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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
This book is the perfect upper level young adult novel. It captivates the audience with the tale of a Haitian family curse while also sustaining that audience with brilliant character development. Alaine, Jules, and Celeste are a family we know. They are real people battling all the problems of reality. Well done.
This is fantastic and absolutely hilarious. We have needed black heroines like this for far too long. I would have been so happy to have this in high school.
This book was so good! I loved how the authors were able to pack so much in--a hilarious, witty heroine, a beautiful family story, Haitian history and folklore, a curse (or is it?), finding your roots, romance, politics and the world of political news...everything worked so well and kept me hooked the whole time. Alaine's voice is fresh and real and I was rooting for her from the first page! I will definitely read more by this author pair!
There is a lot going on in this one, but there is also a lot to love about it. I think I would have preferred reading it in print vs. listening - that tends to help me keep plot details and character arcs straight.
I really enjoyed this book, particularly Alaine's voice and her multimedia storytelling style. The history, alternate history, family dynamics, and Haiti itself are richly drawn for her to explore. Highly recommended for any YA contemporary readers.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I really wanted to love this book, but I just didn’t. I liked Alaine’s strong personality and was really excited when I learned Alaine would be traveling to Haiti to learn more about her family’s background. I really liked the representation of family curses, economic diversity, and how the characters dealt with Alaine’s mother’s illness. However, I feel like there was just a lot happening in the book and it was hard to follow it all/get really invested in everything. I liked the idea of having the text presented in emails, letters, and Alaine’s voice, but somehow the style seemed very disjointed to me. As for worldbuilding, there was a pretty decent glimpse into life in both the US and in Haiti, though I was left with wanting to know more about the class divisions that exist in Haiti.
I think the cover is cool, and having two Black authors will appeal to many. I just felt like the book was a bit long and disjointed, so it may require some book talking to get it into the hands of readers.
I think the cover is cool, and having two Black authors will appeal to many. I just felt like the book was a bit long and disjointed, so it may require some book talking to get it into the hands of readers.
adventurous
funny
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