but not really invested in the characters. There’s quite a bit of profanity and I liken it to a comedy show. Is that necessary to make it funny? In this case, to make it authentic?
There are some fantastic reviews for this book, so don’t let mine dissuade you if you like this type of raw family story.
My thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read and honestly review this one.
Set on Staten Island and features three sisters. The middle child, Ruthy, disappears at age 13, and the Ramirez family is never quite the same. Fast-forward 12 years and Jessica is flipping through the channels when she lands on a reality tv show and it seems like she’s found Ruthy.
Jessica, now with a baby, is working at the hospital, and helps take care of her mother. Nina graduated from college but didn’t make it to medical school. Jessica asks her to move back home to do her part with their mother. She ends up with a mostly miserable job at a lingerie store at the mall.
Once they spot Ruthy, the sisters feel they have to go get her and bring her home. They plot a weekend trip to where the show is filming.
This family story never quite hooked me. I was curious enough to keep reading, but not really invested in the characters. There’s quite a bit of profanity and I liken it to a comedy show. Is that necessary to make it funny? In this case, to make it authentic?
There are some fantastic reviews for this book, so don’t let mine dissuade you if you like this type of raw family story.
My thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read and honestly review this one.
April 21, 2023
In What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez? a
Puerto Rican family living in Staten Island struggles to deal with the disappearance of 13 year old Ruthy Ramirez. One day she doesn't come home from track practice. There is some reason to be hopeful that she is alive; Ruthy is tough and doesn't take crap from anyone. She seems like the kind of child who might might say, "To hell with this" and run away. And then,
twelve years later a Ruthy lookalike appears on a reality television show Catfight. Have they found the long lost Ruthy?
Unfortunately, I never really connected with any of the characters. Perhaps if I were more familiar with Puerto Rican culture it would have been better. I felt like I was watching from a distance while the two sisters and mother argued incessantly. Not that there weren't displays of caring but that's not what stuck with me. Still, I really wanted to know what happened to Ruthy Ramirez and that kept me turning pages to the climactic ending.
I received a drc from the publisher via NetGalley.
Puerto Rican family living in Staten Island struggles to deal with the disappearance of 13 year old Ruthy Ramirez. One day she doesn't come home from track practice. There is some reason to be hopeful that she is alive; Ruthy is tough and doesn't take crap from anyone. She seems like the kind of child who might might say, "To hell with this" and run away. And then,
twelve years later a Ruthy lookalike appears on a reality television show Catfight. Have they found the long lost Ruthy?
Unfortunately, I never really connected with any of the characters. Perhaps if I were more familiar with Puerto Rican culture it would have been better. I felt like I was watching from a distance while the two sisters and mother argued incessantly. Not that there weren't displays of caring but that's not what stuck with me. Still, I really wanted to know what happened to Ruthy Ramirez and that kept me turning pages to the climactic ending.
I received a drc from the publisher via NetGalley.
September 20, 2022
What a poignant and hilarious story of a big and boisterous Puerto Rican family living in New York in 2008.
Ruthy disappeared in grade school and the family has never been the same. The mother struggles with depression, the father has passed from health issues and the remaining daughters juggle responsibilities, guilt and anger as they try to live their lives. When a Ruthy look alike named "Ruby" appears on a combative reality show, the family is thrown back into turmoil as they make a plan to reconnect.
If you like a raucous family story this is the book for you!
#GrandCentralPub #WhatHappenedToRuthyRamirez #ClaireJimenez
Ruthy disappeared in grade school and the family has never been the same. The mother struggles with depression, the father has passed from health issues and the remaining daughters juggle responsibilities, guilt and anger as they try to live their lives. When a Ruthy look alike named "Ruby" appears on a combative reality show, the family is thrown back into turmoil as they make a plan to reconnect.
If you like a raucous family story this is the book for you!
#GrandCentralPub #WhatHappenedToRuthyRamirez #ClaireJimenez
March 1, 2023
This book had an interesting premise, but it just didn't pan out for me. The story was disjointed and very boring. I thought this was an adult fiction, but it was written as if it was for middle schoolers with way too much cursing. I won't be recommending it to anyone.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for letting me read and review.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for letting me read and review.
