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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
This book is incredible. Zoboi is a talented storyteller and her characters are heartbreakingly real. But don't make the same mistake I did - I started this book in the evening and had to stay up all night reading!
I read the opening chapters and I couldn't get into it, put it down and when I started it again, I was sucked in. This is YA street lit. I wouldn't expect white people to get it because it's about a very urban, very black environment. AND the MC is a black immigrant on top of that. You're not going to find politically correct, super pro-feminist ANYTHING in this type of story. The language is coarse, the girls hate other girls, there's abusive relationships, there's criminal behavior - this is based on real-life and it's not pretty. This is a very authentic and realistic snapshot of life in a particular socioeconomic group. I was floored by how much Fabiola's high school experience mirrored mine. I knew/know of many, many people like the characters in this book. I appreciate the way she showed us - black, urban people - even if it wasn't us putting our best face forward necessarily.
As for the actual plot, my goodness. The suspense was driving me up the wall. I was on the edge of my seat the worse it got. Yes, the primary goal in the start of the book was to get her mom out of detainment. Y'all. The mama was in another state, doing nothing but probably sitting in a cell. Our MC has been thrown into an environment where she's struggling to acclimate herself. How the fuck was the book supposed to focus entirely on her getting her mom out of detainment? The MC is a teenager, the MC has to go to school, the MC has to deal with culture shock, the MC has a 1000 things on her plate and I liked that even though everyone else seemed to have forgotten about her mom, the MC never did even in the midst of so many overwhelming things. Everything came back around to freeing her mother in the end and doing what she could where she could. That also felt like real-life to me.
Was this book perfect? No. I don't think she gave us a solid visual of Fabiola or the cousins. I struggled to picture Fab in my mind the whole time I was reading. I also hated that we got so little of the other character's backstories, except for that awful plot twist(s?) towards the end. But other than that, I thought she did a great job. I didn't even know going into it that it was magical realism. That was almost like the icing on the cake for me. I just felt the need to defend this book and it's content from a lot of the culturally ignorant reviews here.
As for the actual plot, my goodness. The suspense was driving me up the wall. I was on the edge of my seat the worse it got. Yes, the primary goal in the start of the book was to get her mom out of detainment. Y'all. The mama was in another state, doing nothing but probably sitting in a cell. Our MC has been thrown into an environment where she's struggling to acclimate herself. How the fuck was the book supposed to focus entirely on her getting her mom out of detainment? The MC is a teenager, the MC has to go to school, the MC has to deal with culture shock, the MC has a 1000 things on her plate and I liked that even though everyone else seemed to have forgotten about her mom, the MC never did even in the midst of so many overwhelming things. Everything came back around to freeing her mother in the end and doing what she could where she could. That also felt like real-life to me.
Was this book perfect? No. I don't think she gave us a solid visual of Fabiola or the cousins. I struggled to picture Fab in my mind the whole time I was reading. I also hated that we got so little of the other character's backstories, except for that awful plot twist(s?) towards the end. But other than that, I thought she did a great job. I didn't even know going into it that it was magical realism. That was almost like the icing on the cake for me. I just felt the need to defend this book and it's content from a lot of the culturally ignorant reviews here.
This was pretty good, but not her best. I honestly don’t feel this was YA. I’d never teach it or recommend it to my high school students, as it has a lot of language.
Powerful story, beautifully written, and so suspenseful. Fabiola and her mother have papers to come to America from Haiti, but her mother is detained at customs. Now Fab is living in Detroit with her aunt and cousins, who she barely knows, and a dangerous proposition comes up that causes her to question everything. Ages 16 and up.
I loved the vodou element of this book and absolutely did not expect the magical realism. What an incredible story - definitely destined to be a contemporary classic in the way that Jason Reynolds and Angie Thomas are. Looking forward to more from this author.
Finally an immigrant story that is not some tired cliché about making adorable mistakes with English or struggling to Americanize in spite of rigid, over-traditional parents trying to keep you from doing so. This is unlike any book I've ever read before, not in any astonishing way or in terms of craft, but it's just nice that the plot and characters and settings are actually things that I haven't seen a hundred million times. This actually stands out, and it's also a great look at the difference between being black in America, in whatever of the many forms that can take, and being African American, and how the cousins in this book strive to become the latter even though they come from the former. I did not care for the romance simply because I did not buy that Fabiola was as into Kasim as she all of a sudden was at the very end of the book.
My full review of this title can be found here on The Book Hookup.
*Disclaimer: An e-copy of this title was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. However, that did not influence this review in any way. All thoughts, quotes, and opinions will be of this version and not of the published edition.
