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Changed line(s) 5,6 (click to see context) from:
The book's protagonist, Yolanda Nuelis Alvarez, is a Dominican American girl from the Bronx who is on the verge of being initiated as a ''bruja'' (witch) as per family tradition. With guidance from her grandmother, Mama Tete, she learns how to read a pack of Tarot cards that have been passed down for centuries. Meanwhile, she attends her ethnically diverse high school, Julia De Burgos High School with her best friend, Victory, and her maybe-maybe-not boyfriend, Jose.
to:
The book's protagonist, Yolanda Nuelis Alvarez, is a Dominican American girl from the Bronx who is on the verge of being initiated as a ''bruja'' (witch) as per family tradition. With guidance from her grandmother, Mama Tete, she learns how to read a pack of Tarot cards that have been passed down for centuries. Meanwhile, she attends her ethnically racially diverse high school, Julia De Burgos High School with her best friend, Victory, and her maybe-maybe-not boyfriend, Jose.
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Trope specifically about colorism, removing ones that are more on the racism side of things
Changed line(s) 15,17 (click to see context) from:
* ButNotTooBlack: Anti-Blackness both in white American society and in the Latinx community are heavily {{Discussed}}.
** Yolanda notes how most telenovelas feature white Latinos, while Black and Indigenous ones are only featured as the help. She also mentions how reggaeton (a Black Latin genre) had been appropriated by white Hispanics like Rosalía while Black artists never see a dime.
** Later when she's at Ben's house, their house manager, a fair-skinned Latina, is surprised to hear Yolanda, a Black girl, speaking Spanish.
** Yolanda notes how most telenovelas feature white Latinos, while Black and Indigenous ones are only featured as the help. She also mentions how reggaeton (a Black Latin genre) had been appropriated by white Hispanics like Rosalía while Black artists never see a dime.
** Later when she's at Ben's house, their house manager, a fair-skinned Latina, is surprised to hear Yolanda, a Black girl, speaking Spanish.
to:
* ButNotTooBlack: Anti-Blackness both in white American society and in the Latinx community are heavily {{Discussed}}.
ButNotTooBlack:
** Yolanda notes how most telenovelas feature white Latinos, while Black and Indigenous ones are only featured as the help. She also mentions how reggaeton (a Black Latin genre) had been appropriated by white Hispanics like Rosalía while Black artists never see a dime.\n** Later when she's at Ben's house, their house manager, a fair-skinned Latina, is surprised to hear Yolanda, a Black girl, speaking Spanish.
** Yolanda notes how most telenovelas feature white Latinos, while Black and Indigenous ones are only featured as the help.
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* TwoferTokenMinority: Yolanda is actually a four-fer: She's a queer Black Latina who is also deaf (the cover shows her wearing ocular implants).
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* TwoferTokenMinority: Yolanda is actually a four-fer: ticks off ''five'' of these: She's a queer Black Latina who is also deaf (the cover shows her wearing ocular implants).implants). And she's a witch.
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Changed line(s) 29 (click to see context) from:
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: [[spoiler: Ben believes that Black and Brown people are ruining American, and wonders why his father is not doing anything to get rid of them. He also feels contempt for his fellow classmates (who are all POC) for this reason.]]
to:
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: [[spoiler: Ben believes that Black and Brown people are ruining American, and wonders why his father is not doing anything to get rid of them. He It's also feels contempt revealed that the reason for his fellow classmates (who are all POC) expulsion from his previous schools was for this reason.various racist actions, such as using chopsticks to injure an Asian student, and hanging an effigy of a Black student on a noose.]]
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* {{Hypocrite}}: Ben's father is a progressive politician who decides to send his son to a majority-minority public school as his way of showing how 'progressive' he is. [[spoiler: When Ben is later threatened with suspension for throwing racial slurs at two Black students, the father tries bribing the principal to excuse him from punishment. Key word, ''tries''.]]
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* TwoferTokenMinority: Yolanda is actually a four-fer: She's a queer Black Latina who is also deaf (the cover shows her wearing ocular implants).
to:
* TwoferTokenMinority: Yolanda is actually a four-fer: She's a queer Black Latina who is also deaf (the cover shows her wearing ocular implants).implants).
* VillainousCrush: One ''generous'' interpretation of Ben's obsession with Yolanda. He interacts with her more than with the other students (he does hang out with other students only because they invite him out as opposed to him seeking them out), going as far as to invite her to his place to (supposedly) help him study. He also has little issue showing his softer side around her when he kisses a cat at a bodega.
