Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

Playing the Cards You're Dealt by Varian Johnson

1 review

musicalpopcorn's review

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emotional funny informative inspiring sad 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? Yes

3.5

Ant is a Joplin man and there are a few things that come with being a Joplin. They’re strong, they have each other’s backs, and they’re amazing at Spades. But what happens when Ant starts to feel weak? 

This was a great story with a lot of heart. I appreciated the character arcs and how Ant’s feelings were probably what a kid his age would be feeling. 

I was not a huge fan of the narration and the little “Youngblood” thing at the end was pointless. This is not a fantasy book. Plus it would have made it a great discussion piece with kids NOT to play the grandpa hand and just have them guess about who they think the narrator might be. It cheapened the ending.


Outside of my dislike for the narration storyline, I thought this book dealt with serious but totally relatable issues in a fantastic way. I will definitely recommend it to my students

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