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mary00's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars
This is a very important, powerful, compelling, and eye opening book. I loved it - even more than the first in the series
The author's note at the end is one of the best parts of the book. Don't skip it! This book (including the author's note) had me in tears, which is not a common occurrence. It also had me asking myself how I can do more to make a difference in the world.
This is a very important, powerful, compelling, and eye opening book. I loved it - even more than the first in the series
The author's note at the end is one of the best parts of the book. Don't skip it! This book (including the author's note) had me in tears, which is not a common occurrence. It also had me asking myself how I can do more to make a difference in the world.
sarahmsmith1121's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
sweetmisty's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
mmotleyu's review against another edition
5.0
I loved Dear Martin and this one was different but equally as good in its own way. These kind of fiction books have the power to make a real impact on students, showing them their privilege and why black lives have to matter *the most* right now. I am sharing this with our fledgling Project Lit chapter this month and hope it stirs up some good/important conversations. Quan's story helped me to understand how he never really had a chance.
carrra11's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
rachcannoli's review against another edition
5.0
DEAR JUSTYCE is bookended by authors notes, narrated beautifully by Stone herself in the audiobook, that really hit home to the true importance of this follow-up. Stone said she never intended to write a sequel because Justyce's story was complete, but that's when teens she had worked with suggested she write a story from a POV more familiar to them. In truth, it's a rarity to find a book like this, let alone one in the YA genre, that depicts black teens who are, as Stone says, "doing their best to stay out of trouble that seems bent on shoving them into it." She says she knows far more Quans than she does Justyces and truly wanted to give voice to these sadly common circumstances of children who seem unable to escape from the school to prison pipeline, despite their efforts. I also believe books like this to be crucial in putting people like me, a white woman, into the mindset of these characters in hopes of furthering empathy and taking a step away from our inherent privileges. Again, Stone brilliantly takes this deceptively simple and quick read, packaging it into an easily digestible way of such topics so we can easily fall into the narrative and love Quan just as fiercely as as we did Justyce.
DEAR JUSTYCE picks up right where we left off, except now through the lens of Quan, one of Justyce's childhood friends passingly mentioned in the first book. Justyce is now at Yale studying law and the recipient of Quan's letters who is wrongly incarcerated for the murder of the cop who previously harassed Justyce. From a troubled childhood to a coerced confession and prejudiced police work, Stone's novel takes a look at the flawed practices and ideologies that discriminate against African American boys and minorities in the American Prison System. Stone utilizes her own experiences as well as time spent with incarcerated teens, like Quan, to ground the plot and characters fully in realism.
I loved this book; just as cutting and affecting as DEAR MARTIN, but through a lens that is rarely shown. It was incredibly emotionally charged and just as engaging, clearly since I devoured it in less than 2 days. A powerful and fast-paced read that really makes you think about the consequences of systemic racism especially in educational institutions, checking biases based in privilege, and how necessary honest support is in such cases. Despite Quan doing everything in his power to succeed in life he was set up to fail due to this system. Yet Quan is still extremely intelligent, compassionate, relatable, and open to the hope of continuing to grow if ever given the opportunity to get out of this horrible system.
To again go back to the author's notes, “many children have stories like Quan’s: an incarcerated parent, deeply traumatic home lives, and limited resources for survival, let alone situational improvement.” The most fictionalized moments in this book is the support that Quan is able to receive, a fact that just leaves a pit in my stomach. Stone hopes that while this is currently the case, we are able to see what such support can result and hope it's something we can manifest in systems today and work towards the justice these teens deserve. I highly recommend both books, but this one just continually hit me on how much it needs to be read and shared. A wonderfully paced, impactful quick read that'll leave you thinking long after you've finished.
DEAR JUSTYCE picks up right where we left off, except now through the lens of Quan, one of Justyce's childhood friends passingly mentioned in the first book. Justyce is now at Yale studying law and the recipient of Quan's letters who is wrongly incarcerated for the murder of the cop who previously harassed Justyce. From a troubled childhood to a coerced confession and prejudiced police work, Stone's novel takes a look at the flawed practices and ideologies that discriminate against African American boys and minorities in the American Prison System. Stone utilizes her own experiences as well as time spent with incarcerated teens, like Quan, to ground the plot and characters fully in realism.
I loved this book; just as cutting and affecting as DEAR MARTIN, but through a lens that is rarely shown. It was incredibly emotionally charged and just as engaging, clearly since I devoured it in less than 2 days. A powerful and fast-paced read that really makes you think about the consequences of systemic racism especially in educational institutions, checking biases based in privilege, and how necessary honest support is in such cases. Despite Quan doing everything in his power to succeed in life he was set up to fail due to this system. Yet Quan is still extremely intelligent, compassionate, relatable, and open to the hope of continuing to grow if ever given the opportunity to get out of this horrible system.
To again go back to the author's notes, “many children have stories like Quan’s: an incarcerated parent, deeply traumatic home lives, and limited resources for survival, let alone situational improvement.” The most fictionalized moments in this book is the support that Quan is able to receive, a fact that just leaves a pit in my stomach. Stone hopes that while this is currently the case, we are able to see what such support can result and hope it's something we can manifest in systems today and work towards the justice these teens deserve. I highly recommend both books, but this one just continually hit me on how much it needs to be read and shared. A wonderfully paced, impactful quick read that'll leave you thinking long after you've finished.
azieyosabor's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
so, i kinda impulse-bought this book out of the blue. it popped up on my kindle, looked interesting, checked out the synopsis, and thought, “yep, let's do it!” turns out, it's a sequel to “dear martin” (which i'll read soon, promise), but no worries, it stands alone just fine! most reviews recommend to read both books, and i definitely will. can't believe i gave in to the impulse, but this time it was totally worth it. the book is mind-blowing—you won't get it till you read it. my heart is still in pieces 24 hours after finishing it 😭. seriously, give it a shot; it totally shifted my perspective on life.
quan’s story breaks my heart – he's like me just a kid. when he writes to justyce, he's talking about the most unhinged stuff and spilling about his life like a typical teenager. it hit me, like, real hard – this isn't some guilty grown-up in jail; it's a innocent kid 😠. he's been stuck waiting for a trial for more than two years, no date in sight, just fading away in a system that slams the cuffs on quick but takes forever to make a decision, even when there's not much (or no) proof 😒
overall, i won't spill all the deets, but seriously, grab this. read it. feel it. get mad and actually do something!
*the content of this book includes descriptions of a panic attack, incarceration, racism, racial profiling, gun violence, police brutality, incarceration of a parent, domestic violence, cancer, drug use, poverty, sleep paralysis, and graphic language (including the use of the f-word and n-word). please be aware of these themes before diving into the book!
quan’s story breaks my heart – he's like me just a kid. when he writes to justyce, he's talking about the most unhinged stuff and spilling about his life like a typical teenager. it hit me, like, real hard – this isn't some guilty grown-up in jail; it's a innocent kid 😠. he's been stuck waiting for a trial for more than two years, no date in sight, just fading away in a system that slams the cuffs on quick but takes forever to make a decision, even when there's not much (or no) proof 😒
overall, i won't spill all the deets, but seriously, grab this. read it. feel it. get mad and actually do something!
*the content of this book includes descriptions of a panic attack, incarceration, racism, racial profiling, gun violence, police brutality, incarceration of a parent, domestic violence, cancer, drug use, poverty, sleep paralysis, and graphic language (including the use of the f-word and n-word). please be aware of these themes before diving into the book!