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forsgren07's review against another edition
3.0
Fast read. Even for me who normally reads at a slower pace. I enjoyed the comparison of the two stories. However, the way the description on the back reads I was thinking the story would be different. Not sure how, but I feel the back cover pulled me in more than the actual book.
pattydsf's review against another edition
4.0
Beginnings
How did I get here
at the edge of the desert,
at the edge of tomorrows,
as pale as sand?
Oh, yes!
I was born.
That’s how it all began.
I have known of Grimes for a long time. She has an excellent reputation as a poet and collector of stories. I wasn’t a children’s librarian, but I paid attention to good authors and books. However, I don’t think I had read any of her works until this year. Earlier, in January, I read a collection of poems and artwork that she had put together about the Harlem Renaissance and enjoyed it quite a bit. This book was more of a whim. I read something about it, found it on Hoopla and had it read before the end of the day.
I am so impressed with Grimes’s imagination. Not only did she see that there could be comparisons between Ismael and a boy of the 21st century, but she put their stories into verse. That made this “simple” story so powerful. This was about 200 pages with plenty of white space and compelling words. I see Ismael and contemporary blended families in a new light.
Apparently, Grimes did the same kind of story with Mary, Jesus’s mother. I may try to find that story too. It will be interesting to see the parallels in that tale.
How did I get here
at the edge of the desert,
at the edge of tomorrows,
as pale as sand?
Oh, yes!
I was born.
That’s how it all began.
I have known of Grimes for a long time. She has an excellent reputation as a poet and collector of stories. I wasn’t a children’s librarian, but I paid attention to good authors and books. However, I don’t think I had read any of her works until this year. Earlier, in January, I read a collection of poems and artwork that she had put together about the Harlem Renaissance and enjoyed it quite a bit. This book was more of a whim. I read something about it, found it on Hoopla and had it read before the end of the day.
I am so impressed with Grimes’s imagination. Not only did she see that there could be comparisons between Ismael and a boy of the 21st century, but she put their stories into verse. That made this “simple” story so powerful. This was about 200 pages with plenty of white space and compelling words. I see Ismael and contemporary blended families in a new light.
Apparently, Grimes did the same kind of story with Mary, Jesus’s mother. I may try to find that story too. It will be interesting to see the parallels in that tale.
afro8921's review against another edition
5.0
This book parallels the story of ishmael from the bible and a teen in the present and how they both dealt with being castaway from their fathers. Powerful imagery loved the poem form.
diamondc's review against another edition
3.0
When I received this book I didn't know what to expect. I had times when I just needed to step away and read something else. Dark Son's take you on a journey of two boys with issues about their father.
Overall, the story line was good but I felt the book had parts that were drawn out to make the book longer.
Overall, the story line was good but I felt the book had parts that were drawn out to make the book longer.
katemarie99's review against another edition
5.0
Excuse me while I go read every book that Nikki Grimes has ever written...
shelovestoread2's review against another edition
4.0
Dark Son’s is told in two perspectives written in verse. There is the perspective of Ishmael who is having a hard time of having “two mom” after his dad has another child with a new woman. Ishmael doesn’t know how to truly feel about this, he does know that he is hurt because the time spent with his new wife has left him and mom alone.
The second perspective is of Sam who is basically going through the same thing. His dad remarries and soon after he has a new baby boy. Sam is hurt and confused as to why his dad would leave him for a women and have a new child. He questions God throughout the story asking questions like “if my Dad really loved me why did he leave me?”
Both Ishmael and Sam are trying to figure out ways to cope with this new change yet try to let this new change affect their relationship with God and their family. They both have anger towards their family and a feeling of not being loved or wanted.
In the end they both learn to accept the change and love their new brothers and take acceptance for the new families their fathers have created.
I always enjoyed Nikki Grimes writing. Books written in verse in my favorite type of writing style. I also liked that she used small pieces of the Bible to tell the story of Dark Son’s.
Rating: 4⭐
(Find all my reviews at mybeautymybooks.com)
The second perspective is of Sam who is basically going through the same thing. His dad remarries and soon after he has a new baby boy. Sam is hurt and confused as to why his dad would leave him for a women and have a new child. He questions God throughout the story asking questions like “if my Dad really loved me why did he leave me?”
Both Ishmael and Sam are trying to figure out ways to cope with this new change yet try to let this new change affect their relationship with God and their family. They both have anger towards their family and a feeling of not being loved or wanted.
In the end they both learn to accept the change and love their new brothers and take acceptance for the new families their fathers have created.
I always enjoyed Nikki Grimes writing. Books written in verse in my favorite type of writing style. I also liked that she used small pieces of the Bible to tell the story of Dark Son’s.
Rating: 4⭐
(Find all my reviews at mybeautymybooks.com)
knit3314's review against another edition
5.0
An interesting structure for a parallel story told in prose. Great insights into the connection, relationship and love between father and son. Inheritance means little to the firstborn son who becomes overshadowed by a second son. The pain a son experiences when he yearns for his original place in his father's heart and life. I liked the parallel between Ishmael and Sam. It gives contemporary relevance to the old bible story of Abraham, Sarah, and Rachel. Well done by Grimes. I highly recommend this novel. It's a very short read.
brittaneic's review against another edition
5.0
A combination of my favorite things: The Bible, poetry, and different characters with stories that mirror each other!
clarkco's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this story that weaves the story of Abraham and Ishmael together with a modern teen trying to deal with his divorced dad.
agn946's review
4.0
*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
I’ll be honest and say I did not know what I was getting myself into when I picked up Dark Sons. I knew I had read things by Nikki Grimes before (and am embarrassed to say I could not remember what those things were) and that it looked like kind of interesting. I was pleasantly surprised both by the format and content of the book.
One thing to know (and again something I should have but didn’t know before I read the book) is that it is a collection of poems that tell the story of two sons dealing with a changing relationship with their father. The first is Ishmael and his relationship with his father Abraham (from Old Testament fame) and the second is a more modern distancing about a teenager named Sam. Through the course of the book the similarities and differences of these two interpretations are brought to the forefront through alternating sections of poetic cycles.
As someone who grew up in a fairly religious household (and as a result when I stopped being particularly interested in faith for religious reasons and more for academic ones), I really enjoyed the Ishmael side of the book. He has always been a fascinating character to me and the role he plays is one that I feel like is ripe for a lot of different interpretations. I felt like this interpretation of what his emotions and feelings must have been were incredibly well done and were interesting when compared to the Christian response in terms of how Sam was able to deal with his father’s new family in the modern part of the book. It set up an interesting parallel of having God take care of these people while still not making a great life for them or seeming to always have their best interest at heart.
I thought the portrayal of Sam was also incredibly well done. It felt incredibly real and is one of the few reasons I would potentially recommend this book to a student. The way that the character processes emotions and was able to separate his feelings for his father and his new wife from those for his step-brother was quite interesting and something I feel like most people have had to do even if not with this particular situation.
I do not think I would ever assign this book primarily because I think that religion is a bit too explicitly central. That said, I have several students that I am already thinking of who could relate and benefit immensely from this. I also think that there are students like me who might see the comparison of Ishmael as almost a “patron saint” of someone abandoned by their father to be compelling even without the religious overtones it produces. Overall, it was a good, quick read and the format was something different that I found quite refreshing (although, this should not be super surprising coming from me since my favorite format for books are short story cycles).
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
I’ll be honest and say I did not know what I was getting myself into when I picked up Dark Sons. I knew I had read things by Nikki Grimes before (and am embarrassed to say I could not remember what those things were) and that it looked like kind of interesting. I was pleasantly surprised both by the format and content of the book.
One thing to know (and again something I should have but didn’t know before I read the book) is that it is a collection of poems that tell the story of two sons dealing with a changing relationship with their father. The first is Ishmael and his relationship with his father Abraham (from Old Testament fame) and the second is a more modern distancing about a teenager named Sam. Through the course of the book the similarities and differences of these two interpretations are brought to the forefront through alternating sections of poetic cycles.
As someone who grew up in a fairly religious household (and as a result when I stopped being particularly interested in faith for religious reasons and more for academic ones), I really enjoyed the Ishmael side of the book. He has always been a fascinating character to me and the role he plays is one that I feel like is ripe for a lot of different interpretations. I felt like this interpretation of what his emotions and feelings must have been were incredibly well done and were interesting when compared to the Christian response in terms of how Sam was able to deal with his father’s new family in the modern part of the book. It set up an interesting parallel of having God take care of these people while still not making a great life for them or seeming to always have their best interest at heart.
I thought the portrayal of Sam was also incredibly well done. It felt incredibly real and is one of the few reasons I would potentially recommend this book to a student. The way that the character processes emotions and was able to separate his feelings for his father and his new wife from those for his step-brother was quite interesting and something I feel like most people have had to do even if not with this particular situation.
I do not think I would ever assign this book primarily because I think that religion is a bit too explicitly central. That said, I have several students that I am already thinking of who could relate and benefit immensely from this. I also think that there are students like me who might see the comparison of Ishmael as almost a “patron saint” of someone abandoned by their father to be compelling even without the religious overtones it produces. Overall, it was a good, quick read and the format was something different that I found quite refreshing (although, this should not be super surprising coming from me since my favorite format for books are short story cycles).
Also posted on Purple People Readers.