* VillainousCrush: One ''generous'' interpretation of Ben's obsession with Yolanda. He interacts with her more than with the other students (he does hang out with other students only because they invite him out as opposed to him seeking them out), going as far as to invite her to his place to (supposedly) help him study. He also has little issue showing his softer side around her when he kisses a cat at a bodega.
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* {{Foreshadowing}}: Mr.Ruiz's class, they discuss a book where the Black heroine neglects to save a little white boy from a house fire that ''he'' had started to spite his abusive father. Yolanda and the class agree with the heroine's stance based on the boy's actions, while Ben believes that the father's abuse justified the boy's crime. [[spoiler: Guess what Ben does later.]]
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* DoubleStandard: While watching ''[[Series/ChillingAdventuresOfSabrina Chilling Adventures of Sabrina]]'' with Victory, Yolanda points out how brujería is deemed acceptable when practiced by a white girl in fiction, but is demonized when practiced by Black girls as a spiritual tradition.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: In Mr.Ruiz's class, they discuss a book where the Black heroine neglects to save a little white boy from a house fire that ''he'' had started to spite his abusive father. Yolanda and the class agree with the heroine's stance based on the boy's actions, while Ben believes that the father's abuse justified the boy's crime. [[spoiler: Guess what Ben does later.]]
* FreudianExcuse: [[spoiler: Ben's father (a Democratic politician) abuses him. He rebels by taking up alt-right, white supremacist views contrary to his father's progressive left-wing views. Of course, Yolanda and friends point out that FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse.]]
* {{Foreshadowing}}: In Mr.Ruiz's class, they discuss a book where the Black heroine neglects to save a little white boy from a house fire that ''he'' had started to spite his abusive father. Yolanda and the class agree with the heroine's stance based on the boy's actions, while Ben believes that the father's abuse justified the boy's crime. [[spoiler: Guess what Ben does later.]]
* FreudianExcuse: [[spoiler: Ben's father (a Democratic politician) abuses him. He rebels by taking up alt-right, white supremacist views contrary to his father's progressive left-wing views. Of course, Yolanda and friends point out that FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse.]]
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* ButNotTooBlack: anti-Blackness both in white American society and in the Latinx community are heavily {{Discussed}}.
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* ButNotTooBlack: anti-Blackness Anti-Blackness both in white American society and in the Latinx community are heavily {{Discussed}}.
Changed line(s) 29 (click to see context) from:
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Candidate Hill brings up the donations he had been giving to the school to keep Ben from being suspended for making racist comments to Yolanda and José that resulted in a fight. [[spoiler: The principal not only rejects this, but also lists off all the racist incidents that Ben had instigated at his previous schools from where he had been expelled. She warns Mr.Hill that Ben will be expelled from Julia De Burgos if he repeats this.]]
to:
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Candidate Hill brings up the donations he had been giving to the school to keep Ben from being suspended for making racist comments to Yolanda and José that resulted in a fight. [[spoiler: The principal not only rejects this, but also lists off all the racist incidents that Ben had instigated at his previous schools from where he had been expelled. She warns Mr.Hill that Ben will be expelled from Julia De Burgos if he repeats this.]]
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* ButNotTooWhite: The other students consider the only other white student, Amina, to be this because her parents are Armenian immigrants who, despite having white privilege, gets the occasional mistreatment from White Americans (Anglos).
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* ButNotTooWhite: The other students consider the only other white student, Amina, to be this because her parents are Armenian immigrants who, despite having white privilege, gets the occasional mistreatment from White Americans (Anglos). She also makes it a point to use her proximity to whiteness to call out any problematic behaviors against her fellow Black and Brown classmates.
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* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Candidate Hill brings up the donations he had been giving to the school to keep Ben from being suspended for making racist comments to Yolanda and José that resulted in a fight. [[spoiler: The principal not only rejects this, but also lists off all the racist incidents that Ben had instigated at his previous schools from where he had been expelled. She warns Mr.Hill that Ben will be expelled from Julia De Burgos if he repeats this.]]
to:
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Candidate Hill brings up the donations he had been giving to the school to keep Ben from being suspended for making racist comments to Yolanda and José that resulted in a fight. [[spoiler: The principal not only rejects this, but also lists off all the racist incidents that Ben had instigated at his previous schools from where he had been expelled. She warns Mr.Hill that Ben will be expelled from Julia De Burgos if he repeats this.]]
