A review by callme_tippy
What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harris

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful sad tense slow-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

4.0

I love a good coming of age story and this was exactly that. 

This book is full of everything you'd expect of a coming of age story about a young Black girl growing up poor in America. I always feel a connection to coming of age books about young Black girls in America, even if their lives do not mirror my own in any way. The act of growing Black in America is enough of a connector to feel like a glimpse into my own childhood. 

The characters and situations in this book felt real, relatable, and full. 
The only part I could have done without
was KB getting sexually assaulted. I do not feel like it added anything to the story line or character, I think it would have just as impactful if she had gotten away before it happened. I dislike SA just for the sake of SA that doesn't add anything to the story and
that is why I removed a star. This would have otherwise been a 5 star review. 
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