April 11, 2023
The first few chapters started off pretty good but then the book took a turn and really started to lose me. The banter throughout was entertaining but I literally felt it had nothing to do with what happened to Ruthy Ramirez. Probably could’ve named it Our Lives Without Ruthy Ramirez.
We’re given a dual timeline with multiple POVs from the Ramirez family including a few flashback chapters from Ruthy. It follows the family as they continue to navigate their lives and deal with the absence of daughter/sister Ruthy Ramirez who disappeared at age 13 without a trace. In 2008, Ruthy’s sister Jessica came across a popular tv show and thought one of the girls might’ve been Ruthy. Together with the help of her sister Nina they come up with a plan to find their long-lost sister.
As good as the book started off I’m disappointed with how under developed it was. The characters were okay but nothing about them stuck out to make any of them memorable. We have quite a few chapters that had nothing to do with Ruthy’s disappearance even the chapters she appeared in. The title of the novel was a bit misleading considering what occurred in the novel.
I basically predicted what was going to happen in the last few chapters. Then the ending was so rushed and to finally know what did happen to Ruthy left me even more disappointed. The novel had so much potential to be great had it solely focused on Ruthy. We learn about everything and everybody but Ruthy.
Overall the novel was meh the last chapter kind of increased my rating so can’t say I recommend. But read at your own will you might enjoy it. It was a pretty quick read and the pacing was fast. I also appreciate the authors message surrounding missing minority children but the book didn’t deliver the way it could have in my opinion. Special thanks to the author, grandcentralpub, & netgalley for my advanced copy!!!
We’re given a dual timeline with multiple POVs from the Ramirez family including a few flashback chapters from Ruthy. It follows the family as they continue to navigate their lives and deal with the absence of daughter/sister Ruthy Ramirez who disappeared at age 13 without a trace. In 2008, Ruthy’s sister Jessica came across a popular tv show and thought one of the girls might’ve been Ruthy. Together with the help of her sister Nina they come up with a plan to find their long-lost sister.
As good as the book started off I’m disappointed with how under developed it was. The characters were okay but nothing about them stuck out to make any of them memorable. We have quite a few chapters that had nothing to do with Ruthy’s disappearance even the chapters she appeared in. The title of the novel was a bit misleading considering what occurred in the novel.
I basically predicted what was going to happen in the last few chapters. Then the ending was so rushed and to finally know what did happen to Ruthy left me even more disappointed. The novel had so much potential to be great had it solely focused on Ruthy. We learn about everything and everybody but Ruthy.
Overall the novel was meh the last chapter kind of increased my rating so can’t say I recommend. But read at your own will you might enjoy it. It was a pretty quick read and the pacing was fast. I also appreciate the authors message surrounding missing minority children but the book didn’t deliver the way it could have in my opinion. Special thanks to the author, grandcentralpub, & netgalley for my advanced copy!!!
April 9, 2024
This novel won the 2024 PEN/Faulkner fiction award. There are five in the Ramirez family: Dolores, her husband and their three daughters: Jessica, Ruthy and Nina. In 1996, when she is 13, Ruthy disappears one evening between track practice and her normal arrival home. Ruthy’s disappearance impacts the family in expected and unforeseeable ways. Each family member desperately misses Ruthy, but as is necessary, they must go on living and each individual is trying to manage the challenges that they face today, which includes dealing with each other.
Most memorable about this novel are the rhythms of the language and of living habits of this immigrant family from Puerto Rico. Nina, the youngest daughter, is so far removed from her family’s past that she knows little Spanish. Despite never having acquired her parents’ first language, she and the rest of her family are proud of their Puerto Rican heritage. Paired with this shared history, there is a strong love between the family members, but inherent in those family dynamics, there is also friction and at times anger.
The story is told by alternating the point of view between the main characters. I especially liked the insight provided by Dolores, the mother; she provided the balance and alternative perspective of a different generation. The story itself is predictable. I did not see every turn, but I was never surprised. Despite frequent emotional outbursts and strong language, I found this an easy read. I did not think, however, it measured up to some of the PEN/Faulkner award winners that I have read in the past.
