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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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:
Yes
I remember reading this in middle school and just loving it. I'm glad memory holds true.
Told through quippy diary entries, cartoons, and sketches, True Diary is about a year in the life of Junior, a 14-year-old Spokane Indian who does the unthinkable: considers leaving the rez. The book doesn't sugarcoat the hardships of growing up on a reservation - the death, the alcoholism, the racism, the poverty - but it does paint reality with hopeful brush strokes.
From the first pages, you can't help but love Junior, with his rambling yet poetic prose, his ridiculous doodles, and his heartfelt sketches. The kid has so much love in his heart, and putting it out into the world is scary, but he does it anyway. Every time.
True Diary is a story about growing up, making hard choices, and realizing that while the world might be pretty bleak sometimes, the people who live in it make it a little less so.
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
"Where is hope?" I asked. "Who has hope?"
"Son," Mr. P said. "You're going to find more and more hope the farther and farther you walk away from this sad, sad, sad reservation."
[TW: alcoholism, depression, and eating disorders]
[b:The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian|693208|The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian|Sherman Alexie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327908992l/693208._SY75_.jpg|829330] is about a 14 years old guy named Arnold Spirit Jr., who tries to find the meaning of his life as a Native Indian. He lives in Spokane Reservations with VERY poor family and an alcoholic parents, his life has been so weird and so mundane, until he "betray" his tribe for going to "white" school.
FINALLY! FINALLY! I FOUND MY 5 STARS READ THIS YEAR
THIS BOOK! THIS FREAKIN' BOOK!
I'm so happy that I chose this book and have faith to read it, though I had no idea what it'll become. I didn't have an expectation, zilch! nada!
But, it turns out. This book is amazingly funny, enermous and entertaining. It opens my eyes and so insightful for me (an Asian) to read Native Americans point of view. [b:The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian|693208|The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian|Sherman Alexie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327908992l/693208._SY75_.jpg|829330] is a light and easy book. Its heartwarming story touched my heart, and also this book was funny (I mean 'rolling on the floor laughing' funny), but at some parts it was really sad. And it actually surprised me how it switched from being funny to being sad in a line or two.
The writings and illustrations are top notch. The characters are just incredible. Especially, of course the narrator, Arnold Spirit Jr. and so many scene that so powerful and make me shiver and cry at the same time. So many meaningful message and part that I'd never ever forget. The spirit, the struggle, the bravery... all of those are just..... *insert cry emoji*
"I used to think the world was broken down by tribes," I said.
"By black and white. By Indian and white. But I know that isn't true. The world is only broken into two tribes. The people who are assholes and the people who are not."
Read this book! I give you the order
funny
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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:
Yes
The contrast of my expectations and the language presented and the middle-school type diction really made this a weird book for me.
It had some really powerful themes of death, ostracism, racism, etc. Even the blatant topics of masturbation, alcoholism, suicide, putting white women on sexual pedestals, multiple usages of "faggot" etc. were off-putting and yet felt authentic to the story.
Still, this book was very short. Maybe it's because of it's demographic, but the writing-style was very succinct and so anti-sentimental; the sentences are usually short and written in vernacular which lends to it's quick pace. Because the pacing was so fast I don't know if the punches really landed completely. There wasn't enough time or exploration into things. I caught myself trying to guess at things or try to re-visualize what I would have thought reservation life was like but Alexie pulls no punches and that's what I like most about this book is the sincerity.
Then again, I'm not the main demographic. I could see this book being a very valuable piece of literature to middle schoolers. A good insight or first look into a modern day Native American's perspective. I understand why a lot of schools banned it. It's definitely has pretty heavy topics for school children.
It's a good book, it has a lot of flaws, but it deals with really important issues.
It had some really powerful themes of death, ostracism, racism, etc. Even the blatant topics of masturbation, alcoholism, suicide, putting white women on sexual pedestals, multiple usages of "faggot" etc. were off-putting and yet felt authentic to the story.
Still, this book was very short. Maybe it's because of it's demographic, but the writing-style was very succinct and so anti-sentimental; the sentences are usually short and written in vernacular which lends to it's quick pace. Because the pacing was so fast I don't know if the punches really landed completely. There wasn't enough time or exploration into things. I caught myself trying to guess at things or try to re-visualize what I would have thought reservation life was like but Alexie pulls no punches and that's what I like most about this book is the sincerity.
Then again, I'm not the main demographic. I could see this book being a very valuable piece of literature to middle schoolers. A good insight or first look into a modern day Native American's perspective. I understand why a lot of schools banned it. It's definitely has pretty heavy topics for school children.
It's a good book, it has a lot of flaws, but it deals with really important issues.
Excellent story about a Native American teenager who decides to break out of the social constructs that have been enforced on his people by the ever anonymous "them." It is a story of courage and strength, temporary defeat, and ultimate victory. It is a shame that a vocal minority of small-minded people are working to keep this book out of the hands of teenagers due to a few derogatory remarks about human genitalia. It is a story that has the ability to help teens and adults alike break through make-believe barriers that could otherwise hold them back.
funny
hopeful
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes