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thatenbyisisreads's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book highlights the unfortunate reality of black queer kids not being able to express their unique, authentic selves due to overbearing, strict, and religious parents. I saw a lot of myself through the lens of Ada.
Especially, within this quote of being expected to learn the duties that come with being a "future wife/mother". "The sixth grade was already impossible without Aunty's return to change everything/ now I can't eat without permission/ I can't watch tv without permission/ It's now my job to clean the kitchen/ as the oldest child/ as the first daughter/ learning her duties as a future wife/ and mother/ who was going to understand/ all I wanted to learn/ was how to make friends/ at school." Growing up, I didn't have a safe space anywhere, including my own home due to this similar situation.
Overall, It's important to have more young adult books to highlight topics like these because young, queer me would've felt so seen and heard. I love that this generation has the ability to have this representation readily available to them!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Homophobia, Addiction, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Cursing
octoberof2003's review
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Child abuse
Moderate: Homophobia, Rape, and Misogyny
Minor: Fatphobia, Alcohol, and Cursing
macknificent's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Fatphobia
Minor: Homophobia and Incest
thechiaraface's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is a young adult contemporary coming-of-age story written in verse (novel-in-verse). This follows Ada as she graduates high school and goes off to college, learning how to live on her own and how to balance her wants and dreams with what her family wants from her. Parts of this book really resonated with me (I loved the dancing scenes!) and made me think back to being that age. A chunk of it though I just didn't really connect with. The ending was too rushed and the story did not get resolved in a way that felt satisfying to me which made the pacing feel off overall. This is also a very small, character-driven, slice-of-life tale which in general are not my favorite and I've read a lot of those type of books lately, so I think I'm just over that type of story right now (which may not be fair to this book). I think folks who enjoyed and related to The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo might like this book as it has some similar themes (some different ones too). This book just didn't quite resonate with me overall, but I think this might be a wonderful mirror book for some young adult readers. Read this for The Stacks podcast bookclub March 2021 pick.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, and Sexual assault
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