Scan barcode
amdame1's review against another edition
3.0
Kids looking for intense, gritty realistic fiction will enjoy this book.
Tyrell is struggling. He has a younger brother to take care of, a girlfriend with high expectations, a dad who's in jail, and a mom who doesn't do much of anything except drink and party. When his mom tells Tyrell that she expects him to support the family until his dad gets out of jail, he doesn't know what to do. He's only 15 after all. So he comes up with a plan that could make a lot of money or could get him in a lot of trouble.
Tyrell is struggling. He has a younger brother to take care of, a girlfriend with high expectations, a dad who's in jail, and a mom who doesn't do much of anything except drink and party. When his mom tells Tyrell that she expects him to support the family until his dad gets out of jail, he doesn't know what to do. He's only 15 after all. So he comes up with a plan that could make a lot of money or could get him in a lot of trouble.
becca_osborn's review against another edition
4.0
Tyrell and his family have been down on their luck and are living in a shelter after eviction because their Dad is in jail and they can't make the rent. Trying to get out of their not-great situation, Tyrell comes up with an idea - he'll throw a big party and DJ like his dad did, and that'll make him enough money to get his family an apartment again...and then he can save up to take care of his girl, Novisha, while she goes to college.
Booth's writing is phenomenal, believable, raw, and empathetic. Even though I haven't been in the exact situations Tyrell is in, I identified with his worry "am I going to mess this all up?" and his need to assert his independence as a teen moving into adulthood. Booth's character development and slow reveal of the full picture of Tyrell's situation is fantastic, and it's a pivotal reason the book works so well.
I also loved the contrast between his relationship with Novisha and his friendship with Jasmine. Novisha was perfect in his mind, and they did have similarities on some level with her Dad being out of the picture...but Jasmine understood where he was coming from in a completely different way because she was there, and she was homeless too.
I think this book might've been banned, and I can definitely voice that I wish I had access to a book like this in high school. There are some graphic scenes, but I think one of the safest places teens can be introduced to these realities is in books, and Booth has given a realistic, accessible-but-not-too-graphic depiction of real situations. I'm thankful that Booth wrote this book.
Booth's writing is phenomenal, believable, raw, and empathetic. Even though I haven't been in the exact situations Tyrell is in, I identified with his worry "am I going to mess this all up?" and his need to assert his independence as a teen moving into adulthood. Booth's character development and slow reveal of the full picture of Tyrell's situation is fantastic, and it's a pivotal reason the book works so well.
I also loved the contrast between his relationship with Novisha and his friendship with Jasmine. Novisha was perfect in his mind, and they did have similarities on some level with her Dad being out of the picture...but Jasmine understood where he was coming from in a completely different way because she was there, and she was homeless too.
I think this book might've been banned, and I can definitely voice that I wish I had access to a book like this in high school. There are some graphic scenes, but I think one of the safest places teens can be introduced to these realities is in books, and Booth has given a realistic, accessible-but-not-too-graphic depiction of real situations. I'm thankful that Booth wrote this book.
cocoonofbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Dang, talk about a complex character! Tyrell was dealt a challenging hand — homeless, father in prison, mother not interested in working, younger brother depending on him — and he's trying to do his best to take care of his brother, stay out of jail himself, respect his girlfriend's wishes to wait until marriage, and make enough money to get out of the roach-filled hotel where the city's stuck them. He's far from squeaky clean, though; he refuses to sell weed but he still smokes it with his friends, and he doesn't want to get mixed up with drugs or prostitution like his dad but he makes most of his money illegally selling MetroCard swipes. And when an attractive young woman in the same hotel invites him to her room, he's not above indulging in some kisses. He's dropped out of school but only so that he can make enough money for his brother to stay in it.
