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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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:
Yes
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I was lamentably uninformed about the Tulsa Massacre of 1921 prior to picking up this book, but it piqued my interest due to its relevance to today’s continued fight against racial injustice, and gained even more significance in the wake of the recent riot in Washington DC.
The book does a great job of conveying the event in context without sugarcoating anything. There’s a stark darkness in the lead up to and during the attack itself that is poignant and definitely sticks out in my mind as we continue to grapple with these issues and the fallout from racial violence that goes uncondemned a hundred years later. Randi Pink does not flinch from depicting the event for what it is, an act of domestic terrorism, and holding both the white men and women involved accountable.
However, there is also a ray of hope and light. The central narrative follows teenagers Angel and Isaiah, who initially seem somewhat unlikely friends, but end up bonding and falling for one another after their teacher offers them both work. There was something so sweet in their interactions with each other, finding out about the things they do have in common. It was incredibly heartwarming to read about them bonding, while also having a countdown to the riot coming with the passage of pages and in-story time, creating the perfect tonal balance that ultimately left me shattered in the best way.
This was an incredibly enlightening read, and one I hope many will pick up to educate themselves about the Tulsa Massacre and the deeper issue of racial violence in relevance to our political climate today. While it is marketed to teens first and foremost, this is one I think will absolutely resonate with adults as well.
I was lamentably uninformed about the Tulsa Massacre of 1921 prior to picking up this book, but it piqued my interest due to its relevance to today’s continued fight against racial injustice, and gained even more significance in the wake of the recent riot in Washington DC.
The book does a great job of conveying the event in context without sugarcoating anything. There’s a stark darkness in the lead up to and during the attack itself that is poignant and definitely sticks out in my mind as we continue to grapple with these issues and the fallout from racial violence that goes uncondemned a hundred years later. Randi Pink does not flinch from depicting the event for what it is, an act of domestic terrorism, and holding both the white men and women involved accountable.
However, there is also a ray of hope and light. The central narrative follows teenagers Angel and Isaiah, who initially seem somewhat unlikely friends, but end up bonding and falling for one another after their teacher offers them both work. There was something so sweet in their interactions with each other, finding out about the things they do have in common. It was incredibly heartwarming to read about them bonding, while also having a countdown to the riot coming with the passage of pages and in-story time, creating the perfect tonal balance that ultimately left me shattered in the best way.
This was an incredibly enlightening read, and one I hope many will pick up to educate themselves about the Tulsa Massacre and the deeper issue of racial violence in relevance to our political climate today. While it is marketed to teens first and foremost, this is one I think will absolutely resonate with adults as well.
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Death of parent
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
dark
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Hate crime, Racism
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a heart-wrenching look at life in the Greenwood area of Tulsa, Oklahoma before and during the Greenwood Massacre of 1921. It was a love story for the first 75% of the novel -- Isaiah & Angel are two teens who shouldn't be together, but have fallen for each other. Both are dealing with hardships like the loss or illness of parents, but find solace in each other when they talk about books and run a bookmobile to poorer areas of Greenwood. The last 25% of the book is action packed, but left me wanting to know more about these characters and the circumstances. I think it's a beautifully written book, but the pacing was off, in my opinion.
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In the days leading up to the Tulsa Massacre, Angel Hill and Isaiah Wilson have been tasked with delivering books to the underserved areas of their community. What started as contempt between the two teenagers quickly blossoms into something else as they discover more about each other. When a white mob attacks their city, their dreams of an idyllic summer romance are destroyed.
I want more characters like Isaiah Wilson in YA books. He’s soft, caring, intelligent and passionate. That doesn’t mean that he’s without fault though. His flaws are front and center in this story and he has to do a lot to reckon with the mistakes he’s made in the past.
Randi Pink does such a great job of making the reader feel like they are a member of the Greenwood community. Her descriptions transported me to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1921.
I believe that everyone should read as much as they can about what happened in Greenwood, because it is an important part of US history that has been ignored for far too long.
Thanks to netgalley and Feiwel and Friends for this ARC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Terminal illness
Moderate: Bullying, Death
(Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
TW: assault, racism
Angel of Greenwood is a book, days after finishing, that I still don't know how to process. Pink is able to take readers on a journey of dread, joy, secrets, and thrills. Tulsa is their community of happiness in a world of strife. A world of injustice. A testament to the fact that the worst things can happen to the best of people. But at the same time, Angel of Greenwood is a love story. Pink uses the background of Tulsa, the currents of danger, to paint a sweeping portrayal of love and forgiveness.
In this Dual POV story, Angel and Isaiah are compassionate and endearing. The ways we need the bravery to be ourselves, to believe we can change. Angel of Greenwood is a story about their lives, their trials and mistakes, their joys and fears. It's a celebration of how one person can impact our life. Readers can feel the mounting tension. Knowing that the powder key is going to explode, but I was swept away in the details of Angel and Isaiah's lives. How we worry about the details of tomorrow, while not realizing it's not guaranteed.
TW: assault, racism
Angel of Greenwood is a book, days after finishing, that I still don't know how to process. Pink is able to take readers on a journey of dread, joy, secrets, and thrills. Tulsa is their community of happiness in a world of strife. A world of injustice. A testament to the fact that the worst things can happen to the best of people. But at the same time, Angel of Greenwood is a love story. Pink uses the background of Tulsa, the currents of danger, to paint a sweeping portrayal of love and forgiveness.
In this Dual POV story, Angel and Isaiah are compassionate and endearing. The ways we need the bravery to be ourselves, to believe we can change. Angel of Greenwood is a story about their lives, their trials and mistakes, their joys and fears. It's a celebration of how one person can impact our life. Readers can feel the mounting tension. Knowing that the powder key is going to explode, but I was swept away in the details of Angel and Isaiah's lives. How we worry about the details of tomorrow, while not realizing it's not guaranteed.