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wiestli's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
sad
fast-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? Yes
4.0
julied1964's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
ipushbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nairam1173's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
I wish I had come away from this with a more positive feeling--I was REALLY excited about it from the first Newbery buzz however many months ago, but it ended up having a lot of neat concepts and cool themes that just didn't feel completely realized to me. I do think it had a strong ending, which is nice to see, but most of the journey there I wasn't really enjoying it. It's weird to read a middle grade book and the thing that keeps coming to mind is that the writing is "juvenile" but maybe someone will know what I mean by that.
This may be in part due to listening on audio, but I found Ziva to be a petulant and repetitive narrator. Every discussion she had about something felt like the same discussion with the same words and phrases. You can have a character stick to a belief without feeling like every bit of inner narration is exactly the same.
I do like the idea of Ziva as a character, but found this writing style getting in the way of me truly connecting and liking her. I also wanted to like Pesah, but he doesn't feel like a whole person in the same way Ziva does, which is frustrating as far as chronic illness representation goes. It's somewhat gone over in the text that Ziva's evaluation of him is biased, but not in any way that feels actually nuanced (and he doesn't really act outside of her lines at any point).
It felt like it had a lot to say about death and letting go and religion and who we value but none of those things...really came together for me. Similarly, there were some small plot elements that were established and then never bought up again, or that turned out to be relatively unimportant going forward.
So. I don't know. I read this author's debut and I feel like I had similar problems with this one as I did with that one (Anya and the Dragon). I really wanted to like both of them. But this one just didn't work for me either, though I do think it is stronger.
This may be in part due to listening on audio, but I found Ziva to be a petulant and repetitive narrator. Every discussion she had about something felt like the same discussion with the same words and phrases. You can have a character stick to a belief without feeling like every bit of inner narration is exactly the same.
I do like the idea of Ziva as a character, but found this writing style getting in the way of me truly connecting and liking her. I also wanted to like Pesah, but he doesn't feel like a whole person in the same way Ziva does, which is frustrating as far as chronic illness representation goes. It's somewhat gone over in the text that Ziva's evaluation of him is biased, but not in any way that feels actually nuanced (and he doesn't really act outside of her lines at any point).
It felt like it had a lot to say about death and letting go and religion and who we value but none of those things...really came together for me. Similarly, there were some small plot elements that were established and then never bought up again, or that turned out to be relatively unimportant going forward.
So. I don't know. I read this author's debut and I feel like I had similar problems with this one as I did with that one (Anya and the Dragon). I really wanted to like both of them. But this one just didn't work for me either, though I do think it is stronger.
booksnbrains's review against another edition
inspiring
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.25
msbedelia's review
5.0
This is a middle grade book about illness, death, dying, and life. It's great, the topics are relevant and vital (and not always given enough attention in kids' literature), there's lots of fun and adventure along the way. The characters are incredibly vibrant and well-rendered. The prose is compelling and pacing is fantastic. But... It is heavy.
alexjaylore's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
msgabbythelibrarian's review
5.0
I said it yesterday and I will say it today
If this does not receive any recognition at the ALA Youth Media Awards, I will be VERY surprised. Yes, I need to dive more into just what the committee looks for, but in the meantime, I think of the things that stand out to me.
1.) An amazing storyline. Where I flitted between the line of magic realism and fantasy with the realistic fiction components.
2) A different setting. I do not often see books that involve Jewish protagonists (especially in NON Holocaust/WWII texts).
3.) The LOVE between brother and sister. Ziva would do anything for Pesch, even face Death in the face. I loved the sacrificial love and bond that the both shared at different times throughout Black Bird, Blue Road. It made me teary.
4.) I found the dialogue to be very well written. I know, I know, this shouldn't stand out to me. It should be the case all the time. But let's be real. It's middle grade fiction and there is a lot of garbage out there.
Read this book, y'all. I need to process it more but right now, all I can say is wow. This story will be enjoyed by many of my patrons. It reads like an adventure novel. It would have mythology elements that appeal to fans of Percy Jackson. It is a sibling story. It's clean of content. It's a winner in my book.
If this does not receive any recognition at the ALA Youth Media Awards, I will be VERY surprised. Yes, I need to dive more into just what the committee looks for, but in the meantime, I think of the things that stand out to me.
1.) An amazing storyline. Where I flitted between the line of magic realism and fantasy with the realistic fiction components.
2) A different setting. I do not often see books that involve Jewish protagonists (especially in NON Holocaust/WWII texts).
3.) The LOVE between brother and sister. Ziva would do anything for Pesch, even face Death in the face. I loved the sacrificial love and bond that the both shared at different times throughout Black Bird, Blue Road. It made me teary.
4.) I found the dialogue to be very well written. I know, I know, this shouldn't stand out to me. It should be the case all the time. But let's be real. It's middle grade fiction and there is a lot of garbage out there.
Read this book, y'all. I need to process it more but right now, all I can say is wow. This story will be enjoyed by many of my patrons. It reads like an adventure novel. It would have mythology elements that appeal to fans of Percy Jackson. It is a sibling story. It's clean of content. It's a winner in my book.
sunshine8473773's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5