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* CoolTeacher: Mr.L is beloved by all his students for his friendly, charming demeanor, and his devotion to social justice. He also serves a mentor and confidant of sorts to Yolanda, as [[spoiler: she turns to him about her clairvoyant abilities, and her visions of Ben shooting up the school, which he immediately believes.]]
to:
* CoolTeacher: Mr.L is beloved by all his students for his friendly, charming demeanor, and his devotion to social justice. He also serves a mentor and confidant of sorts to Yolanda, as [[spoiler: she turns to him about her clairvoyant abilities, and her visions of Ben shooting up the school, which he immediately believes.]] When he is later shot dead by Ben, the entire school mourns him greatly.]]
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* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Candidate Hill brings up the donations he had been giving to the school to keep Ben from being suspended for making racist comments to Yolanda and José that resulted in a fight. [[spoiler: The principal not only rejects this, but also lists off all the racist incidents that Ben had instigated at his previous schools from where he had been expelled. She warns Mr.Hill that Ben will be expelled from Julia De Burgos if he repeats this.]]
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Changed line(s) 15,16 (click to see context) from:
* ButNotTooBlack: {{Discussed}}.
** Yolanda points out the anti-Blackness that exists in the Latinx community. She notes how most telenovelas feature white Latinos, while Black and Indigenous ones are only featured as the help. She also mentions how reggaeton (a Black Latin genre) has been appropriated by white Hispanics like Rosalía, while Black artists are never see a dime.
** Yolanda points out the anti-Blackness that exists in the Latinx community. She notes how most telenovelas feature white Latinos, while Black and Indigenous ones are only featured as the help. She also mentions how reggaeton (a Black Latin genre) has been appropriated by white Hispanics like Rosalía, while Black artists are never see a dime.
to:
* ButNotTooBlack: anti-Blackness both in white American society and in the Latinx community are heavily {{Discussed}}.
** Yolandapoints out the anti-Blackness that exists in the Latinx community. She notes how most telenovelas feature white Latinos, while Black and Indigenous ones are only featured as the help. She also mentions how reggaeton (a Black Latin genre) has had been appropriated by white Hispanics like Rosalía, Rosalía while Black artists are never see a dime.
** Yolanda
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** Yolanda's mother, Yonis, makes a few anti-Black comments to her children. Notably, she laments how Yolanda inherited her father's kinkier hair texture and darker skin, and expresses relief that her sons got her wavier texture instead. Her husband calls her out on this.
to:
** Yolanda's mother, Yonis, makes a few anti-Black comments to her children. Notably, she She nicknames her daughter "Morena" as a way of downplaying her Blackness. She also laments how Yolanda inherited her father's kinkier hair texture and darker skin, and expresses relief that her sons got her wavier texture instead. Her husband calls her out on this.
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* CoolTeacher: Mr.L is beloved by all his students for his friendly, charming demeanor, and his devotion to social justice. He also serves a mentor and confidant of sorts to Yolanda, as [[spoiler: she turns to him about her clairvoyant abilities, and her visions of Ben shooting up the school, which he immediately believes.]]
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* SacrificialLion: [[spoiler: Mr.L is the only fatality in Ben's shooting rampage.]]
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* {{Foreshadowing}}: Mr.Ruiz's class, they discuss a book where the Black heroine neglects to save a little white boy from a house fire that ''he'' had started to spite his abusive father. Yolanda and the class agree with the heroine's stance based on the boy's actions, while Ben believes that the father's abuse justified the boy's crime. [[spoiler: Guess what Ben does later.]]
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Changed line(s) 26 (click to see context) from:
* TokenWhite: Unusually for this trope, this is PlayedForDrama. Ben is seemingly made out to be the only white student in all of Julia De Burgos, which draws mixed reactions from the students of color. While Ben ''might'' not be the only white student in the entire school the fact that he is the son of a politician, comes from wealth, and has problematic behaviors ''really'' makes him stand out.
to:
* TokenWhite: Unusually for this trope, this is PlayedForDrama. Ben is seemingly made out to be the only white student in all of Julia De Burgos, which draws mixed reactions from the students of color. While Ben ''might'' not be the only white student in the entire school school, as they also have Amina (though her whiteness is questioned for reasons stated under ButNotTooWhite). However, the fact that he is the son of a politician, comes from immense wealth, and has displays problematic behaviors ''really'' makes him stand out.
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* AmbiguousGender: One of Yolanda's classmates, Jay, goes by they/them pronouns though it is never explicitly stated if they are non-binary.
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* AmbiguousGender: One of Yolanda's classmates, Jay, goes by they/them pronouns though it is never explicitly stated if they are non-binary. Same goes for her therapist, who also goes by gender neutral pronouns.
