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crankylibrarian's review
3.0
Kenya, the daughter of an Afrocentric intellectual and a class conscious librarian in 1980s and 90s Philadelphia, struggles to find a sense of self as she negotiates race and class divisions, and her disintegrating family. Solomon provides a strong sense of place and time to the novel, and an intriguing cast of unpredictable characters.
jackiepreston's review against another edition
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
nafpaktitism's review
4.0
Such a nuanced, beautifully written, coming of age story. At times humorous, at times poignant, always compelling.
melannrosenthal's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
msilkwolfe's review
4.0
This was my first book by Asali Solomon, and I really liked it! It was a great portrayal of how complicated family relationships can be, especially for Haitian-Americans living in suburban Philadelphia. The stories about the butler were confusing, and it wrapped up in a strange way, I feel like.
christinalepre's review against another edition
4.0
I heard an author interview on Fresh Air and knew right away that I would love this book; indeed, I read most of it in 24 hours. This is a captivating coming of age story about the type of character we don't see enough in the traditional (i.e., white male [yawn]) coming of age genre: a young women of color growing up in Philadelphia in the late 80s/90s, not so many years before my own coming of age. Kenya's parents are activists who want their daughter to grow up feeling confident and strong, never feeling "the shame of being alive." This shame is something Solomon returns to throughout the story of Kenya's childhood and teenage years as she tries to navigate the world of a mostly white/rich private school, a difficult family life, and the lessons about being black in America that her parents tried so hard to instill. Recommended.
sandyd's review
5.0
Kind of dark but funny and compelling coming-of-age story about a young African-American girl in Philadelphia in the late 1980's-early 90's. It's hard to know how much of it is autobiographical - but regardless, it's a great story with really interesting characters. I want a sequel now!
timshel's review
3.0
Here's the thing with this book: it lacks focus. It's an easy read and mildly enjoyable, the characters have potential. Parts of the story are certainly interesting and could stand on their own if given the time. But in this coming-of-age story, events are too quickly swept away and forgotten; a new direction is given and zoom, years pass by. The story lacks clear purpose, and though this may reflect the protagonist's issues with her own identity, it does not make for a good story.
Certainly there is considerable talent shown in Disgruntled. The story is heartbreaking, riveting, and even funny at times. The characters could have brought things together if only I'd known their destination. I believe with a tighter story, Solomon could shine. She had me at moments, but in the end, I just felt lost.
Certainly there is considerable talent shown in Disgruntled. The story is heartbreaking, riveting, and even funny at times. The characters could have brought things together if only I'd known their destination. I believe with a tighter story, Solomon could shine. She had me at moments, but in the end, I just felt lost.
beatricks's review
3.0
Like a lot of Goodreads reviewers, it seems, I heard about this book from Fresh Air. I remember listening to the interview back in my old Pittsburgh apartment, and making a mental note; a year and a half later, some whim led me to buy the audiobook, which then sat in my digital library unlistened to for another two and a half years. Maybe I bought it because I saw it had been read by the great Bahni Turpin, and maybe I didn't listen to it because I never heard of it again outside of Fresh Air and didn't actually know if it'd be any good. Not sure of the reasoning behind any decisions here other than that I have an embarrassing backlog of audible purchases by now, so this week seemed as good a time as any to finally give Disgruntled a go.
This is a very culturally specific book, and it's not a culture or place I have any personal background with, but Solomon writes invitingly to provide a clear window into this world. The characters feel real, the humor and politics feel lived-in, and I was drawn in from the get-go. I was jarred, however, by the quick transition from one (long and meandering) chapter to the next, and disappointed by the conclusion-less ending, which at best seems like it could be a dare to the reader's critical imagination, but at worst can easily be read as an admission of defeat. Disgruntled: an interesting and charming journey to nowhere in particular. Or... is it? Analysts, stand by. I still don't know.
This is a very culturally specific book, and it's not a culture or place I have any personal background with, but Solomon writes invitingly to provide a clear window into this world. The characters feel real, the humor and politics feel lived-in, and I was drawn in from the get-go. I was jarred, however, by the quick transition from one (long and meandering) chapter to the next, and disappointed by the conclusion-less ending, which at best seems like it could be a dare to the reader's critical imagination, but at worst can easily be read as an admission of defeat. Disgruntled: an interesting and charming journey to nowhere in particular. Or... is it? Analysts, stand by. I still don't know.