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tahsintries's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Addiction and Gun violence
jackelz's review against another edition
emotional
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
Vinyl Moon is poetic, heartbreaking, uplifting, and stunning. Angel is so raw and real. I love the combination of prose, poems, and vignettes in Mahogany L. Browne’s writing.
When Darius told Angel he loved her, she believed him. But five weeks after the incident, Angel finds herself in Brooklyn, far from her family, from him, and from the California life she has known.
The only place that makes sense is Ms. G’s class. Angel becomes immersed in her revolutionary literature course, the words from Black writers like Toni Morrison and Zora Neale Hurston speak to her and begin to heal the wounds of her past. Angel’s journey with reading also also shows how important it is that we have all kinds of stories in school and public libraries.
Not only did she have those stories, but she had music. She made a playlist based on her vibes from each book, and I need access to these asap.
Ms. G’s class sounded incredible and I wish I had a teacher like that in school, and maybe I would’ve appreciated literature sooner in life! I also love how she asked the girls how they were feeling every day, and created a safe space for talking about feelings.
The female friendships in this were my favorite. Get you a friend like Eva who will go thrift shopping with you. Get you a friend like Teiya that is comfortable sitting in silence with you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Domestic abuse
Minor: Addiction
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This novel in verse and vingettes is very much a character driven story, specifically a character driven story about healing and moving forward. After an incident with her ex-boyfriend in California, Angel's mom moves her to Brooklyn to live with her uncle. It's in Brooklyn where Angel meets others who help her on her journey to heal and trust others again.
One of the best things about this book is the way Angel discovers books where she sees herself. Books where she can relate to the characters. If you wonder why representation is so important, this is it. It also shows how important this connection can be to kids and teenagers, and how important it can be in getting kids to read. Angel's journey with reading in this book isn't just for her own healing; it also just shows how important it is that we have all kinds of stories in school and public libraries. Yes! All kinds! (Shouts this into the void of people constantly trying to ban any sort of diverse story).
Anyway, the verse style of this book allows for some really great lines, and hits hard at the emotional elements of Angel's recovery. So many readers will be able to relate to Angel's need to use music and stories to escape, because that's so often what we all do. It's a book about the magic of stories, the magic of music, and using those to move forward past trauma. A relatable, timely, relevant novel.
Also the audiobook narrator is great and I highly recommend it if you like audiobooks!
One of the best things about this book is the way Angel discovers books where she sees herself. Books where she can relate to the characters. If you wonder why representation is so important, this is it. It also shows how important this connection can be to kids and teenagers, and how important it can be in getting kids to read. Angel's journey with reading in this book isn't just for her own healing; it also just shows how important it is that we have all kinds of stories in school and public libraries. Yes! All kinds! (Shouts this into the void of people constantly trying to ban any sort of diverse story).
Anyway, the verse style of this book allows for some really great lines, and hits hard at the emotional elements of Angel's recovery. So many readers will be able to relate to Angel's need to use music and stories to escape, because that's so often what we all do. It's a book about the magic of stories, the magic of music, and using those to move forward past trauma. A relatable, timely, relevant novel.
Also the audiobook narrator is great and I highly recommend it if you like audiobooks!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Minor: Addiction
thelovelylibrarylady's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-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? It's complicated
3.0
Vinyl Moon is a book that should be in every high school's library. The characters in this novel are diverse - not only in their identities but also in their experiences. Angel, the protagonist, moves to New York to live with her uncle after an alarming incident occurs back home in California. The reader learns more about this incident throughout the book, but it is apparent from the beginning that it involves her ex-boyfriend. One prominent theme in this novel is the importance of community. Angel hasn't really had a strong support system around her up until this point, including her immediate family, and she first starts to make these connections in New York. I just wish that the ending of this story wasn't so abrupt. I think that there were definitely some topics that were left unresolved and my rating reflects that.
(PUB DATE: 01/11/2022)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)
(PUB DATE: 01/11/2022)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Minor: Addiction
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