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* ButNotTooBlack: {{Discussed}}.
** Yolanda points out the anti-Blackness that exists in the Latinx community. She notes how most telenovelas feature white Latinos, while Black and Indigenous ones are only featured as the help. She also mentions how reggaeton (a Black Latin genre) has been appropriated by white Hispanics like Rosalía, while Black artists are never see a dime.
** Later when she's at Ben's house, their house manager, a fair-skinned Latina, is surprised to hear Yolanda, a Black girl, speaking Spanish.
** Yolanda's mother, Yonis, makes a few anti-Black comments to her children. Notably, she laments how Yolanda inherited her father's kinkier hair texture and darker skin, and expresses relief that her sons got her wavier texture instead. Her husband calls her out on this.
** {{Defied}} by Victory. Although she's Dominican American like Yolanda, her activist parents remind her that she is African above all else. They had taught her to be proud of her dark skin (they call her "Negra" affectionately), her hair, and the religious and spiritual practices of her enslaved ancestors. Although the family knows Spanish well enough, they don't try pressing it on Victory since it is a colonizer language.
** Yolanda points out the anti-Blackness that exists in the Latinx community. She notes how most telenovelas feature white Latinos, while Black and Indigenous ones are only featured as the help. She also mentions how reggaeton (a Black Latin genre) has been appropriated by white Hispanics like Rosalía, while Black artists are never see a dime.
** Later when she's at Ben's house, their house manager, a fair-skinned Latina, is surprised to hear Yolanda, a Black girl, speaking Spanish.
** Yolanda's mother, Yonis, makes a few anti-Black comments to her children. Notably, she laments how Yolanda inherited her father's kinkier hair texture and darker skin, and expresses relief that her sons got her wavier texture instead. Her husband calls her out on this.
** {{Defied}} by Victory. Although she's Dominican American like Yolanda, her activist parents remind her that she is African above all else. They had taught her to be proud of her dark skin (they call her "Negra" affectionately), her hair, and the religious and spiritual practices of her enslaved ancestors. Although the family knows Spanish well enough, they don't try pressing it on Victory since it is a colonizer language.
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* ButNotTooWhite: The other students consider the only other white student, Amina, to be this because her parents are Armenian immigrants who, despite having white privilege, gets the occasional mistreatment from White Americans (Anglos).
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Changed line(s) 5,6 (click to see context) from:
The book's protagonist, Yolanda Alvarez, is a Dominican American girl from the Bronx who is on the verge of being initiated as a ''bruja'' (witch) as per family tradition. With guidance from her grandmother, Mama Tete, she learns how to read a pack of Tarot cards that have been passed down for centuries. Meanwhile, she attends her ethnically diverse high school, Julia De Burgos High School with her best friend, Victory, and her maybe-maybe-not boyfriend, Jose.
to:
The book's protagonist, Yolanda Nuelis Alvarez, is a Dominican American girl from the Bronx who is on the verge of being initiated as a ''bruja'' (witch) as per family tradition. With guidance from her grandmother, Mama Tete, she learns how to read a pack of Tarot cards that have been passed down for centuries. Meanwhile, she attends her ethnically diverse high school, Julia De Burgos High School with her best friend, Victory, and her maybe-maybe-not boyfriend, Jose.
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* AffectionateNickname: Yolanda is referred to as YoYo by Victory and Mr.L.
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* AffectionateNickname: Yolanda is referred to as YoYo Yoyo by Victory and Mr.L.
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* ChickMagnet: The students at Julia De Burgos swoon over Ben on his first day.
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Changed line(s) 5,6 (click to see context) from:
The book's protagonist, Yolanda Alvarez, is a Dominican American girl from the Bronx who is on the verge of being initiated as a ''bruja'' (witch) as per family tradition. With guidance from her grandmother, Mama Tete, she learns how to read a pack of Tarot cards that have been passed down for centuries. Meanwhile, she attends her ethnically diverse high school, Julia de Burgas High School with her best friend, Victory, and her maybe-maybe-not boyfriend, Jose.
to:
The book's protagonist, Yolanda Alvarez, is a Dominican American girl from the Bronx who is on the verge of being initiated as a ''bruja'' (witch) as per family tradition. With guidance from her grandmother, Mama Tete, she learns how to read a pack of Tarot cards that have been passed down for centuries. Meanwhile, she attends her ethnically diverse high school, Julia de Burgas De Burgos High School with her best friend, Victory, and her maybe-maybe-not boyfriend, Jose.
