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leahbrarian's review against another edition
3.0
Joining other topical books like Dear Martin by Nic Stone, All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, and of course Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give, this is a powerful narrative that can serve as an entry to the issue for white teens and perhaps a validation or reflection for teens of color.
Although the transition was generally seamless, perhaps I would have been better served by having read How It Went Down first. I was a little lost between all the characters, and even once I was able to keep them straight, I was left feeling as if the number of narratives made it difficult to get particularly deep with the individual characters. The ending also felt like hasty closure for many of the plotlines, and a lack of closure for many of them. While it might have been stylistic, reflecting the abruptness of the shift in national attention, it also made it feel even harder to maintain investment in the lives of the characters.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.
Although the transition was generally seamless, perhaps I would have been better served by having read How It Went Down first. I was a little lost between all the characters, and even once I was able to keep them straight, I was left feeling as if the number of narratives made it difficult to get particularly deep with the individual characters. The ending also felt like hasty closure for many of the plotlines, and a lack of closure for many of them. While it might have been stylistic, reflecting the abruptness of the shift in national attention, it also made it feel even harder to maintain investment in the lives of the characters.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.
infairveronaa's review against another edition
5.0
Long story short...
Light It Up might as well be a work of non-fiction. A thirteen-year-old black child is murdered at the hands of a police officer. Does she get justice? Think of how many officers are actually charged and convicted of murdering a black citizen without justifiable cause in America and you'll have your answer.
Long story...
Light It Up is told in varying viewpoints including people in the lives of the victim, Shae Tatum, black leaders of non-profit organizations, black college students, a supposedly "woke" white boy, gang leaders, rookie cop, child of the murdering officer, and more. There is even a witness vignette that I especially enjoyed because it is written in the 2nd person and really made me as a reader feel like I was directly in the story. Definitely added to the intensity of life for me as a black woman living in America. Brought close to tears on more than one occasion.
Magoon is real and tells it like it is. This story dives into the struggles of being black in America and the different types of emotions we all can feel when one of our own is killed yet again. Everyone should read it and even though it's classified as fiction, can be used as an extremely educational tool.
Say their names. #TodayForShae #TomorrowForAll #ShaeTatum #BreonnaTaylor #AhmaudArbery #GeorgeFloyd #SandraBland #TrayvonMartin #EmmettTill #SeanBell #WayTooManyMoreNames #BlackLivesMatter
Light It Up might as well be a work of non-fiction. A thirteen-year-old black child is murdered at the hands of a police officer. Does she get justice? Think of how many officers are actually charged and convicted of murdering a black citizen without justifiable cause in America and you'll have your answer.
Long story...
Light It Up is told in varying viewpoints including people in the lives of the victim, Shae Tatum, black leaders of non-profit organizations, black college students, a supposedly "woke" white boy, gang leaders, rookie cop, child of the murdering officer, and more. There is even a witness vignette that I especially enjoyed because it is written in the 2nd person and really made me as a reader feel like I was directly in the story. Definitely added to the intensity of life for me as a black woman living in America. Brought close to tears on more than one occasion.
Magoon is real and tells it like it is. This story dives into the struggles of being black in America and the different types of emotions we all can feel when one of our own is killed yet again. Everyone should read it and even though it's classified as fiction, can be used as an extremely educational tool.
Say their names. #TodayForShae #TomorrowForAll #ShaeTatum #BreonnaTaylor #AhmaudArbery #GeorgeFloyd #SandraBland #TrayvonMartin #EmmettTill #SeanBell #WayTooManyMoreNames #BlackLivesMatter
skrajewski's review against another edition
4.0
It has happened again. This time, 13-year-old Shae Tatum is the victim. A girl just hurrying home with headphones on, not even realizing there’s a cop yelling for her to stop behind her. Now she’s dead, and the Underhill community is again thrown into chaos.
Tyrell may be away at college, but Shae’s death brings Tariq back into his thoughts. Tariq’s little sister, Tina, was a good friend of Shae’s. Brick’s little sister was too. Zeke wants to do something, and maybe his organization SCORE is the way to start a movement. Will is tagging, DeVonte is avoiding, and Robb is ignorant, not understanding what protesting could mean for his black friends. Officer Henderson is in hiding, but his young daughter Eva still must face her new bullies at school. So many people. So many emotions. But Underhill knows it’s time to light it up!
A fabulous companion novel to How It Went Down. Kekla Magoon’s gorgeous vignettes tell a harrowing tale about a community’s next fight for justice.