Most memorable about this novel are the rhythms of the language and of living habits of this immigrant family from Puerto Rico. Nina, the youngest daughter, is so far removed from her family’s past that she knows little Spanish. Despite never having acquired her parents’ first language, she and the rest of her family are proud of their Puerto Rican heritage. Paired with this shared history, there is a strong love between the family members, but inherent in those family dynamics, there is also friction and at times anger.
The story is told by alternating the point of view between the main characters. I especially liked the insight provided by Dolores, the mother; she provided the balance and alternative perspective of a different generation. The story itself is predictable. I did not see every turn, but I was never surprised. Despite frequent emotional outbursts and strong language, I found this an easy read. I did not think, however, it measured up to some of the PEN/Faulkner award winners that I have read in the past.
September 14, 2022
All is well in the Ramirez household until 13-year-old middle child Ruthy disappeared without a trace after track practice. It left the family scarred. Twelve years later, their mother, Dolores, struggles with mental health, weight gain and diabetes. Older sister Jessica juggles a newborn baby and demanding hospital job. And Nina has returned home after graduating college to medical school rejections and a measly retail job in the mall.
Then one night, Jessica spots a woman with her missing sister's distinctive red hair and beauty mark on a Bad Girls type reality show going by the name of Ruby. After seeing Ruthy/Ruby on TV, the sisters hatch a plan to drive to Boston where the show is filmed. Dolores and her best friend join the sisters making it a family road trip filled with humor and hard truths, told in alternating narration that brings out each character's personality oh so perfectly.
Family dynamics in fiction are always fascinating to read. Especially when the family is going through drama like the Puerto Rican family, Ramirez. Their road trip from Staten Island to Boston is one that will make readers LOL while appreciating the culture and light mystery.
The best part of the novel wasn't even finding out what happened to Ruthy; it was the relationship between Dolores and her two remaining daughters, Nina and Jessica. Another major theme was self-realization and how you see yourself vs. how others see you. This was obviously the author's intent since the road trip to find Ruthy doesn't start until 80% through the book. It was the better story to tell up to very last sentence!
Very good first impression for a debut novel! What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez is equal parts hilarious and intriguing. It explores the familial bonds between mothers, daughters and sisters. Usually I am not a fan of alternating narration, but Claire Jiménez nails it! This story could not have been told any other way. I recommend for chick lit lovers and book clubs for minority women. Get lost in this well written debut featuring strong Brown women! I'll keep an eye out for more from Claire Jiménez.
Happy Early Pub Day, Claire Jiménez! What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez will be available Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.
~LiteraryMarie
Then one night, Jessica spots a woman with her missing sister's distinctive red hair and beauty mark on a Bad Girls type reality show going by the name of Ruby. After seeing Ruthy/Ruby on TV, the sisters hatch a plan to drive to Boston where the show is filmed. Dolores and her best friend join the sisters making it a family road trip filled with humor and hard truths, told in alternating narration that brings out each character's personality oh so perfectly.
Family dynamics in fiction are always fascinating to read. Especially when the family is going through drama like the Puerto Rican family, Ramirez. Their road trip from Staten Island to Boston is one that will make readers LOL while appreciating the culture and light mystery.
The best part of the novel wasn't even finding out what happened to Ruthy; it was the relationship between Dolores and her two remaining daughters, Nina and Jessica. Another major theme was self-realization and how you see yourself vs. how others see you. This was obviously the author's intent since the road trip to find Ruthy doesn't start until 80% through the book. It was the better story to tell up to very last sentence!
Very good first impression for a debut novel! What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez is equal parts hilarious and intriguing. It explores the familial bonds between mothers, daughters and sisters. Usually I am not a fan of alternating narration, but Claire Jiménez nails it! This story could not have been told any other way. I recommend for chick lit lovers and book clubs for minority women. Get lost in this well written debut featuring strong Brown women! I'll keep an eye out for more from Claire Jiménez.
Happy Early Pub Day, Claire Jiménez! What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez will be available Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.
~LiteraryMarie
April 27, 2023
"We were not that kind of family, the type who spoke politely to each other about where and how we were in pain."
