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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
My only critique of this book is that it’s shorter than I’d like. It’s a snapshot into one moment of a girl’s life in which she discovers that she is enough as she is. A really heartbreaking look at what it means to be a girl. From the text : “Being a black girl & a black girl baller is a whole set of rules / you never see coming/ Know the rules / so you know which ones you need to break... your endurance is not your only ability”
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
A novel told in verse always reminds me of Elizabeth Acevedo and Nic Stone. In my opinion, Chlorine Sky by Mahogany L. Browne is definitely able to be categorized in with them. Skyy is constantly dealing with a mean half sister and a best friend who isn’t a good friend to her. She learns how to stand up for herself and focus on what’s best for her rather than catering to others or being sucked into toxic relationships. Skyy finds her own hobbies such as swimming and playing basketball and along the way she finds a new friend. She does struggle with the fall out of her ex-best friend and I love how it was shown that it's not always easy to go through. Books don’t talk enough about losing friends and how hard it can be sometimes. The writing was done well at being able to portray these different feelings through verse. I look forward to more from Browne in the future!
Thank you to NetGalley and Crown BYFR, Random House for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crown BYFR, Random House for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
While a lot of the themes running through “Chlorine Sky” appeal to me, I struggled to connect with the characters. I love novels in verse, but I had a hard time following the past vs present and felt like I was supposed to be reading between the lines, but was unsure of what was supposed to be there. I probably chose the wrong time to listen to this one; I’m trying to stick to happy, positive stories and this doesn’t exactly fit in that category.
Chlorine Sky reminded me of what I felt like as a teenager. That feeling of walking into the lunchroom after a fight with a friend and not knowing where to sit, or seeing someone you used to be close to from across the room having fun without you.
I appreciate that Browne didn't chose to do the typical YA thing where the protagonist just decides that they're great in the end. Sky tries and fails. She shows emotion. She falls, and sometimes she doesn't get back up. And that's okay. The last few pages we're so powerful. Sky is allowed to exist and take up space. She can be flawed and still be worthy. I hope that we can stop forcing the rhetoric that you have to become something other than yourself to gain respect, and that being yourself is more than enough.
I appreciate that Browne didn't chose to do the typical YA thing where the protagonist just decides that they're great in the end. Sky tries and fails. She shows emotion. She falls, and sometimes she doesn't get back up. And that's okay. The last few pages we're so powerful. Sky is allowed to exist and take up space. She can be flawed and still be worthy. I hope that we can stop forcing the rhetoric that you have to become something other than yourself to gain respect, and that being yourself is more than enough.
A novel in verse about friendship and finding yourself.
After the first poem I was there with the protagonist, back in high school dealing with my own friend issues. Together we figured out what makes a good friend and how to be OK with who you are. Wow. Powerful.
Probably a 4.5.
Also thank you to the Books Are Magic bookstore for a signed copy of the book. ^_^
After the first poem I was there with the protagonist, back in high school dealing with my own friend issues. Together we figured out what makes a good friend and how to be OK with who you are. Wow. Powerful.
Probably a 4.5.
Also thank you to the Books Are Magic bookstore for a signed copy of the book. ^_^