Reviews

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi, Yusef Salaam

marite's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

Den ene av forfatterne, Yusuf Salaam er en av de fem uskyldige svarte guttene som ble dømt i den beryktede Central Park-saken. Sammen med Ibi Zoboi har han skrevet om en lang roman om en ung svart gutt som urettmessig blir dømt og fengslet for en forbrytelse han ikke har begått. Teksten er prosalyrikk, det tas i bruk grafiske virkemidler i oppsettet av teksten, og det er enkelte illustrasjoner i svart/hvitt. Det er fine passasjer her, og gode ordbilder, og uten tvil en sterk historie, men det hele drukner bare i en mølje av ord. 400 sider med lite handling men en mengde ord, etter en stund blir det svært repetitivt. Jeg tviler sterkt på at målgruppa - som jeg vil anta er unge gutter - vil orke dette. Det er jo dumt å be om en annen bok enn den en har lest, men så fint det hadde vært med en faktabok for ungdom om Central Park-saken. Den kunne utvilsomt fått lesere.

jwanz86's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

madreejima's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

kim_j_dare's review against another edition

5.0

What a powerful collaboration.

Amal was out with his friends. There was a fight. A white boy lies in a coma. Amal’s friends accepted a plea bargain, but Amal refused on principle— why should he admit guilt for something he didn’t do? But the jury found him guilty and now he’s locked up in a juvenile detention facility.

Readers experience all of Amal’s emotions— his fear, his anger, his moments of utter hopelessness. Mixed in over the long days are glimmers of hope— slowly formed friendships, letters from home, writing classes with Imani, a visiting educator-activist. Amal, a painter and poet who chafes under excessive rules and structure, reflects on the butterfly effect, and butterflies feature prominently in the story.

One of my favorite passages (and so prescient, given the events of the past two weeks) is this one:

Butterfly, if what they say is true about you
change something BIG out there
Butterfly, remind me again what happens to dust
Butterfly, if you’re in here with me
then you have to go back out there
and change the world.

And this novel in verse may just be part of that world-changing. Would love to see the pub date moved up from September 1, but read it as soon as you can get your hands on a copy.

Thank you, HarperCollins and Edelweiss, for the electronic ARC.

brittanymorgan52's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This was a hard but good read. This format is a quick read na duet it took me a couple days still because the content is heavy. I found myself just sitting and thinking about it a lot. It was heartbreaking and maddening. Definitely add to your TBR

carey_78's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

maribee3's review against another edition

5.0

“Punching the Air” by Ibi Zoboi Yusuf Salaam is about a wrongfully convicted Muslim boy who goes to jail because he is black, and his side of the story is not being seen or believed. This book clearly shows the prejudice, racism, and discrimination in the modern world and connects directly to the struggles many people are facing now. Throughout the story, I sympathized with Amal from the trial to Jeremy Mathis waking up from his coma. I think many other people should read this book because it is very relevant to racial injustice today.

zebley's review against another edition

emotional hopeful tense 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

4.25

izzykathryn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

thebookishnic's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5