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hanhantap's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Islamophobia, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Slavery
djimerson's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-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
4.0
This book is tough. We follow Amal, a 16-year-old Black teen charge with a crime he didn’t commit. Using his art talent and poetry/ rhyming skills, we watch him struggle through this sudden turn of events that have up-ended his life. It’s a very power message, but it is also rage inducing because the reader is faced with another case of racial injustice.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Physical abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Confinement, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, and Violence
your_true_shelf's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Bullying
Moderate: Violence
reading_diaries's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
This book was incredibly moving. It made me reflect and question my privilege as a white person. I feel so much empathy and sorrow for young black people who experience this awful cycle of unjust violence.
The way this story is told through poetry and art is amazing. The audiobook is amazing to listen to and really paints a vivid image of Amal’s struggles in the detention centre. The way this story is told in verse is incredibly beautiful and again, listening to the audiobook made it that more impactful to hear.
Overall, an incredibly impactful and moving story.
The way this story is told through poetry and art is amazing. The audiobook is amazing to listen to and really paints a vivid image of Amal’s struggles in the detention centre. The way this story is told in verse is incredibly beautiful and again, listening to the audiobook made it that more impactful to hear.
Overall, an incredibly impactful and moving story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Violence
Moderate: Police brutality
Minor: Islamophobia and Blood
a_alves00's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Racism
elliottsara94's review
emotional
tense
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Racial slurs, Racism, and Death
effect3cause's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Police brutality, Racism, and Violence
nytephoenyx's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- 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
3.5
I absolutely believe stories like this need to be told. Stories of black trauma, particularly those of broken justice systems and biased criminal accusations, are extremely common in YA, and for a reason - things aren’t changing in the world, so the same story must be told over and over again.
The co-author is what makes Punching the Air stand out from others. Yusef Salaam, one of the Central Park Five, co-authored this novel to show the corruption in the system and inspire those who would fight for change. In that way, Punching the Air is probably the purest form of this oft-told story - an author speaks from lived experience.
The thing that made this book less enjoyable for me has less to do with the book or its authors. Specifically, I didn’t enjoy the narrator. Without seeing a physical copy, I am left to assume that this book was written in prose and the narrator reads it like poetry. The dialogue is very slowly spoken, and there are significant pauses at the end of every sentence. For a short poem, this type of narration works. For a full length novel, it got exhausting very quickly. Perhaps with a different mirror, I would’ve enjoyed it more. But regardless of whether or not I enjoyed it, I deeply respect it and I am grateful to the authors for sharing the story.
The co-author is what makes Punching the Air stand out from others. Yusef Salaam, one of the Central Park Five, co-authored this novel to show the corruption in the system and inspire those who would fight for change. In that way, Punching the Air is probably the purest form of this oft-told story - an author speaks from lived experience.
The thing that made this book less enjoyable for me has less to do with the book or its authors. Specifically, I didn’t enjoy the narrator. Without seeing a physical copy, I am left to assume that this book was written in prose and the narrator reads it like poetry. The dialogue is very slowly spoken, and there are significant pauses at the end of every sentence. For a short poem, this type of narration works. For a full length novel, it got exhausting very quickly. Perhaps with a different mirror, I would’ve enjoyed it more. But regardless of whether or not I enjoyed it, I deeply respect it and I am grateful to the authors for sharing the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Bullying, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Racial slurs
This book contains strong themes of systematic racism. The book’s protagonist self-identifies as both Black and Muslim.amradio's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Not a bad book
Wasn't expecting the book to end when it did so I was a bit disappointed (reading from my ereader) and it felt a little abrupt because of that
Otherwise it was a solid read, not my most favorite book but not a bad one probably in the middle ranking star wise
I do love how they use art throughout the book especially when his art teacher doesn't believe what he creates is his truth
I will also say the officer who has a tattoo is so accurate in symbolism and yet picturing that tattoo is nerve wracking
Wasn't expecting the book to end when it did so I was a bit disappointed (reading from my ereader) and it felt a little abrupt because of that
Otherwise it was a solid read, not my most favorite book but not a bad one probably in the middle ranking star wise
I do love how they use art throughout the book
I will also say
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Violence, Racism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Confinement and Classism
rosie722's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Violence