Reviews

Stories from the Tenants Downstairs by Sidik Fofana

noelnoie's review against another edition

3.0

I listened to this book on audio. Bahni Turpin NEVER disappoints in making a book come alive. Maybe because of that I enjoyed the story she read the most. Overall it was good. I appreciate the interconnectedness of the stories. The anxiety of the tenants facing gentrification and losing their home was palpable off the page. One way I judge if I like a book of short stories is if I am left wanting to know more about the characters in any given story- I didn't totally get that feeling the way I did with J. California Coopers short stories, but again it's still definitely a worthwhile read. I'll say this though, that teacher certainly got what he deserved ( I said what I said- Period!)

taraabyte's review against another edition

challenging hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

coppolaklein's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective

2.5

10aya's review against another edition

Alternating a chapter or two of this with a chapter or two of Hood Feminism was an excellent experience. Wild how they played off each other so perfectly some times. These stories will be sticking with me for some time. 

gina1223's review

3.5

Really good moments that had me in my feelings. I liked the way the stories interconnected, but I wanted a longer book. 

sydapel's review

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Like any collection of stories, some of these I liked more than others, but what I found really compelling is how effectively these fictional accounts show the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to low-income/subsidized housing in America. In particular, how easy it is for the system to work against you or how one expense or incident can have catastrophic effects on a basic need. The audiobook cast in this is also excellent, it's almost like listening to a podcast series it feels so immersive and personal. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Racism, Bullying, and Sexism

stone_cold_kat's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

boomeraang's review

3.75

a solid, enjoyable read 😊  like most short story collections, some chapters were stronger than others. it was cool seeing the connections between all the stories ✨however despite all the connections, i felt like all the characters lacked a sense of community? if that makes any sense. im not sure if the characters were really as “tight-knit” as the blurb would suggest. it kinda just felt like the characters were all aware of each other’s existence. but not gonna lower my rating because of my preference for the found family. perhaps the lack of emphasis on found families was a deliberate choice to demonstrate how landlord practices impair community-building but idk 🤷🏻‍♀️ money is so evil and this book will not let you forget that!

i would highly recommend the audiobook 🎧 all the different voice actors did such a fantastic job at capturing each character❤️‍🩹

googie_puvdan's review against another edition

4.0

Covering a range of characters and emotions fluidly throughout chapters.

sidhes_reading_again's review

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0