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rhiannadanielle's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
3.5
simone_marie's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book so much. I think Taja enraptures what it’s like to grow up as a young African American girl. I think the plot is realistic. She faces pressure from her boyfriend, peers, and society. I see a lot of myself in Taja and that means a lot to me.
reindeerbandit's review
3.0
this was beautifully written. i just prefer my books to have a plot, rather than snapshots that move through time. they were gorgeous snapshots, though.
cookiemic's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
biblioemily's review against another edition
4.0
Really a 3.5. Quiet story, really enjoyed it. Especially good for middle school!
sc104906's review against another edition
3.0
This is the story of young Taj and her growth into womanhood. The story begins with Taj at as a young girl, presents her first love, and the choices she makes going into adulthood.
I had trouble keeping track of the historical setting and what age Taj was at the time of the narrative. Overall, it was an interesting and important story. Very similar to books like "I Capture the Castle," which I am typically not drawn to, but know that many find fascinating.
I had trouble keeping track of the historical setting and what age Taj was at the time of the narrative. Overall, it was an interesting and important story. Very similar to books like "I Capture the Castle," which I am typically not drawn to, but know that many find fascinating.
storytimed's review against another edition
4.0
Very pretty prose. Charming vignettes about growing up.
theshenners's review against another edition
4.0
a poetic coming of age story that portrays emotions in a viscerally engaging way. Taja's adolescent confusion, curiosity, and conflicted feelings about sex and her religion are captured very well.
that all said, there were some really cringe-worthy microaggressions here and there that put me off
TWs: body/fat-shaming, ableism, transmisia, slut-shaming/misogyny, racism
-the most prevalent microaggressions were body/fat-shaming, and it was kind of hypocritical coming from someone who was insecure about her own appearance and felt like everyone was probably judging her for it. the narrative tried to address oppressive ideologies of attractiveness and value through a teacher who challenged them to look at what ads and society tells us to value and messages that you feel lesser. but that was undermined when the narrative proceeded to describe a girl as manlike and gross for having leg hair on the next page with zero self-critical reflection.
-the r-slur is used multiple times in this one paragraph and it made me super uncomfortable even though it was not directed at about person but rather the protagonist's inner anxiety going on a self hating rant.
-then there was the use of "Chinese eyes" to describe a character. only once but that was a real WTF to me -_-
-the slut-shaming and gendered double standards surrounding sex are addressed in text, though.
that all said, there were some really cringe-worthy microaggressions here and there that put me off
TWs: body/fat-shaming, ableism, transmisia, slut-shaming/misogyny, racism
-the most prevalent microaggressions were body/fat-shaming, and it was kind of hypocritical coming from someone who was insecure about her own appearance and felt like everyone was probably judging her for it. the narrative tried to address oppressive ideologies of attractiveness and value through a teacher who challenged them to look at what ads and society tells us to value and messages that you feel lesser. but that was undermined when the narrative proceeded to describe a girl as manlike and gross for having leg hair on the next page with zero self-critical reflection.
-the r-slur is used multiple times in this one paragraph and it made me super uncomfortable even though it was not directed at about person but rather the protagonist's inner anxiety going on a self hating rant.
-then there was the use of "Chinese eyes" to describe a character. only once but that was a real WTF to me -_-
-the slut-shaming and gendered double standards surrounding sex are addressed in text, though.
abisgard's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. I liked how we got to fallow Taja as she grew up. The author also has really beautiful writing style. I listened to it on audio. This books format is kind of like a vignettes. If you enjoy house of mango street this reminds me of that because of the format and topics discussed.
thebookgiraffe's review against another edition
3.0
This was a beautifully written novel about a girl struggling to balance her religious beliefs and her feelings towards sex. The story is told in little vignettes of her adolescence as we see her exploring the realm of teenage boys (also there is on the page use of protection, and respect (albeit mixed with frustration) when she asks to stop/says no during one of the scenes). She also critiques the gendered double standard of her community's commentary, particularly that of her parents (them not treating her brother the same way, the concept of female virginity, purity pledge, etc.). Unfortunately, there was so much girl hate that was never addressed or resolved. I kept waiting for her to change the way she spoke about other young women and that point never came. She is opposed to certain words (hoe, slut) being used in regards to herself, but then goes and uses them to describe other girls throughout the book and I didn't appreciate that at all. I realize that her religious background influences her views but I was hoping for more personal growth and support for female sexuality.