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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
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
this coming of age novel follows 15 year old andy who lives with his mother in nigeria and has an intense obsession with white women. we see different aspects of his friendships and family relationships as time goes on and we see how his love for his first white girlfriend affects those relationships. this story was so raw and realistic, i feel like i personally know andy.
i have never read a book like this. one minute i was laughing the next i was tearing up. colonialism and internalized racism are integrated into this story so well. the internalized hatred was a bit subtle because we're reading from andy's point of view, and to him it isn't a problem. i really loved the poems! they felt so personal and fit the theme perfectly. thank you to bloomsbury publishing for the arc.
i have never read a book like this. one minute i was laughing the next i was tearing up. colonialism and internalized racism are integrated into this story so well. the internalized hatred was a bit subtle because we're reading from andy's point of view, and to him it isn't a problem. i really loved the poems! they felt so personal and fit the theme perfectly. thank you to bloomsbury publishing for the arc.
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I want to start by explaining that some of my favorite stories to read are those that fully immerse the reader in the mind of the narrator. Especially when that narrator is someone vastly different than me. This book does a perfect job of just that. Andy is the epitome of a brilliant teenager who still has all the quirks of being a teen.
If you're looking for a fascinating coming of age story with complex and lovable characters, you've found it. There are so many moments of heartbreak and delightful absurdity to balance each other out. Together they tell a phenomenal story!
Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
If you're looking for a fascinating coming of age story with complex and lovable characters, you've found it. There are so many moments of heartbreak and delightful absurdity to balance each other out. Together they tell a phenomenal story!
Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
This was a very moving and emotional coming of age story and I found myself continually surprised by the twists the plot took throughout.
I really enjoyed the way that poetry was interwoven into the prose of the novel and it definitely added to the emotional tone of the book.
However, I kept getting lost and confused by the HXVX (which I felt was explained slightly too late in the book) and I sometimes felt like I only understood something a few chapters after it was supposedly revealed. Also, having 'tbh', 'def' and more as part of the narration and not dialogue or text messages or anything is something that always pulls me out of a book and lets me engage with the story less.
I really enjoyed the way that poetry was interwoven into the prose of the novel and it definitely added to the emotional tone of the book.
However, I kept getting lost and confused by the HXVX (which I felt was explained slightly too late in the book) and I sometimes felt like I only understood something a few chapters after it was supposedly revealed. Also, having 'tbh', 'def' and more as part of the narration and not dialogue or text messages or anything is something that always pulls me out of a book and lets me engage with the story less.