Tyrell may be away at college, but Shae’s death brings Tariq back into his thoughts. Tariq’s little sister, Tina, was a good friend of Shae’s. Brick’s little sister was too. Zeke wants to do something, and maybe his organization SCORE is the way to start a movement. Will is tagging, DeVonte is avoiding, and Robb is ignorant, not understanding what protesting could mean for his black friends. Officer Henderson is in hiding, but his young daughter Eva still must face her new bullies at school. So many people. So many emotions. But Underhill knows it’s time to light it up!
A fabulous companion novel to How It Went Down. Kekla Magoon’s gorgeous vignettes tell a harrowing tale about a community’s next fight for justice.
rae_ishere's review against another edition
3.0
I like how it switches perspectives but still allows you to get attached to the characters.
alfuhs's review against another edition
4.0
This book gives lots of really important perspectives. And it's shows what ignorant white people look and sound like when they're trying to be "woke" but aren't quite getting the full picture.
outtoexist's review against another edition
5.0
This is a fantastic book with a few shortcomings. First off, the characters are all relatively 2D - the story is told in their intersections, in the way they react to one another, rather than by their individuality. This was off putting to me at first, but I came to love it for providing a different perspective.
Second, the beginning of the book is written down, as though for younger (middle and highschool age) folx but it then dives into some really challenging sexual assault topics in addition to the obvious trauma it is written about (and boy is it's telling of police violence poignant - I literally had nightmares). The whole plot arc of sexual assault confused me - a girl experienced a clear attempted rape, but we never hear of it or the perpetrator again?
Third, I'm skeptical of the portrayal of gang member's lives. I LOVE the leader grappling with how to go about protecting his neighborhood and his people, that plot line is fantastic. But the portrayal of a shockingly drug-free gang (pent)house with a raised stage of couches for the leaders of the gang literally looking down at a dance club... That feels more like a music video than an actual home of a person in a gang? I'd be curious to know how somebody who'd been in a gang or been around gang members would react to this portrayal
Now for my favorite bits! The poetry of the neurodivergent children is amazing - I'm wondering if a neurodivergent person would appreciate this depiction, and myself can't say if it is accurate BUT it is incredible poetry for sure. The contrasts between our characters is incredible (ex between the daughter of the cop feeling safe with cops outside and the daughter of the witness feeling scared), I'm serious when I say the story is in the interactions. Again, I can't empathize this enough, this book gave me literal nightmare with it's incredible, multifaced, beautifully written portrayal of these days following a police shooting. Though, I was interrupted while reading by a drive-by protest of police brutality outside my window.
Second, the beginning of the book is written down, as though for younger (middle and highschool age) folx but it then dives into some really challenging sexual assault topics in addition to the obvious trauma it is written about (and boy is it's telling of police violence poignant - I literally had nightmares). The whole plot arc of sexual assault confused me - a girl experienced a clear attempted rape, but we never hear of it or the perpetrator again?
Third, I'm skeptical of the portrayal of gang member's lives. I LOVE the leader grappling with how to go about protecting his neighborhood and his people, that plot line is fantastic. But the portrayal of a shockingly drug-free gang (pent)house with a raised stage of couches for the leaders of the gang literally looking down at a dance club... That feels more like a music video than an actual home of a person in a gang? I'd be curious to know how somebody who'd been in a gang or been around gang members would react to this portrayal
Now for my favorite bits! The poetry of the neurodivergent children is amazing - I'm wondering if a neurodivergent person would appreciate this depiction, and myself can't say if it is accurate BUT it is incredible poetry for sure. The contrasts between our characters is incredible (ex between the daughter of the cop feeling safe with cops outside and the daughter of the witness feeling scared), I'm serious when I say the story is in the interactions. Again, I can't empathize this enough, this book gave me literal nightmare with it's incredible, multifaced, beautifully written portrayal of these days following a police shooting. Though, I was interrupted while reading by a drive-by protest of police brutality outside my window.
katiegrrrl's review against another edition
5.0
This was such a heartbreaking book to read. Kekla Magoon brings back many of her characters from How it Went Down, when once again telling the story of an unarmed black teen being murdered by a white man, this time a police officer.
2021 YMA Margaret Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults
2021 YMA Margaret Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults
beingfacetious's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
harmless_old_lady's review against another edition
5.0
Such a marvelous, sensitive and wide-ranging look at the many communities affected by a pointless police killing and the neighborhood response. Heartbreaking story that encompasses actions and reactions by so many kinds of people. Her first book, "How it Went Down" is the prequel. This book covers much more ground more deeply.
emsems01's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75