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challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Police brutality
Minor: Misogyny
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality
Moderate: Bullying, Gun violence, Violence
emotional
informative
sad
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Police brutality
Moderate: Gun violence
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality
Moderate: Bullying, Blood, Alcohol
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality
Moderate: Death, Gun violence
Minor: Grief
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Racism
Minor: Alcoholism
challenging
informative
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Police brutality
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Dear Martin has been on my TBR pile for awhile and I had never gotten around to reading it. When I saw it was available as an audiobook on Scribd I jumped at the chance.
I'm so glad I listened to it. It is a powerful, emotional and gripping story which looks at the intense level of racism, prejudice and police brutality that is still being experienced in today's society.
While the book looks honestly at such harrowing topics it does so with a level of emotion and humour that doesn't feel too heavy on the reader all the time so for that reason I think it's a good starting point for a person of privilege to learn more about these issues.
I listened to this and then Dear Justyce immediately after and think that is the best way as they both were only 4.5 hours so almost felt like one book.
I'm so glad I listened to it. It is a powerful, emotional and gripping story which looks at the intense level of racism, prejudice and police brutality that is still being experienced in today's society.
While the book looks honestly at such harrowing topics it does so with a level of emotion and humour that doesn't feel too heavy on the reader all the time so for that reason I think it's a good starting point for a person of privilege to learn more about these issues.
I listened to this and then Dear Justyce immediately after and think that is the best way as they both were only 4.5 hours so almost felt like one book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
Nic Stone is a gift to young readers. I have followed her on Insta for years and I admire her writing, so I decided to re-read (listen) to Dear Martin and Dear Justyce. They were just as good as I remembered, and I flew through them. In the first book, Dear Martin, we meet Justyce who is an honor student at a private school and working on his college applications. The story shows him experiencing high school life and how he handles friendships, teachers, and a crush. He is facing microaggressions and outright racism at school and then has two encounters with the police that change his life forever. Justyce is writing to Martin Luther King, Jr. through out the book asking for guidance to navigate his life experiences.
In the second book, Dear Justyce, the timeline picks up with Justyce at Yale University and we get a chance to know Quan, who was a peripheral character in the first book, much better. Quan is incarcerated in a youth detention center and writing letters to Justyce as he grapples with the circumstances that led him to this situation. In their correspondence and in Quan’s reflections we see a deeper story and it’s a creative way to let the story and characters live on while showing a different angle.
If you haven’t read these books, I highly recommend that you do. They are Young Adult however the depth makes them a great read for adults too. They shine a light on unsafe and unfair experiences for Black boys and Black men in the U.S. and while this is fiction, the situations are not. I’ll end this as I started it - Nic Stone is a gift to young readers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality, Murder
challenging
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality
Moderate: Gun violence