Actual rating of 3.5 stars! Zoboi tackled a lot in this novel. There's cultural and ethnic representation, LGBTQIAP+ presence, immigration, drugs and police involvement, teen domestic abuse, religion, and loads more. I appreciated that the author included so much and that it felt very organic and authentic in all the different elements, but I also felt like sometimes, with the inclusion of so many subplots, the story became muddled and weighed down; almost like everything wasn't given the exact dedication and detail it required to make it more noteworthy. I also believe that it may have affected the pacing and my connection to the story in places.
I will say that for better or for worse, the author gave us beautifully flawed, but fully realized characters. There would be times that you could love and hate a character so much, but for better or worse, they were completely themselves for the entirety of the book. I also appreciated the closeness of the family dynamic between the cousins.
I will note that if you're a ribbons-and-bows-ending kind of reader, this one probably won't be for you. I'm still not sure exactly how I feel about it, to be honest. Kind of bittersweet, but edging a little more toward bitter. I just finished it though, so it's like a fresh bruise. I'm not too keen on poking at it at the moment, but maybe upon later reflection, I'll appreciate a different aspect of how everything went down.
♥ A very special thanks to Balzer + Bray and Edelweiss for providing me with an advanced copy of this title.
*Disclaimer: An e-copy of this title was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. However, that did not influence this review in any way. All thoughts, quotes, and opinions will be of this version and not of the published edition.
Actual rating of 3.5 stars! Zoboi tackled a lot in this novel. There's cultural and ethnic representation, LGBTQIAP+ presence, immigration, drugs and police involvement, teen domestic abuse, religion, and loads more. I appreciated that the author included so much and that it felt very organic and authentic in all the different elements, but I also felt like sometimes, with the inclusion of so many subplots, the story became muddled and weighed down; almost like everything wasn't given the exact dedication and detail it required to make it more noteworthy. I also believe that it may have affected the pacing and my connection to the story in places.
I will say that for better or for worse, the author gave us beautifully flawed, but fully realized characters. There would be times that you could love and hate a character so much, but for better or worse, they were completely themselves for the entirety of the book. I also appreciated the closeness of the family dynamic between the cousins.
I will note that if you're a ribbons-and-bows-ending kind of reader, this one probably won't be for you. I'm still not sure exactly how I feel about it, to be honest. Kind of bittersweet, but edging a little more toward bitter. I just finished it though, so it's like a fresh bruise. I'm not too keen on poking at it at the moment, but maybe upon later reflection, I'll appreciate a different aspect of how everything went down.
♥ A very special thanks to Balzer + Bray and Edelweiss for providing me with an advanced copy of this title.
A Haitian immigrant is torn between multiple crossroads in this bittersweet young adult contemporary novel.
This is a really hard review for me to write. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It brings an important perspective to the young adult genre. It features a POC main character, Fabiola Toussaint, struggling with immigration, gang violence, and abuse against women. Fabiola is a likable narrator, full of conviction and heart. Her Vodou faith centers her. It's one of the best representations of a faith-driven character not associated with Christianity.
Zoboi brings alive the Detroit inner-city, particularly her description of Joy Road and American Street. I felt very present in each and every moment. Fabiola's Haitian heritage and Vodou beliefs juxtapose interestingly against the American culture exhibited by her cousins and friends. The ending is absolutely perfect considering the plot set into motion.
However, this book contains a LOT of hate and violence against other women. Fabiola's cousins and friends are constantly making hateful remarks against other women, even if unprovoked. Now, I'm aware we do not live in a utopia where women, particularly teenage girls, only build each other up. But I was kinda surprised at the vitriol these girls would have for other girls. If you choose to read this book, be prepared for women against women hate.
tl;dr A unique perspective on the immigration experience with a likeable narrator and a bittersweet ending.
This is a really hard review for me to write. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It brings an important perspective to the young adult genre. It features a POC main character, Fabiola Toussaint, struggling with immigration, gang violence, and abuse against women. Fabiola is a likable narrator, full of conviction and heart. Her Vodou faith centers her. It's one of the best representations of a faith-driven character not associated with Christianity.
Zoboi brings alive the Detroit inner-city, particularly her description of Joy Road and American Street. I felt very present in each and every moment. Fabiola's Haitian heritage and Vodou beliefs juxtapose interestingly against the American culture exhibited by her cousins and friends. The ending is absolutely perfect considering the plot set into motion.
However, this book contains a LOT of hate and violence against other women. Fabiola's cousins and friends are constantly making hateful remarks against other women, even if unprovoked. Now, I'm aware we do not live in a utopia where women, particularly teenage girls, only build each other up. But I was kinda surprised at the vitriol these girls would have for other girls. If you choose to read this book, be prepared for women against women hate.
tl;dr A unique perspective on the immigration experience with a likeable narrator and a bittersweet ending.