What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jimenez was the April pick for #ReadPuertoRican book club and it is the bite-sized banger you all need to read. It's dripping with Nuyorican flavor, seasoned perfectly with Puerto Rican Spanglish and infused with a unique family dynamic that could only be inspired by authentic Boricua experiences. Claire Jimenez hit a homeland with this run and I'm grateful that she wrote this unapologetically for Puerto Ricans.
I loved the multi-POV writing style because each character adds a fresh perspective to the central story of Ruthy's disappearance. Jimenez captured the differences in Puerto Rican experience within the same family. She explored how they deal with grief, trauma, loss, identity and displacement individually and collectively. She flipped feminism on its head with the ways the women interacted with each other, their language usage and the choices they make for themselves. Dark humor and laughter have long been a way that Puerto Ricans have survived and overcome adversity and it was the star of Claire's storytelling. She gave us an authentic family where silence, pain and grief are always lurking and respectability politics are the enemy.
Even though this was a short one, Jimenez gives a story that is layered and full of deep themes such as, religion as a way to cope but also as hypocrisy, silence upholding secrets and protecting predators, racism in missing girls cases, generational trauma of displacement, identity issues of children of the diaspora, escapism through reality TV, racism in education and family privilege and classism. The bonus for me was Ruthy's POV that reminds us of the innocence of Black and Brown girls and how they are preyed upon, blamed, discarded and then forgotten by society. Jimenez really did a fantastic job showing how society silences women and forces them to be strong and power through the most horrible of circumstances. The reality show aspect really added to the conversation because it showed how Black and Brown women are portrayed negatively for simply surviving.
What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jimenez was the April pick for #ReadPuertoRican book club and it is the bite-sized banger you all need to read. It's dripping with Nuyorican flavor, seasoned perfectly with Puerto Rican Spanglish and infused with a unique family dynamic that could only be inspired by authentic Boricua experiences. Claire Jimenez hit a homeland with this run and I'm grateful that she wrote this unapologetically for Puerto Ricans.
I loved the multi-POV writing style because each character adds a fresh perspective to the central story of Ruthy's disappearance. Jimenez captured the differences in Puerto Rican experience within the same family. She explored how they deal with grief, trauma, loss, identity and displacement individually and collectively. She flipped feminism on its head with the ways the women interacted with each other, their language usage and the choices they make for themselves. Dark humor and laughter have long been a way that Puerto Ricans have survived and overcome adversity and it was the star of Claire's storytelling. She gave us an authentic family where silence, pain and grief are always lurking and respectability politics are the enemy.
Even though this was a short one, Jimenez gives a story that is layered and full of deep themes such as, religion as a way to cope but also as hypocrisy, silence upholding secrets and protecting predators, racism in missing girls cases, generational trauma of displacement, identity issues of children of the diaspora, escapism through reality TV, racism in education and family privilege and classism. The bonus for me was Ruthy's POV that reminds us of the innocence of Black and Brown girls and how they are preyed upon, blamed, discarded and then forgotten by society. Jimenez really did a fantastic job showing how society silences women and forces them to be strong and power through the most horrible of circumstances. The reality show aspect really added to the conversation because it showed how Black and Brown women are portrayed negatively for simply surviving.
January 18, 2023
What a powerful debut! I was all-in on the Ramirez family and its rotating quad of perspectives from the get-go; Claire Jimenez did a precise, poignant job crafting entirely different voices, circumstances, and stakes for all four women's separate points of view. (And whew, that ending!)
In terms of this book's genre and tone, I'd categorize What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez as leaning towards literary fiction with a mystery in it rather than anything thriller-related. It's certainly more of a character-driven novel than a plot-driven one, which I personally loved. On that note, I think this is a great book for those who are looking to go a little more literary with their reading but don't want to commit to something that's a billion pages long.
I also saw some reviews saying there was too much cursing in this. To be honest, I basically didn't notice the cursing at all; I'm not sure what that says about me (or the amount of time I've spent living in New York City), but personally, I thought that aspect was totally fine.
Content warning: Mentions of child sexual abuse, violence
In terms of this book's genre and tone, I'd categorize What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez as leaning towards literary fiction with a mystery in it rather than anything thriller-related. It's certainly more of a character-driven novel than a plot-driven one, which I personally loved. On that note, I think this is a great book for those who are looking to go a little more literary with their reading but don't want to commit to something that's a billion pages long.
