Reviews with content warning for Violence - This Is My America

This must have been such a challenging book for Johnson to write. There’s so much pain in it. Tracy is persistent, always has hope, but her story is a scenario filled with some good luck, people with a conscience, and the right people in the right places. Through This is My America, I kept thinking about how if even just one of these pieces slid out of place, things would have gone much differently.

I suppose I should mention the foundation fundamentals of the book. This is My America creates a sympathetic cast of characters. Johnson’s writing keeps just on the soft side of horrific, but isn’t sympathetic to white characters or white readers who may relate to them in any small way. And that’s good – it’s good that we don’t forgive those things because that kind of forgiveness is another way we are perpetuating problematic, racist, and unjust behaviors and systems. Like The Hate U Give, This is My America made me dig into myself and check my own biases. It’s a constant state of learning – reeducation is a lifelong job. I’m grateful for the moments this book made me step back.

The story moves quickly and keeps you engaged with consistent twists and discoveries. I also really liked that not only was there a romance, but it was a love triangle and it did not interfere with the actual story and only developed in the between-moments. I don’t feel one way or another about the love story itself, but I did appreciate the good balance of story and subplot. There were a lot of individuals in this story who needed justice and it was a tough set to juggle. I think Johnson did a great job, I really do.

This is My America reminds me of another book I read… I believe it was Dear Justyce I clearly remember the addendum at the end of the book – this story only has a happy ending because all the right things were in place and folks had the support they needed but usually, that’s not true. The same applies to This is My America. If Beverly wasn’t a cop, if Tracy hadn’t spoken to Angela, if she hadn’t written all those letters. There’s always a “what if,” and it hurts. Because in some stories, the “what if”s just mean a relationship wouldn’t happen. In This is My America, the “what if”s are the difference between life and death, and that’s the case in real life. All the time. I hate that we need books like his still to remind us of that.

I highly recommend reading This is My America. It’s a social justice book, and it is a book about Black pain. We need to bear witness. It’s well-written and tells an important story. I’d read it again, even though it would hurt just as much as it did the first time.

Content Warnings

danileah07's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

theasbookworld's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad fast-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

5.0

Content Warnings

mia333's review against another edition

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emotional informative inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Some parts of the book felt rushed, but it was very emotional and impactful. I think it did a great job of reflecting the flaws within the American justice system. Johnson also did a wonderful job of humanizing Tracy and keeping her a teenage girl instead of making her this super strong, invincible girl.

Content Warnings

hesticht's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Content Warnings

bluewitchbookcraft's review against another edition

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challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Content Warnings

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