There's no straightforward redemption arc or moral to this story. It's the kind of book that works best as a mirror or window — allowing teens like Tyrell to see their own moral dilemmas reflected on the page, and allowing those far from Tyrell's world to get a glimpse into the complex pressures he's living under. It's not tragedy porn, and it's not a didactic read about how you too can pull yourself out of poverty if you work hard and stay out of trouble, and because of that some readers are going to find it unsatisfying. There are no good or evil characters, just a lot of people drawing their line in the moral sand in different places from one another. Even Tyrell's mother, who jeopardizes nearly everything Tyrell tries to do for the family, elicits some sympathy as Tyrell admits that she's never known anything but dependence on others and that he wouldn't like the limited options she has for honest work either. I was reminded frequently of [b:Gang Leader for a Day|1491906|Gang Leader for a Day A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets|Sudhir Venkatesh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347568042l/1491906._SY75_.jpg|1483174], the real-life look at an inner-city community where everyone's hustling in one way or another and no one's "good" or "bad."
Personally I would have like less glorification of violence here, particularly violence toward women but also violence in defense of women. Tyrell solves multiple problems with his fists, and he even talks wistfully about how his mom acted like a mother when his dad was around because of the two times his dad had hit her, and that viewpoint is never really challenged. I also didn't like howhe breaks up with his girlfriend because she was sexually active before him and didn't tell him . Maybe those elements were realistic, but they make me hesitate more than I otherwise would about handing this book to teens.
On the whole I found this very readable and a good reminder that no one's life is straightforward when you get past the surface.
There's no straightforward redemption arc or moral to this story. It's the kind of book that works best as a mirror or window — allowing teens like Tyrell to see their own moral dilemmas reflected on the page, and allowing those far from Tyrell's world to get a glimpse into the complex pressures he's living under. It's not tragedy porn, and it's not a didactic read about how you too can pull yourself out of poverty if you work hard and stay out of trouble, and because of that some readers are going to find it unsatisfying. There are no good or evil characters, just a lot of people drawing their line in the moral sand in different places from one another. Even Tyrell's mother, who jeopardizes nearly everything Tyrell tries to do for the family, elicits some sympathy as Tyrell admits that she's never known anything but dependence on others and that he wouldn't like the limited options she has for honest work either. I was reminded frequently of [b:Gang Leader for a Day|1491906|Gang Leader for a Day A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets|Sudhir Venkatesh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347568042l/1491906._SY75_.jpg|1483174], the real-life look at an inner-city community where everyone's hustling in one way or another and no one's "good" or "bad."
Personally I would have like less glorification of violence here, particularly violence toward women but also violence in defense of women. Tyrell solves multiple problems with his fists, and he even talks wistfully about how his mom acted like a mother when his dad was around because of the two times his dad had hit her, and that viewpoint is never really challenged. I also didn't like how
On the whole I found this very readable and a good reminder that no one's life is straightforward when you get past the surface.
seuknitcat's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
adubrow's review against another edition
5.0
With his father in jail and his mother’s welfare fraud living them homeless, fifteen year-old Tyrell drops out of school and struggles to find a way to keep his brother away from Children Services. The only good things in his life are Novisha who is a virgin going to the private Catholic school and his friends from the Projects who offer to help him, but are all engaged in illegal, dangerous activities. How is he going to keep his family from having to spend the rest of the winter in a roach-infested hotel waiting for room in a shelter to open up?
The unique style of the first person narrative took some getting used to, but this was an intensely real and sad novel. Tyrell’s life is so hard and so complicated that it really just made me think and I’m still sort of processing this brief glimpse into his life. It’s not really a coming of age book, because Tyrell’s had to be old for quite awhile now. His mother can hardly function, his father wasn’t the best role model but at least he was actively helping him, Troy, his brother is very bright but placed in Special Ed classes so their mother gets paychecks, and he begins to learn that his girlfriend might not be as perfect or sweet as she seems.
Then there’s Jasmine, a girl abandoned by the sister who raised her and used by nearly every man she meets outside of Tyrell who spends virtually every night beside her and a lot of other characters all struggling and all compromising some aspect of themselves to make ends meet. But through out the book Tyrell is beginning to find his own way and his own path in spite of some small compromises. This is another one of those books where I long to know what happened next and what sort of man he became. That said, this book has made a favorable and lasting impression on me.
The unique style of the first person narrative took some getting used to, but this was an intensely real and sad novel. Tyrell’s life is so hard and so complicated that it really just made me think and I’m still sort of processing this brief glimpse into his life. It’s not really a coming of age book, because Tyrell’s had to be old for quite awhile now. His mother can hardly function, his father wasn’t the best role model but at least he was actively helping him, Troy, his brother is very bright but placed in Special Ed classes so their mother gets paychecks, and he begins to learn that his girlfriend might not be as perfect or sweet as she seems.
