Secrets, Stereotypes & Messy Truths: A Review of "What We Did to Each Other" by Josuee Hernández
- Kim Bartosch
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Some books walk softly and others punch you in the gut. What We Did to Each Other by Josuee Hernández falls somewhere in between—a coming-of-age novel that quietly unravels stereotypes, friendship, and identity until you're left sitting with the weight of it all.
At first glance, it’s a story about fitting in. But dig deeper, and you'll find a sharp commentary on the invisible rules society imposes—especially on people of color. Hernández tackles this head-on, showing how the need for belonging can lead us down morally murky roads. The result is a cast of characters who are messy, flawed, and incredibly real.
Thank you to the author and Flux for the book and my honest review. This book tour is sponsored by Toppling Stacks Tours. Scroll down to read my top 5 reasons to read and enter the giveaway for the book!
✅ Top 5 Reasons to Read What We Did to Each Other
1. It unpacks the pressure to belong.
The story explores how far we’ll go to fit in—especially with the “right” people—and the emotional toll of chasing acceptance over authenticity.
2. Honest representation of people of color navigating stereotypes.
Hernández takes on racial and cultural assumptions without sugarcoating. The story reflects real struggles faced by marginalized communities, giving voice to experiences often sidelined in YA fiction.
3. Complex, relatable characters.
The cast isn't perfect—and that's the point. These characters make mistakes, fall apart, and try to piece themselves back together. You may not always agree with them, but you’ll see yourself in their flaws.
4. Raw, believable dialogue.
One of the book’s standout strengths is how the characters speak to each other—especially the two main leads. Their conversations are layered, vulnerable, and so real they almost feel overheard.
5. An emotional punch that lingers.
Even if the ending lacks resolution, the themes and emotional twists leave a lasting impression. It’s the kind of story that doesn’t tie things up in a bow—but that’s what makes it resonate.
🎭 The Pressure to Perform
One of the book’s strongest elements is its premise: the lengths we go to feel seen and accepted. Hernández doesn't shy away from showing how harmful stereotypes and internalized expectations shape the lives of young people. The story feels especially resonant in communities of color, where identity is often policed from both inside and outside.
Characters are forced into roles—“the good kid,” “the tough one,” “the one who makes it out”—and watching them fight against or fall into those molds is both frustrating and heart-wrenching. You can’t help but root for them, even as they make questionable choices. That emotional tug is what makes the book stick.
🗣️ Dialogue That Carries the Story
While the prose itself is simple and sometimes too plain, Hernández excels at crafting dialogue that feels natural and emotional, particularly between the two main characters. Their conversations don’t just move the plot—they reveal the quiet trauma, unsaid dreams, and bitter truths that define their friendship.
There’s a real intimacy in the way the author lets the characters talk to (and past) each other. It’s the kind of writing that doesn’t feel forced—it just is. And that’s powerful.
🌀 The Ending (and Why It Frustrates)
Now, let’s talk about that ending. If you're someone who needs closure, this might leave you wanting. While it mirrors the unfinished, often unresolved nature of real life, it doesn’t quite satisfy the emotional journey you’ve taken with these characters. There’s a buildup that begs for more payoff—more clarity, more confrontation, more.
This might be intentional. Life doesn’t give us neat conclusions, after all. But in fiction, many of us crave that catharsis, especially after wading through emotional weight. Unfortunately, the lack of resolution here feels more like a missed opportunity than a literary choice.
💬 Themes That Linger
Despite its flaws, What We Did to Each Other hits some unforgettable emotional notes. It shines brightest when examining the emotional toll of assimilation, toxic popularity, and the things we do (or destroy) to protect our image. The book invites important conversations—especially around identity, race, and gender—without ever feeling like a lecture.
And though the language isn’t particularly poetic, there’s an emotional truth that cuts through. It's raw. Unpolished. Real. You may not always like the choices the characters make—or the way the author chooses to end their stories—but you’ll feel them long after the final page.
📢 Final Thoughts
If you’re okay with vulgar language, open-ended conclusions, and characters who are more gray than black-and-white, this is a book worth picking up. It’s not perfect, but it’s honest—and sometimes, that matters more.
I’d recommend What We Did to Each Other to readers who enjoy YA that pushes emotional boundaries, with complex characters and themes that reflect real-world issues. Think emotionally twisty reads like We Are the Ants or I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter—but with its own voice and edge.
Rating:
What We Did to Each Other is a messy, emotional exploration of identity and the painful cost of fitting in. It doesn't offer easy answers—but it will make you think. ⭐⭐⭐½
About the book:
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: Flux
Publishing date: January 1, 2025
Rep: Latine/x, Mexican
Synopsis:
It’s the early 2010s, and seventeen-year-old Yesenia Rivera hates everything about her brown skin and wide nose, her curly hair and hand-me-down clothing, and her inability to fit in with either the Mexican girls or the white girls at her school. So when her mother’s new job requires them to uproot their lives and move to the Pacific Northwest, Yesenia devises a plan to remake herself completely.
Cloaked in skin lightening cream, blue contact lenses, dyed-blonde hair, and a “whiter” name, Yesenia’s–aka Jessie’s–newfound ability to pass as white in her new school gets her the popularity she’s always dreamed of. Yet as her brazen confidence morphs into hubris, all it takes is a couple of slip-ups for someone to take notice.
Guillermo Rivera—aka Willy, an easier-to-pronounce nickname bestowed upon him by his classmates—is no stranger to sticking out at their predominantly white high school, right down to his too-small wrestling shoes. Bothered by how little he’s able to help his low-income mother and seduced by the prospect of financial stability, he reluctantly settles into a flattened, stereotyped version of himself in exchange for being needed by his white peers.
But when selling to Jessie’s new friends pushes him farther out of his comfort zone and, dangerously, into theirs, both he and Jessie begin to suffer the mounting cost of what whiteness demands of them. The more they’re forced together, the more their tenuously crafted double lives threaten to crumble. Until one day, when those lives collide . . .
Content Warning: Racism, colorism, drug use, emotional trauma, self-hate, violence
About the author:
Josuee Hernandez is a writer based in Portland, Oregon. His debut YA novel, What We Did to Each Other, will be published by Flux in fall 2025. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of Oregon, a Master of Arts in English Literature from Portland State University, and a Master of Arts in Education, also from Portland State University. When he’s not writing, he serves as an educator for K-12 youth.
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