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* InnocentlyInsensitive: Ben frequently makes bigoted comments, and downplays them by justifying that he is not used to the new school environment. Averted, of course, as he means everything he says
to:
* InnocentlyInsensitive: Ben frequently makes bigoted comments, and downplays them by justifying that he is not used to the new school environment. [[spoiler: Averted, of course, as he means everything he sayssays given his hatred towards the POC students.]]
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* RippedFromTheHeadlines: There are a few indirect mentions of the countless shootings that have happened in schools in the U.S. Yolanda mentions a mass shooter who had left behind an anit-immigrant manifesto, likely a reference to the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_El_Paso_shooting 2019 El Paso shooting]].
* TokenWhite: Unusually for this trope, this is PlayedForDrama. Ben is made out to be the only white student in all of Julia de Burgas, which draws mixed reactions from the students of color. While Ben ''might'' not be the only white student in the entire school the fact that he is the son of a politician, comes from wealth, and has problematic behaviors ''really'' makes him stand out.
* TwoferTokenMinority: Yolanda is actually a threefer: She's a Black Latina who is also deaf (the cover shows her wearing ocular implants).
* TokenWhite: Unusually for this trope, this is PlayedForDrama. Ben is made out to be the only white student in all of Julia de Burgas, which draws mixed reactions from the students of color. While Ben ''might'' not be the only white student in the entire school the fact that he is the son of a politician, comes from wealth, and has problematic behaviors ''really'' makes him stand out.
* TwoferTokenMinority: Yolanda is actually a threefer: She's a Black Latina who is also deaf (the cover shows her wearing ocular implants).
to:
* RippedFromTheHeadlines: There are a few indirect mentions of the countless shootings that have happened in schools in the U.S. Yolanda mentions a mass shooter who had left behind an anit-immigrant anti-immigrant manifesto, likely a reference to the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_El_Paso_shooting 2019 El Paso shooting]].
* TokenWhite: Unusually for this trope, this is PlayedForDrama. Ben is seemingly made out to be the only white student in all of Juliade Burgas, De Burgos, which draws mixed reactions from the students of color. While Ben ''might'' not be the only white student in the entire school the fact that he is the son of a politician, comes from wealth, and has problematic behaviors ''really'' makes him stand out.
* TwoferTokenMinority: Yolanda is actually athreefer: four-fer: She's a queer Black Latina who is also deaf (the cover shows her wearing ocular implants).
* TokenWhite: Unusually for this trope, this is PlayedForDrama. Ben is seemingly made out to be the only white student in all of Julia
* TwoferTokenMinority: Yolanda is actually a
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Changed line(s) 18 (click to see context) from:
* RippedFromTheHeadlines: There are a few indirect mentions of the countless shootings that have happened in schools in the U.S. Yolanda mentions a mass shooter who had left behind an anit-immigrant manifesto, likely a reference to the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_El_Paso_shooting 2019 El Paso shooting]].
to:
* RippedFromTheHeadlines: There are a few indirect mentions of the countless shootings that have happened in schools in the U.S. Yolanda mentions a mass shooter who had left behind an anit-immigrant manifesto, likely a reference to the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_El_Paso_shooting 2019 El Paso shooting]].shooting]].
* TokenWhite: Unusually for this trope, this is PlayedForDrama. Ben is made out to be the only white student in all of Julia de Burgas, which draws mixed reactions from the students of color. While Ben ''might'' not be the only white student in the entire school the fact that he is the son of a politician, comes from wealth, and has problematic behaviors ''really'' makes him stand out.
* TwoferTokenMinority: Yolanda is actually a threefer: She's a Black Latina who is also deaf (the cover shows her wearing ocular implants).
* TokenWhite: Unusually for this trope, this is PlayedForDrama. Ben is made out to be the only white student in all of Julia de Burgas, which draws mixed reactions from the students of color. While Ben ''might'' not be the only white student in the entire school the fact that he is the son of a politician, comes from wealth, and has problematic behaviors ''really'' makes him stand out.
* TwoferTokenMinority: Yolanda is actually a threefer: She's a Black Latina who is also deaf (the cover shows her wearing ocular implants).
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Changed line(s) 18 (click to see context) from:
* RippedFromTheHeadlines: There are a few indirect mentions of the countless shootings that have happened in schools in the U.S. Yolanda mentions a mass shooter who had left behind an anit-immigrant manifesto, likely a reference to the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_El_Paso_shooting2019 El Paso shooting]].
to:
* RippedFromTheHeadlines: There are a few indirect mentions of the countless shootings that have happened in schools in the U.S. Yolanda mentions a mass shooter who had left behind an anit-immigrant manifesto, likely a reference to the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_El_Paso_shooting2019 org/wiki/2019_El_Paso_shooting 2019 El Paso shooting]].
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Added DiffLines:
[[quoteright:210:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yolanda_9.jpg]]
"The Making of Yolanda La Bruja" is a 2023 teen fiction fantasy novel by Lorraine Avila.
The book's protagonist, Yolanda Alvarez, is a Dominican American girl from the Bronx who is on the verge of being initiated as a ''bruja'' (witch) as per family tradition. With guidance from her grandmother, Mama Tete, she learns how to read a pack of Tarot cards that have been passed down for centuries. Meanwhile, she attends her ethnically diverse high school, Julia de Burgas High School with her best friend, Victory, and her maybe-maybe-not boyfriend, Jose.
One day, the school receives a new student: a white boy named Ben, who happens to be the son of an aspiring politician. Yolanda's cards (and visions) tell her that Ben poses a danger to the school, and everything it stands for. Now it is up to her and her friends to find a way to keep their majority Black and Brown school safe.
!! Book contains examples of:
* AbusiveParents: [[spoiler: Ben's father is one of these, as he has had his cuticals ripped off at some point.]]
* AffectionateNickname: Yolanda is referred to as YoYo by Victory and Mr.L.
* AmbiguousGender: One of Yolanda's classmates, Jay, goes by they/them pronouns though it is never explicitly stated if they are non-binary.
* AmbiguousSituation: Are Yolanda and Jose a thing? No one knows. Yolanda herself has no idea.
* DisappearedDad: Yolanda's father has been in prison for most of her life, and is only now scheduled to be released, much to her delight.
* InnocentlyInsensitive: Ben frequently makes bigoted comments, and downplays them by justifying that he is not used to the new school environment. Averted, of course, as he means everything he says
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: [[spoiler: Ben believes that Black and Brown people are ruining American, and wonders why his father is not doing anything to get rid of them. He also feels contempt for his fellow classmates (who are all POC) for this reason.]]
* RippedFromTheHeadlines: There are a few indirect mentions of the countless shootings that have happened in schools in the U.S. Yolanda mentions a mass shooter who had left behind an anit-immigrant manifesto, likely a reference to the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_El_Paso_shooting2019 El Paso shooting]].
"The Making of Yolanda La Bruja" is a 2023 teen fiction fantasy novel by Lorraine Avila.
The book's protagonist, Yolanda Alvarez, is a Dominican American girl from the Bronx who is on the verge of being initiated as a ''bruja'' (witch) as per family tradition. With guidance from her grandmother, Mama Tete, she learns how to read a pack of Tarot cards that have been passed down for centuries. Meanwhile, she attends her ethnically diverse high school, Julia de Burgas High School with her best friend, Victory, and her maybe-maybe-not boyfriend, Jose.
One day, the school receives a new student: a white boy named Ben, who happens to be the son of an aspiring politician. Yolanda's cards (and visions) tell her that Ben poses a danger to the school, and everything it stands for. Now it is up to her and her friends to find a way to keep their majority Black and Brown school safe.
!! Book contains examples of:
* AbusiveParents: [[spoiler: Ben's father is one of these, as he has had his cuticals ripped off at some point.]]
* AffectionateNickname: Yolanda is referred to as YoYo by Victory and Mr.L.
* AmbiguousGender: One of Yolanda's classmates, Jay, goes by they/them pronouns though it is never explicitly stated if they are non-binary.
* AmbiguousSituation: Are Yolanda and Jose a thing? No one knows. Yolanda herself has no idea.
* DisappearedDad: Yolanda's father has been in prison for most of her life, and is only now scheduled to be released, much to her delight.
* InnocentlyInsensitive: Ben frequently makes bigoted comments, and downplays them by justifying that he is not used to the new school environment. Averted, of course, as he means everything he says
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: [[spoiler: Ben believes that Black and Brown people are ruining American, and wonders why his father is not doing anything to get rid of them. He also feels contempt for his fellow classmates (who are all POC) for this reason.]]
* RippedFromTheHeadlines: There are a few indirect mentions of the countless shootings that have happened in schools in the U.S. Yolanda mentions a mass shooter who had left behind an anit-immigrant manifesto, likely a reference to the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_El_Paso_shooting2019 El Paso shooting]].
