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marjxrie's review
3.0
Left more to be desired, may have moved to quickly, could have handles rape and sex themes better.
dumplingscomet's review against another edition
adventurous
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Pretty well-written and absorbing in its environment but I would definitely add to the reviewers who say that it feels kind of hollow to not have anything from Ysa's perspective that could explain her behavior changes throughout the book. The book was written 20 years ago, so there has been some changes to the way people talk about boys relating to girls since then but it still felt pretty insensitive to have graphic depictions of Ysa's body parts as desirable while she was being attacked or while the attack was being discussed. It also seemed like Thulani's motivations for feeling attached to his mother and his birds (as well as most of his other emotions) were not really fleshed out to be felt so it was hard to really feel attached to him.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Minor: Police brutality
endlesstbr's review against another edition
2.0
As always, I look forward to discussing this with others (I hope I can make it to book club in order to do so).
Thulani's grief and trauma of losing his mother and not being allowed an outlet to grieve had stopped him from venturing out in his teen years until he witnesses a violent act from his rooftop. He then becomes fixated on the girl he saw and felt he had to know her. Throughout the narrative, though, I wanted to know how Ysa was experiencing this story.
Another YA novel where you hope the central characters get to therapy! Because they both carry a lot of trauma that will need working through.
Content Warning: Graphic depiction of SA I was surprised by the opening chapter, especially recognizing that this novel was originally published 20 years ago. I believe Williams-Garcia is fairly well known for not pulling punches, but there was a lot of detail in the physicality of the attack that is incredibly affecting.
Thulani's grief and trauma of losing his mother and not being allowed an outlet to grieve had stopped him from venturing out in his teen years until he witnesses a violent act from his rooftop. He then becomes fixated on the girl he saw and felt he had to know her. Throughout the narrative, though, I wanted to know how Ysa was experiencing this story.
Another YA novel where you hope the central characters get to therapy! Because they both carry a lot of trauma that will need working through.
Content Warning: Graphic depiction of SA I was surprised by the opening chapter, especially recognizing that this novel was originally published 20 years ago. I believe Williams-Garcia is fairly well known for not pulling punches, but there was a lot of detail in the physicality of the attack that is incredibly affecting.
shelbycreads's review against another edition
1.0
TW// R**e & SA
I have a lot of thoughts but let me start off with the fact that this is NOT a YA book. The literal first scene we get in this book is Ysa being r**ed in an alley and it’s like TOO descriptive. Additionally, there are additional explicit scenes throughout the book and terminology that should not be used in YA writing. We have to keep in mine that the YA age bracket starts around TWELVE!! 12!!!! NOOOO. If any twelve year old I knew read this, I’d be mortified.
Second, Thulani basically spends this whole book stalking Ysa even after she has repeatedly told him no and to go away. He still follows her around and watches for her. CREEPY!
The plot itself was boring as all get out and the writing was sub par at best.
Thank god I rented this from the library.
I have a lot of thoughts but let me start off with the fact that this is NOT a YA book. The literal first scene we get in this book is Ysa being r**ed in an alley and it’s like TOO descriptive. Additionally, there are additional explicit scenes throughout the book and terminology that should not be used in YA writing. We have to keep in mine that the YA age bracket starts around TWELVE!! 12!!!! NOOOO. If any twelve year old I knew read this, I’d be mortified.
Second, Thulani basically spends this whole book stalking Ysa even after she has repeatedly told him no and to go away. He still follows her around and watches for her. CREEPY!
The plot itself was boring as all get out and the writing was sub par at best.
Thank god I rented this from the library.
rosepearl_reads's review
3.0
good example of "I understand the themes this book tried to address, doesn't mean I enjoyed the journey". I can't help but wonder what the story might have looked like from Ysa's point of view.
yvanngo's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
Minor: Sexual content
impalpable's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
thisgrrlreads's review against another edition
4.0
Very thoughtful, authentic boy book about Brooklyn. Manages to include fairly explicit content (a rape, some consensual sex) without feeling racy.
chase's review
4.0
Every time a rainbow dies...it sounds like some sort of magic. It is soft and it is hard. It is bitter and it is sweet. It is real, both more and less complicated than life ought to have a right to be and exactly like it just the same.
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