Scan barcode
drraytay's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
Graphic: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
lindseyhall44's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
A moving portrayal of sexuality, race, indentity, and love, Black Flamingo is a story I will never forget.
This beautiful novel-in verse- wraps around your heart and doesn’t let go.
This beautiful novel-in verse- wraps around your heart and doesn’t let go.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Violence, Physical abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, Abandonment, and Bullying
martapsalvado's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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? N/A
5.0
This book!! I knew from the start I would love it and I was absolutely right. The writing is beautiful, the illustrations are beautiful, the characters are beautiful, everything is beautiful. We follow the main character's journey to self-discovery and self-expression from childhood to college. It's not just extremely entertaining but inspiring and eye-opening as well.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, Lesbophobia, Racism, Homophobia, and Bullying
Minor: Sexual content
mimccub's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Drug use, Bullying, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Racism
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
empathetic, affirming, revelatory, and hopeful, the black flamingo--despite its many doses of oft unpleasant reality--is a comforting book that i wish everyone would read.
ive never read anything like it before: a novel in verse, the poems suffused w/ simple yet lyrical beauty, filled w/ great illustrations, w/ the page breaks used to maximum effect, and all the elements work so well tgt still. i also greatly enjoy the writing: certain lines, phrases, words, and the imagery they conjure make me simply marvel at their cleverness, insight, or emotional impact.
this book honestly hits close to home w/ the identity crises, and the author's portrayal + exploration of the intersectionality in terms of race and gender from a mixed-race black perspective is sth to behold; the microaggressions and seemingly 'simple' remarks or actions carry such weight and illustrate the systemic level of the problems explored. though the journey certainly isnt easy, all the different parts of michael's identity come to form a cohesive whole who, by the book's end, knows and loves enough to stand up for himself and similar others.
ive never read anything like it before: a novel in verse, the poems suffused w/ simple yet lyrical beauty, filled w/ great illustrations, w/ the page breaks used to maximum effect, and all the elements work so well tgt still. i also greatly enjoy the writing: certain lines, phrases, words, and the imagery they conjure make me simply marvel at their cleverness, insight, or emotional impact.
this book honestly hits close to home w/ the identity crises, and the author's portrayal + exploration of the intersectionality in terms of race and gender from a mixed-race black perspective is sth to behold; the microaggressions and seemingly 'simple' remarks or actions carry such weight and illustrate the systemic level of the problems explored. though the journey certainly isnt easy, all the different parts of michael's identity come to form a cohesive whole who, by the book's end, knows and loves enough to stand up for himself and similar others.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Racism
Moderate: Abandonment and Bullying
Minor: Violence
findingn_emo's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
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? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Racism
softgalaxy's review
dark
emotional
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? No
4.0
Content warning: colourism, difficult relationship with father, use of anti-LGBTQ slurs - see other CWs below.
What a book. I just wish it was fully in verse. The sections that were fully in verse were amazing! I wanted more of that! The last pages of the book really made it for me, it was beautiful seeing Michael “become”.
What a book. I just wish it was fully in verse. The sections that were fully in verse were amazing! I wanted more of that! The last pages of the book really made it for me, it was beautiful seeing Michael “become”.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Racism, Homophobia, Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, and Transphobia
endemictoearth's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
This is a YA coming of age story told in verse, but read by the author. (I read along with the book at some points.) Some sections definitely feel more poem-like, others the free verse just flows as a regular story would. It is really interesting, getting these flashes from his growing up for the first half of the book, seeing what experiences shaped Michael and made him who he is. At about halfway, he goes off to university and explores different identities and tries drag. It’s very personal, and never feels preachy about all the things it’s trying to say.
Content Warnings
Minor: Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Bullying
cooper_reads_books's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
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
This is the first verse novel I’ve ever read and I loved every moment of it. I’ve never related to a novel more in my life. Having come out in college, the section and university made me want to laugh and cry all at once. The moments where Michael felt misunderstood as a child also felt validating a sad way. Seeing how Michael grows in his own self-expression was amazing. My top two poems from this novel are definitely “What It’s Like to be a Black Drag Artist (for those of you who aren’t)” and “ How to Come Out as Gay.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Racism
Moderate: Drug use, Lesbophobia, and Sexual content
Minor: Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Xenophobia
brookey8888's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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
4.0
really enjoyed this! I really like the poetry/verse way it was written. I liked the characters and the growth they went through finding themselves. I really appreciated the topics discussed. I can’t speak for them because I luckily haven’t dealt/experienced these topics. I would definitely recommend this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Dysphoria, Grief, Lesbophobia, Outing, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Toxic friendship