Reviews - If You Come Softly

If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson

802 reviews for:

This is a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet looking at the racial problems within society. As Miah and Ellie both start at their new boarding school, they are both drawn to each other. Even as their friends and families don’t understand their relationship, they are undeterred by their different backgrounds and races. Woodson made me laugh, cry, and broke my heart along the way. Her characters are so dynamic and fun that I wish I knew them in real life. Even as tragedy strikes, you can feel the lasting importance of their young love. A great read for older teens as it looks into the complexities of America’s assumptions of race.

juanitamfm's review against another edition

4.0

If you come softly by Jacqueline Woodson is a pretty short, easy read...but the ending is too sad. I loved that she writes in both main characters perspective so you can see how their feeling and dealing with the family, school and racial dynamics that they’re going through. They were feeling all the feels. The only thing I didn’t like was that the racism and danger that black boys face wasn’t explicitly addressed until the end and Jeremiah is just dead. The only mention is just his dad telling him to never run in the white neighborhoods...he does, and he does. The end. But overall it was a great book.

egreer's review against another edition

4.5

absolutely incredible; beautiful and heartbreaking story

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

4.0

emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

If You Come Softly is a YA novel. It features a sweet interracial romance between Ellie and Miah. Both have interesting issues they are dealing with. She has a mother who left the family on more than one occasion, while he’s dealing with having famous parents. As the story opens we know they are no longer together and the bulk of the book is the cute story of their romance, although they do encounter some issues due to her being white (and Jewish) and him being Black. But then. But then there is a single line of ominous foreshadowing and it is clear this book is not going to give them a second chance or a happy ending. I imagine it made quite the splash and was rather groundbreaking when it was first published nearly 25 years ago. What’s sad is that it it still so relevant today.

Content Warnings

beautifultchr's review against another edition

Ohhhemmmgeee! I wasn't ready for the ending! I am so happy that I picked up this book. I am newly introduced to Jacqueline Woodson as a writer and I am here for all of her fantastic writing! For this book, I enjoyed the way the teen love unfolded despite the racial differences. I don't think that love has a color. Love is love. Allow people to love who they want without restraints, judgement, and violence. I loved the themes that were included in the novel from mother/daddy issues, dysfunctional family issues, interracial relationships, and social injustice/wrong identity. I was bawling by time I made it to the end, but this novel was flawlessly written.

krob41288's review against another edition

3.0

There aren’t enough stars for me to rate what I think of this book. Jacqueline Woodson is such an amazing author and this book, while short, will stick with me forever.