Then there’s Jasmine, a girl abandoned by the sister who raised her and used by nearly every man she meets outside of Tyrell who spends virtually every night beside her and a lot of other characters all struggling and all compromising some aspect of themselves to make ends meet. But through out the book Tyrell is beginning to find his own way and his own path in spite of some small compromises. This is another one of those books where I long to know what happened next and what sort of man he became. That said, this book has made a favorable and lasting impression on me.
debz57a52's review against another edition
4.0
This is easily one of those books that can change a hate-to-reader into a reader. I respect Coe Booth immensely for that and look forward to reading her others, if only I could keep them in my classroom longer than a few hours.
I began reading this book, chapter by chapter, with a 19yo special education 5th-year senior in my remedial reading class. She had not finished a book longer than 75 pages ever, and she had no reason to feel that it was necessary. I read the first chapter aloud with her during class, and she decided she might be okay reading more on her own. After 2 chapters, she decided she wouldn't read the rest of it unless she and I read it together - she used the word "share" - and I can understand why.
Tyrell has a whole host of problems: his dad's in jail, his mom likes playing the "poor me" card and working the system, his little brother's education is suffering, his family has been moved to a roach-infested motel until room opens up in the shelter, his girlfriend is increasingly embarrassed that he's not going to school anymore, a girl down the hall is becoming more and more tempting, and his old friend wants him to join him in the drug-dealing business. Tyrell's narration includes regular curse words and a structure more like Ebonics, but he's a strong personality who wants to do good things for his brother, his friends, and even his mom. He knows who he is and he knows where he wants to go; today's urban teens could do worse for a literary role model.
It was with huge gratification that my student mentioned above gave up her lunch and cut one of her classes to sit and read the last two chapters with me. She's disappointed that Bronxwood, the sequel, won't be out for another few months, but she's gotten her younger sister, newly entered into my class and the special education department, hooked on the book, too.
For English/reading teachers: Because of all these problems and the way Booth left cliff-hangers at the end of many chapters, it was an ideal book to talk about prediction and foreshadowing, and I think that's why this one student liked it. We had to talk about what we thought would happen after each chapter. The numbered chapters would be great to make up titles to get at main idea and summarizing. It would also be great to talk about the tougher conflicts of man v. society and man v. self.
I began reading this book, chapter by chapter, with a 19yo special education 5th-year senior in my remedial reading class. She had not finished a book longer than 75 pages ever, and she had no reason to feel that it was necessary. I read the first chapter aloud with her during class, and she decided she might be okay reading more on her own. After 2 chapters, she decided she wouldn't read the rest of it unless she and I read it together - she used the word "share" - and I can understand why.
Tyrell has a whole host of problems: his dad's in jail, his mom likes playing the "poor me" card and working the system, his little brother's education is suffering, his family has been moved to a roach-infested motel until room opens up in the shelter, his girlfriend is increasingly embarrassed that he's not going to school anymore, a girl down the hall is becoming more and more tempting, and his old friend wants him to join him in the drug-dealing business. Tyrell's narration includes regular curse words and a structure more like Ebonics, but he's a strong personality who wants to do good things for his brother, his friends, and even his mom. He knows who he is and he knows where he wants to go; today's urban teens could do worse for a literary role model.
It was with huge gratification that my student mentioned above gave up her lunch and cut one of her classes to sit and read the last two chapters with me. She's disappointed that Bronxwood, the sequel, won't be out for another few months, but she's gotten her younger sister, newly entered into my class and the special education department, hooked on the book, too.
For English/reading teachers: Because of all these problems and the way Booth left cliff-hangers at the end of many chapters, it was an ideal book to talk about prediction and foreshadowing, and I think that's why this one student liked it. We had to talk about what we thought would happen after each chapter. The numbered chapters would be great to make up titles to get at main idea and summarizing. It would also be great to talk about the tougher conflicts of man v. society and man v. self.
mysterybuff's review against another edition
5.0
This is a fantastic book. The voice and the writing felt like I was sitting next to one of my shelter kids listening to their story. It's a tough book to read but oh so worth it.
More...