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ashley_mrose530's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I think this book was a case of I wanted to like it, but it just fell really flat for me.
I liked the message, but you could tell that it was meant for white people - to teach them how to be good allies to the black people around them. I think that it is important for white people to listen to black people about what they need and I liked the idea that big statements are just moments and though they can be helpful, they aren't as impactful as the every day work that needs to be done.
But I feel like that was the only thing that this book did right. So this book was all about the act of protest of taking a knee during the national anthem. For most of us in the United States, this was a big cultural moment in history that everyone was talking about, but from a book standpoint, it still needs to be said why these people were taking a knee in the first place. I think it was mentioned once, but never went into detail about it or anything and that was really a bad idea because a book is going to get people from other countries reading it as well as possibly people in the far future who won't remember it and if you don't describe the reasoning for it in the book then those people aren't going to know it at all.
Another big part of this book was supposed to be the friendship between Eleanor and Chanel but they spend most of the book not talking to each other. It wasn't like they were even in a fight, they just weren't interacting at all. And any interactions we did get between them were told to us rather than putting us in the moment with them. Because of this we never got a sense of their relationship and therefore never rooted for them to get back to their friendship. It was really unfortunate and I honestly didn't even see a reason to have Chanel's pov because of this.
In all, I thought this book had a great idea to start but it was unfortunately very poorly executed.
I liked the message, but you could tell that it was meant for white people - to teach them how to be good allies to the black people around them. I think that it is important for white people to listen to black people about what they need and I liked the idea that big statements are just moments and though they can be helpful, they aren't as impactful as the every day work that needs to be done.
But I feel like that was the only thing that this book did right. So this book was all about the act of protest of taking a knee during the national anthem. For most of us in the United States, this was a big cultural moment in history that everyone was talking about, but from a book standpoint, it still needs to be said why these people were taking a knee in the first place. I think it was mentioned once, but never went into detail about it or anything and that was really a bad idea because a book is going to get people from other countries reading it as well as possibly people in the far future who won't remember it and if you don't describe the reasoning for it in the book then those people aren't going to know it at all.
Another big part of this book was supposed to be the friendship between Eleanor and Chanel but they spend most of the book not talking to each other. It wasn't like they were even in a fight, they just weren't interacting at all. And any interactions we did get between them were told to us rather than putting us in the moment with them. Because of this we never got a sense of their relationship and therefore never rooted for them to get back to their friendship. It was really unfortunate and I honestly didn't even see a reason to have Chanel's pov because of this.
In all, I thought this book had a great idea to start but it was unfortunately very poorly executed.
crafalsk264's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
slow-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
3.75
Eleanor is in therapy to recover from some broken bones and a severe concussion from a fall off the pyramid during a cheerleader routine. Her best friend, Chanel, has come home from an intense cheer training camp with exciting plans for their squad. Eleanor and Chanel have been best friends all of their school years. When Fall Semester kicks off, Eleanor has an on again-off again relationship with the star quarterback and she is named head cheerleader even though Chanel is fresh from intense training and she is the stronger athlete. With these pressures, things are ripe for a rift between the girls. The squad decides to show solidarity with the national movement by taking a knee during the National Anthem of their first game. The reaction of the School Administration is swift and certain. Eleanor and the entire squad are on probation and will be banned from the field as long as they continue to kneel.
But Chanel—the only Black squad member—is suspended for two weeks and excluded from all extra curricular activities as long as the squad continues to kneel. Chanel is putting pressure on herself to complete school activities as part of her college admission credentials. The pressure from all of these events create a breach between the two friends. The alternating POV chapters of the two girls provides a perspective for each girl as they deal with stressors they are under.
I am a solid admirer of the writing team of Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal and the unique works they create. Their first collaboration in the book titled “I’m Not Dying with You Tonight” is the story of a black girl and a white girl thrown together as strangers during a protest gone wrong. It was a powerful portrayal of the assumptions and judgments we make of each other and how those can drive our opinions. Here again we have the contrast of his circumstances can create differences between us. There are some rough spots in this one (limited interactions between the girls, in depth character development, etc.) but overall this is another touching, engaging, thought provoking story. Recommend to readers who enjoy books featuring contemporary Young Adult literature, sports, realistic fiction, romance, with themes of High School, Race and activism.
literarianrose's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.5
I could not STAND Chanel. While Eleanor may have been blind to some race issues, I don't think Chanel should have let the friendship start destructing because Eleanor won captain. Chanel wasn't a real friend, and that is something that I cannot stand.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Minor: Sexism
tay123's review against another edition
4.0
It's about Nelly, Chanel, and Eleanor. The story is about Eleanor. She had to quit cheer because of a cheer accident. Specifically a concussion. The story shows her journey through rehab and her journey through starting cheer again. She became the cheer captain and made the decision to kneel during the national anthem to show support. She started getting a ton of hate online. While showing support she got into a lot of trouble at school which led to unfair punishment for the whole team.
jennifergallo's review
4.0
This novel is set in 2019 during the Colin Kaepernick NFL kneeling scandal BEFORE the viral BLM movement took hold in the summer of 2020. Two best friends and high school cheerleaders, Eleanor and Chanel, are navigating their senior year during a time of social and political uncertainty. Their cheer squad decides to take a stand by taking a knee at the first football game of the season but their act of rebellion has disastrous consequences for the students involved. Chanel, who is black, is singled out and suspended while none of the other members of the squad suffer consequences. This novel explores issues of friendship, race and privilege.
