Reviews with content warning for Child death - As You Walk on By

Reviews tagging 'Child death'

As You Walk on By by Julian Winters

4 reviews

jencolumb0's review

adventurous 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? Yes

4.0

I picked this up, initially, because I heard Mr. Winters speak on a panel held by a local bookstore and liked what I heard. This is a super solid coming-of-age story about integrity that also has central lessons about inequalities that Black - and, particularly queer Black people - continue to face in the US, that pretty much every white and/or hetero person in the country could stand to read. The last 100 pages or so reminded me of Netflix’s Heartstopper, so plenty of warm-fuzzies to go along with the stuff everyone needs to hear. (And points for the solid bi rep.)

The drug/alcohol elements in this book struck me as somewhat unrealistic for modern day (and could possibly serve as a sticking point for some parents). However, upon further inspection, this element could actually be a low-key homage to early aughts teen sleaze to accompany the low-key love letter to 90s Black TV and film that’s baked into this book as well. While I don’t think it adds anything substantive to the book, it also doesn’t lend much (other than demonstrating responsibility through unwavering use of DDs . . . which is not the only avenue to the Driving While Black teaching moment for the reader) . . . which is why I bring it up as an unnecessarily polarizing element in a book that needs to get in as many white and/or hetero hands as possible.

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mel_muses's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-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

4.5

Thank you to Penguin Teen for sending me an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

"Maybe we have room to share our real selves with more than one person. Maybe not every friendship is The One. When things don't end the way we hoped, maybe shutting ourselves off isn't the answer?

This was my first Julian Winters book, and I think I can confidently say I'm going to have so much fun exploring his backlist. I loved the explorations of friendships, and relationships in general. There's something so special about watching someone recognize their worth and surround themselves with their true found family.

As You Walk On By follows Theo Wright, a gay Black teen who has two best friends: Jay and Darren. They're everything to him — they even have a name: The Nameless Trio. But when their weekly daring tradition leads to Jay daring Theo having to prompose to his long-time crush, things get a little... messy. Theo wants it all: to make his father proud by excelling in school and at track, to remain tight with TNT, and to finally get the prom he deserves — the type of prom his well-off (white heterosexual) friends take for granted.

There were some things about Theo that annoyed me (namely, his disregard for some of his relationships), but I also felt that everything he did wrong was such a normal thing to do wrong. I've definitely been there, reevaluating relationships and making decisions that I later realized were insensitive and sometimes just plain wrong. And because this is such a normal part of being a teenager, being a human, it's something that felt so right to read about. Give me more imperfect relationships! More people owning up to their bullshit! More people deciding for themselves what they deserve in a friend!

I also loved Theo's dynamic with his dad (who is bi, by the way!). Their relationship, even when strained, really shined. The way they talked and joked to each other, as well as the ways they argued, indicated such a developed relationship. Usually in YA, the parents are barely developed and more of an idea than a person, but in AYWOB, I felt like I really knew his dad almost as well as I knew Theo.

I really appreciated the constant recognition of the privilege (in terms of wealth, race, and sexuality) that set Theo apart from his friends, new and old. I can't speak too much to this, as a white reader, but I will say that it felt to me like it grounded the book, making it feel more real and part of the world as we know it.

The romance had such a natural progression and although it was predictable, it was really everything I expected and wanted. And overall, this was such an easy read, too. I had no trouble falling into Theo's mind, especially when he was forming new connections with people he'd just met, or rekindling a relationship with people he'd known for years.

I can't wait to dive into more of Julian Winters' books and meet all his other geeky queer protagonists!

Trigger Warnings: public humiliation, past grandparent death, racism, homophobia, microaggressions associated with both, sexism and misogyny, slut shaming of a side character, sexual harassment of a side character, past death of a teen friend in a car accident

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starrysteph's review

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

4.5

I was thoroughly charmed by As You Walk On By.

We follow high schooler Theo, who is dreaming of a perfect prom night. But when his so-called best friend dares him to prompose to his crush at a party, everything goes wrong. He runs away from fellow partiers and contemplates everything he once thought he had figured out - but as peers stumble into his hiding spot one-by-one, he forges new connections and rediscovers himself.

The ensemble cast of characters are all thoughtfully fleshed-out, and while the story is narrated by Theo each person still gets their own strong arc. I loved how his new friends challenged Theo (he learns a lot about apologies & growth), but also truly hear & see him (as he shares his experiences as a gay Black boy in a predominantly white magnet school).

The teenage dialogue felt incredibly realistic & not too heightened or cheesy. I found the situations relatable and honest, and teared up quite a few times over the course of the novel.

Theo and his friends grapple with parental expectations, queer identities, first loves, and grief & loss. They learn to choose friendships wisely, and when it is right to challenge someone to grow and learn versus when it is time to remove someone from their life.

Theo’s relationship to his father (a single dad) was particularly well done - and both of their memories of his grandmother who had passed away before the start of the story were so touching.

Every once in a while I come across a book that I dearly wish would be available in all high school classrooms. This is one of them - I think every teenager could relate to, reflect on, and adore the story.

CW: bullying, death of a loved one (friend & grandparent), homophobia, transphobia, biphobia, sexism, misogyny, racism, classism, drug use, microaggressions, car accident

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tristatereader's review

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

I finished As You Walk On By yesterday and had to marinate on it for 24 hours because I had so many feelings. I requested this book from my library like 2 months ago and was so excited when it finally came in. I absolutely loved Right Where I Left You and after AYWOB, Julian has officially solidified himself as one of my must read authors.

As You Walk On By introduces readers to star athlete and golden boy, Theo Wright. Theo and his dad have spent all of his high school years adhering to “The Plan”, which ideally culminates in Theo attending Duke for college. But one night, one party, changes the course of The Plan and prompts Theo on a journey of self-discovery and love. In reflecting on this book, I identified The Plan as a metaphor for life; full of curveballs and the need to remain adaptable.

The description of this book being The Breakfast Club meets Can’t Hardly Wait is spot on as Julian artfully masters the “one day/night can change everything” trope. There are so many things I loved about this book, starting with the unconventional way Theo was brought into this world. I loved the complexity and sometimes messiness of all of the characters; so raw and relatable. I loved that while Theo gets his HEA, not everything in his life is tied up into a perfect bow, and he finds peace with that.

This was the perfect February read to celebrate Black History Month. I absolutely love reading Julian’s books because of the abundance of positive BIPOC and QBIPOC representation. Julian’s words are captivating, mesmerizing, and heartbreaking all at the same time. His writing is so important and elicits so much awareness.

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