I also saw some reviews saying there was too much cursing in this. To be honest, I basically didn't notice the cursing at all; I'm not sure what that says about me (or the amount of time I've spent living in New York City), but personally, I thought that aspect was totally fine.
Content warning: Mentions of child sexual abuse, violence
April 23, 2023
DNF @ 30%
This was one of those random library books that I stumbled on while browsing, and I thought, "Sure, why not?" and borrowed it.
And to be fair, there wasn't anything WRONG with this book. It wasn't BAD. It just wasn't all that interesting to me either. It seemed to take forever to get going, and all of the narrative perspectives sounded pretty much the same to me, so I would often forget who was actually narrating at the moment.
But the real issue was that the central premise (what happened to Ruthy) implies that the mystery of Ruthy's disappearance would be the crux of the story - but no.
We find out pretty early on that she's not dead, and is on a scandalous reality TV show now.
Cool.
Except... I don't watch those shows, and I have zero interest in reading about them. I outgrew the drama of the Jerry Springers and The Real Worlds and the Jersey Shore type shows when I was a teen, and that was far more years ago now than I would like to admit... so as soon as "Catfight" was introduced, any remaining interest I had in this book took a nosedive.
And so... I'll never know what happened to Ruthy Ramirez.
This was one of those random library books that I stumbled on while browsing, and I thought, "Sure, why not?" and borrowed it.
And to be fair, there wasn't anything WRONG with this book. It wasn't BAD. It just wasn't all that interesting to me either. It seemed to take forever to get going, and all of the narrative perspectives sounded pretty much the same to me, so I would often forget who was actually narrating at the moment.
But the real issue was that the central premise (what happened to Ruthy) implies that the mystery of Ruthy's disappearance would be the crux of the story - but no.
We find out pretty early on that she's not dead, and is on a scandalous reality TV show now.
Cool.
Except... I don't watch those shows, and I have zero interest in reading about them. I outgrew the drama of the Jerry Springers and The Real Worlds and the Jersey Shore type shows when I was a teen, and that was far more years ago now than I would like to admit... so as soon as "Catfight" was introduced, any remaining interest I had in this book took a nosedive.
And so... I'll never know what happened to Ruthy Ramirez.
May 29, 2023
What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jimenez
Fiction debut. Own voice: Puerta Rican. Multiple POV’s.
Ruthy Ramirez disappeared at the age of thirteen. Twelve years later, family members think they might have found Ruthy on a television reality show.
Told from the sisters and mothers POV, as well as a historical slant from Ruthy prior to her disappearance. The story covers their lives, what’s going on both in the current day and a bit of the past. Some upsetting pieces are glossed over while the difficult reality of daily life is both included but missing relevant details. Knowing the time period of a portion of this story occurs in 2008 and during a recession is important. The reality show descriptive behavior after the family has figured out if it’s really Ruthy is ugly and I’m not sure why it’s included.
For me, this story is sad and depressing.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Fiction debut. Own voice: Puerta Rican. Multiple POV’s.
Ruthy Ramirez disappeared at the age of thirteen. Twelve years later, family members think they might have found Ruthy on a television reality show.
Told from the sisters and mothers POV, as well as a historical slant from Ruthy prior to her disappearance. The story covers their lives, what’s going on both in the current day and a bit of the past. Some upsetting pieces are glossed over while the difficult reality of daily life is both included but missing relevant details. Knowing the time period of a portion of this story occurs in 2008 and during a recession is important. The reality show descriptive behavior after the family has figured out if it’s really Ruthy is ugly and I’m not sure why it’s included.
For me, this story is sad and depressing.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
March 15, 2023
4.5 rounding up because it's a debut
I listened to the audio of this one and I am so impressed with the story, the writing and the narration of the author. This was fantastic. Highly recommend this debut.
I listened to the audio of this one and I am so impressed with the story, the writing and the narration of the author. This was fantastic. Highly recommend this debut.
April 28, 2023
My heart hurts in the best way. I carry these sisters, mother, family in my heart. I saw and could feel every bit of myself and my own Puerto Rican mother in this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,528 reviews