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kimveach's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
4.0
I don't know how to review this. It was vivid, raw, and disturbing. So I didn't "like" it, but I'm glad I listened to it. If you want to understand how privileged you are, this book will help. It's a series of monologs - better to listen to than read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Child death, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, Bullying, Classism, Cursing, Gun violence, Medical content, and Toxic relationship
cheyrohm's review
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Child death, and Death
Minor: Grief, Violence, and Drug use
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Stories from the Tenants Downstairs is a really strong collection of interconnected short stories. It is set in Banneker Terrace, a low income apartment building in a gentrifying area of Harlem, where the new building owners are looking to evict tenants who are behind in their rent.
What really struck me was the way the author vividly brought each of his characters to life. His use of subtly different formats and styles in his writing, as well as the varying ways he used and blended AAVE and standard English meant that each character had a unique distinctive voice. To me these were real people and I was fully invested in their stories, wanting the best for them as they hustled to find the rent money, get ahead, or bring a little joy into their life.
It’s exploration of themes like race, class, gentrification, education, individual choice, and community is nuanced. It’s a book that highlights issues but doesn’t offer easy answers. Rather it prompts thought and reflection on the part of the reader.
I definitely enjoyed my time with this book and will be on the look out for future work by this author.
What really struck me was the way the author vividly brought each of his characters to life. His use of subtly different formats and styles in his writing, as well as the varying ways he used and blended AAVE and standard English meant that each character had a unique distinctive voice. To me these were real people and I was fully invested in their stories, wanting the best for them as they hustled to find the rent money, get ahead, or bring a little joy into their life.
It’s exploration of themes like race, class, gentrification, education, individual choice, and community is nuanced. It’s a book that highlights issues but doesn’t offer easy answers. Rather it prompts thought and reflection on the part of the reader.
I definitely enjoyed my time with this book and will be on the look out for future work by this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Child death
Moderate: Fatphobia and Racism
deedireads's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Stories From the Tenants Downstairs is a buzzy recent release with a premise that caught my eye: eight loosely connected short stories, each told from the perspective of a different person living in a single Harlem highrise. Many of them are facing eviction as rapid gentrification prices them out of homes they’ve lived in for years, sometimes decades.
I’m so glad I pulled this to the top of my TBR pile; this is character-driven short story writing at its best. Every character was just so deeply human, with such distinctive, strong voices. This paired really well with the full cast of audiobook narrators, who quite literally bring the collection to life. “Little Feet,” which takes the form of a letter penned by a 12-year-old boy to his friend’s mother, was possibly my favorite. (Oof, that one hurt.)
This is a collection that goes deeper than the primary themes of class, race, gentrification, and the cyclical trap of financial struggle. It’s about people, and choices, and survival, and humanity, and community.
What an impressive debut. No skips.
I’m so glad I pulled this to the top of my TBR pile; this is character-driven short story writing at its best. Every character was just so deeply human, with such distinctive, strong voices. This paired really well with the full cast of audiobook narrators, who quite literally bring the collection to life. “Little Feet,” which takes the form of a letter penned by a 12-year-old boy to his friend’s mother, was possibly my favorite. (Oof, that one hurt.)
This is a collection that goes deeper than the primary themes of class, race, gentrification, and the cyclical trap of financial struggle. It’s about people, and choices, and survival, and humanity, and community.
What an impressive debut. No skips.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Drug use
_sam_m's review
dark
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence, Drug use, Death, and Child death
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