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seullywillikers's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Updated review: EVERYONE should read this book, but most especially, if you have anything to do with higher education AT ALL, whether as student, teacher, administrator, or volunteer, you must read this book. Obviously, as a white woman, I did not identify with all of Sahara's identities; I did identify with some of her story, though. This has got to have the most real portrayal of depression and suicidal ideation in a fiction that I have ever read. Throughout, Sahara's humor, sadness, and rage burn brightly, so that you are in the midst of it, and feeling it too. The POV of a Black woman in a PWI is poignant and important-you can logically 'know' a thing, but to see it through this window is another thing entirely. Certainly, I'll never understand on a fundamental level, but having the books and other media that represent these true stories (fiction as truth-teller) is so important for everyone in today's America.
The framework of a satirical Master's thesis is brilliantly conceived and executed in this book, and is well used to highlight the insufficient, ineffective, and hypocritical policies and facades of towering institutions that don't actually do the work to raise up anyone except their donors and benefactors. This book touched not only on systemic racism, but also everyday microaggressions, inequitable health-care and the dismissal of Black people's pain, trying to figure out your life as an LGBTQIA+ person, depression and self-harm, dysfunctional families (even if there is love there), and just trying to figure out yourself in college. That is SO much to cover, but this book doesn't feel bogged down, sloggy, or hindered in achieving to carry all of that.
Also, Sahara has awesome taste in music. 5 stars.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Eating disorder, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Fatphobia, Misogyny, and Classism
Minor: Blood
abbie_'s review against another edition
4.0
Boy oh boy was this book an emotional rollercoaster! I need to preface this by saying that I highly recommend it but if you are currently struggling with depression and/or self-harm, please take care of yourself if you read it!
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
the_mighty_finn17's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Racism, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
homodyne_reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I loved the structure of addressing the thesis committee, and chapters being interspersed with Zine pages. It felt very real and unflinching. It was bitingly funny, and thoughtful. I really appreciate the ways it played with formatting.
This was a also a really difficult read. I could not tell from the book sleeve that this was going to be a story centered on suicidial ideation, self harm, and disordered eating. In addition to, and fueled by, horrific racism (this I was expecting going in). Its a very painful book to read. I think its important to engage with that, even though I know that this book was not really for me.
Well done, sickening, but finally a bit hopeful at the end.
Graphic: Self harm and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Drug use, Eating disorder, and Medical trauma
Minor: Sexual assault
bahareads's review
- 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
3.0
I know from personal experience that being the first daughter in a family is not easy (at all). I'm so thankful for the real relationships that Sahara had in this book - her best friend specifically. Professors who ACTUALLY care for their students are a blessing; it was great for Chukwu to show the range of professors' care in college. Some of them do not give a shit about you but others will make space for you and give allowances. Thank God for professors who actually care.
College is already stressful and being at institutions that do not support you, and have barely any people of colour is TOUGH. Feeling unsupported and having imposter syndrome is so so real. I laughed out loud at a White man being the head of the Black Student Union, like HOW?!? Chukwu has a range of Black personalities and people here. The one at stuck out was the rich Whitewashed Black person. She was shown in an awful light. She was shallow, an enabler, and not even someone I would not call a friend in any respect. While Chukwu does a great job of showing how Sahara was supported by her people. I wish there were even more exposition on the relationships. A lot of characters were in here and it felt like we did not get to see the depth of some of the relationships.
The art in here was intriguing. A lot of the pages have some visual element on them. JK Chukwu is a visual artist and I think that makes her work stand out. The fact that she uses her skills as both a writer and artist in combination is beautiful.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Eating disorder, Racism, and Classism
Minor: Suicide
mckenzie_reads's review
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Drug use
tigger89's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
That said, it was very well done. Sahara's perspective was in turns frustrating, heartbreaking, infuriating, and all too real. There's very little plot that goes down in this story. Instead, it's almost entirely about the characters, whether they're sympathetic, antagonistic, or somewhere in between. This worked incredibly well to paint a complete, empathetic picture of the suffering students of color undergo while surviving — or not — in racist institutions, as well as to underscore the vital importance of community and showing up to support one another.
The gimmick of the novel, that it was an academic thesis, was a mixed bag for me. While it's addressed to the thesis committee and has frequent footnotes, it doesn't read like academic writing at all. Of course that subversion is the point, but it's still disconcerting as a reader to have been sold on one thing only to discover it's something else entirely. I think if I'd known what I was in for up front I would have appreciated it much more, rather than being disappointed about what I'd thought I was getting. I also want to note that, according to her author bio, Chukwu is a visual artist, and there's many instances of art throughout the novel. Consequently, this may be a title that's best enjoyed in a physical or e-book edition, rather than on audio.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death, Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Medical content
thepermageek's review
- 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
5.0
To be honest, I think this book would have been too much for me to handle when I was at the absolute depths of my own despair. But now that I'm in a (relatively) mentally healthy/stable period in my life this book was an absolute delight!
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Fatphobia, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
lettuce_read's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Racial slurs and Medical trauma
annreadsabook's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt