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kylalouis's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
3.5
coming of age, mostly emotional and relationship/friendship issues dealing with class within race. Non-violent
cstanovich's review against another edition
4.0
Loved the simple & beautiful language. Loved the voice element. Loved the structure of the chapters, almost like little vignettes. Loved listening to & learning from Jade’s thoughts & experiences.
mistylane132's review against another edition
hopeful
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
nickscoby's review against another edition
5.0
This book is a SLEEPER and a keeper. Another reviewer described it as "quiet," and I like that. Quiet in terms of it sneaking up on you and smacking you in the back of the head in terms of its protest. Would love to get Renee Watson together with Elisabeth Acevedo because . . . wow! For starters, I'm always floored when I come across a text that captures my experience as a working-class, Black first-gen to college woman with a single mother. I've only come across that with the movie Step and another novel. (I can't recall the name right now) Additionally, Watson keeps the focus on the experiences of women and what is unique and special about that perspective. She also addresses class differences in a very nuanced un-Disney kind of way. The relationships feel earned and not at all easy or cheesy. Highly recommend!
irisdagmar's review against another edition
5.0
New favorite author - she just does not disappoint in writing stories that feel true and resonant about race, identity, family and belonging. I love the protagonist in this one - an artist who is finding her voice! Wow!
katykelly's review
4.0
Finding-your-inner-strength adolescent story of a young artist
I haven't come across the author before. It might seem outside of my experience - an Afro-Caribbean teenager, an artist, a scholarship student from a single-parent household that lives from paycheck to paycheck. But themes are universal.
Jade is worried about her future, she feels she sticks out and has no friends at her wealthy school, she often feels too awkward to say how she feels or what she wants, she has dreams and ambitions and her own unique passions. That could be any teenager in the world talking.
Jade loves her art and her language studies, her mother, her neighbourhood friends. Using the academic scholarship to a 'good' school miles away from home, she feels out of her depth with the mostly-wide student body, and less than pleased to be put on a mentorship programme for young black women instead of a 'travel abroad' scheme she's been dreaming of. Can she gain anything from having a mentor?
Some of her experiences, I cannot hope to fully understand - experiences of racism. But awkwardness I am familiar with. I liked the relationship depicted with Jade's mentor, Maxine, and the whole Woman to Woman programme. Jade's mother proved a realistic and fleshed-out character who was more than one-dimensional.
It was refreshing that female relationships formed the backbone of the story, no teen romances whatsoever, it is a rather empowering female read. There are topical points made - about police brutality, the need for financial education.
I can't see many young men picking this up, unfortunately, as it might give them insight into the female experience and what it is young women think about (and it is so much more than aesthetics), but for the female readers this attracts, they will go away from it feeling inspired, encouraged and ready to follow their own unique paths.
For teenage readers, the themes are those of an adolescent on the rocky path to adulthood and will feel most familiar to those aged 14 and above. There is no graphic content of any sort.
I haven't come across the author before. It might seem outside of my experience - an Afro-Caribbean teenager, an artist, a scholarship student from a single-parent household that lives from paycheck to paycheck. But themes are universal.
Jade is worried about her future, she feels she sticks out and has no friends at her wealthy school, she often feels too awkward to say how she feels or what she wants, she has dreams and ambitions and her own unique passions. That could be any teenager in the world talking.
Jade loves her art and her language studies, her mother, her neighbourhood friends. Using the academic scholarship to a 'good' school miles away from home, she feels out of her depth with the mostly-wide student body, and less than pleased to be put on a mentorship programme for young black women instead of a 'travel abroad' scheme she's been dreaming of. Can she gain anything from having a mentor?
Some of her experiences, I cannot hope to fully understand - experiences of racism. But awkwardness I am familiar with. I liked the relationship depicted with Jade's mentor, Maxine, and the whole Woman to Woman programme. Jade's mother proved a realistic and fleshed-out character who was more than one-dimensional.
It was refreshing that female relationships formed the backbone of the story, no teen romances whatsoever, it is a rather empowering female read. There are topical points made - about police brutality, the need for financial education.
I can't see many young men picking this up, unfortunately, as it might give them insight into the female experience and what it is young women think about (and it is so much more than aesthetics), but for the female readers this attracts, they will go away from it feeling inspired, encouraged and ready to follow their own unique paths.
For teenage readers, the themes are those of an adolescent on the rocky path to adulthood and will feel most familiar to those aged 14 and above. There is no graphic content of any sort.
hilaryannbrown's review against another edition
4.0
The narrator's collage art is woven through the story as she brings all the pieces of her identity together to accept herself as whole. The book has themes similar to The Hate U Give, but it speaks more gently, and is perfect for a tween audience.
keareadsbooks's review against another edition
informative
reflective
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? No
4.5
droden6's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
“When I learned the Spanish word for (succeed,) I thought it was kind of ironic that the word (exit) is embedded in it. Like the universe was telling me that in order for me to make something of this life, I’d have to leave home, my neighborhood, my friends.” pg. 2
What I liked: I thought Jade was a fully developed and realistic young teenager character. She was smart, not overtly sexual or crude and I thought most of the circumstances she faced were realistic. I loved the community aspect of this novel, and I loved the mentorship program that was at the center of the story.
I wish the church discipled their own like the world does. We have lost that in our modern living I think.
What I liked: I thought Jade was a fully developed and realistic young teenager character. She was smart, not overtly sexual or crude and I thought most of the circumstances she faced were realistic. I loved the community aspect of this novel, and I loved the mentorship program that was at the center of the story.
I wish the church discipled their own like the world does. We have lost that in our modern living I think.
kncunnin's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
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? No
3.5