Scan barcode
A review by gigireadswithkiki
We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds
challenging
emotional
sad
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? Yes
4.5
As an adult reader of YA stories, I find often find myself in a "they should just COMMUNICATE instead of all this teen drama!" kind of mindset when reading YA books. But I am happy to report this was not the case with "We Deserve Monuments".
Don't get me wrong, the characters are still messy and flawed, making mistakes ranging from staying out of the house until the crack of dawn to having the most extreme type of conflict avoidance ever known to man. But the characters do end up talking to each other with the biggest caveat, which the book addresses, that one conversation isn't enough to undo years upon years of hardship and deep-seeded trauma. Each mistake, each fraught emotion so heavily influenced by intergenerational trauma, was written with such care and nuance, full of justified rage fueled by decades of hurt and grief. I loved Avery, Simone, Zora, Carol, and Letty so so much, their stories were all so rich and complex, and yet shone with complete clarity as their secrets were revealed.
The ending wasn't really my favorite, I'm not a fan of the ending that Jade (and her family) gets but I suppose its nothing if not realistic and true to life! Either way, I'm so glad I was finally able to get around to this book, I've been seeing it everywhere and it was an incredible read.
Don't get me wrong, the characters are still messy and flawed, making mistakes ranging from staying out of the house until the crack of dawn to having the most extreme type of conflict avoidance ever known to man. But the characters do end up talking to each other with the biggest caveat, which the book addresses, that one conversation isn't enough to undo years upon years of hardship and deep-seeded trauma. Each mistake, each fraught emotion so heavily influenced by intergenerational trauma, was written with such care and nuance, full of justified rage fueled by decades of hurt and grief. I loved Avery, Simone, Zora, Carol, and Letty so so much, their stories were all so rich and complex, and yet shone with complete clarity as their secrets were revealed.
The ending wasn't really my favorite, I'm not a fan of the ending that Jade (and her family) gets but I suppose its nothing if not realistic and true to life! Either way, I'm so glad I was finally able to get around to this book, I've been seeing it everywhere and it was an incredible read.