I read the bestselling debut novel by these authors 'I'm Not Dying with You Tonight' and this book did not disappoint! Both of the authors live in Atlanta which is also the setting of the book. Although this book is meant for teens, I think it resonates for both teens & adults. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the Black Lives Matter / anti-racist movement or the nuances of interracial friendship & relationships in modern day America.
Check out Why We Fly by Kimberly Jones; Gilly Segal and be sure to get this YA novel wherever you buy books!
✦ Goodreads ➜ https://bit.ly/3kkvD7M
✦ Amazon ➜ https://amzn.to/3kmV8oW
✦ Apple ➜ https://apple.co/2Xtml0u
✦ Google ➜ https://bit.ly/2XoNuS5
✦ Kobo ➜ https://bit.ly/3tQPsH8
✦ Nook ➜ https://bit.ly/39kH8G8
TAGS: fiction, contemporary, young adult, romance, people of color protagonists, race, politics, black lives matter, blm
*Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire, & the authors Kimberly Jones & Gilly Segal for providing a free eARC in exchange for my honest review #WhyWeFly #NetGalley @NetGalley #sourcebooksfire @sourcebooksfire #KimberlyLatriceJones @kimberlylatricejones #GillySegal @really.gilly
I read the bestselling debut novel by these authors 'I'm Not Dying with You Tonight' and this book did not disappoint! Both of the authors live in Atlanta which is also the setting of the book. Although this book is meant for teens, I think it resonates for both teens & adults. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the Black Lives Matter / anti-racist movement or the nuances of interracial friendship & relationships in modern day America.
Check out Why We Fly by Kimberly Jones; Gilly Segal and be sure to get this YA novel wherever you buy books!
✦ Goodreads ➜ https://bit.ly/3kkvD7M
✦ Amazon ➜ https://amzn.to/3kmV8oW
✦ Apple ➜ https://apple.co/2Xtml0u
✦ Google ➜ https://bit.ly/2XoNuS5
✦ Kobo ➜ https://bit.ly/3tQPsH8
✦ Nook ➜ https://bit.ly/39kH8G8
TAGS: fiction, contemporary, young adult, romance, people of color protagonists, race, politics, black lives matter, blm
*Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire, & the authors Kimberly Jones & Gilly Segal for providing a free eARC in exchange for my honest review #WhyWeFly #NetGalley @NetGalley #sourcebooksfire @sourcebooksfire #KimberlyLatriceJones @kimberlylatricejones #GillySegal @really.gilly
cojack's review
3.0
More like 3.5 stars. This is one of those books I *wanted* to like more than i actually did. The messages are good and important, but the execution falls flat. The characters are not engaging at all, and the ending/resolutions are unsatisfying.
You can read my full review for Common Sense Media here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/why-we-fly
You can read my full review for Common Sense Media here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/why-we-fly
thenextgenlibrarian's review
3.0
What happens when taking a stand by taking a knee causes division among a town?
cakep3's review
1.0
This book is unrealistic, and not well written for so many teens, and in so many ways. Here’s why, in my opinion.
1) Although this book is about student athletes, it is mentioned on around page 60 that Three’s dad is maxing out credit cards and taking out huge loans to pay SOLEY for his future in football. I know a few football players, and their parents do not do such things. Also, it’s mentioned that he runs 6 miles as a warm up each day, and drinks 3 protein shakes. That’s honestly disgusting.
2) I can’t tell which person is Chanel, and which one Eleanor is. I haven’t been able to tell which one had the concussion, and which one has not. It’s honestly disappointing to have to not finish this book because of the fact that it wasn’t written well enough for me to understand that.
3) Forgive me if I’m wrong, but there’s also no description of where this book takes place, other than the U.S., if that’s even provided. I may just be guessing about that, because the way that they act, the measurements that they used, like pounds and miles, and the fact that they are all die hards for football.
So, I rest my case. I had to DNF this book, and it’s a 1/5 stars for me.
1) Although this book is about student athletes, it is mentioned on around page 60 that Three’s dad is maxing out credit cards and taking out huge loans to pay SOLEY for his future in football. I know a few football players, and their parents do not do such things. Also, it’s mentioned that he runs 6 miles as a warm up each day, and drinks 3 protein shakes. That’s honestly disgusting.
2) I can’t tell which person is Chanel, and which one Eleanor is. I haven’t been able to tell which one had the concussion, and which one has not. It’s honestly disappointing to have to not finish this book because of the fact that it wasn’t written well enough for me to understand that.
3) Forgive me if I’m wrong, but there’s also no description of where this book takes place, other than the U.S., if that’s even provided. I may just be guessing about that, because the way that they act, the measurements that they used, like pounds and miles, and the fact that they are all die hards for football.
So, I rest my case. I had to DNF this book, and it’s a 1/5 stars for me.