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A review by monalyisha
Black Girl Unlimited by Echo Brown
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Full of strength & heart, with stylistic similarities to Elizabeth Acevedo. Brown's largely autobiographical, fantasy-infused YA novel, about rising from poverty & trauma (with whimsy intact & keen intersectional insight), is at its most effective when she weaves her voice in with the speeches of other characters, alternating fluidly between perspectives & timelines. I've noticed that most of the criticism of this book is *because of* these shifts...but they were honestly my favorite part. I think they were done well and clearly.
The author's choice to write in the first-person, present-tense, however, did not work for me. It felt too straight-forward & matter-of-fact for a story that held so much poetic promise. I think this choice also made the telling feel long-winded (I did this, then I did this, then I did this...) when, at 304 pages, it really wasn't that lengthy at all. The years of Echo's life felt long. I felt like I lived each of her days along with her, minute by minute. And I felt like I knew too much about each of the people she encountered, too (which is maybe how it felt to *live* those struggle-filled days in a gossipy, close, & crowded neighborhood). I should also acknowledge that another part of why it felt so long was probably because of the tough subject matter. It's an unflinching portrayal of hard realities & it hurts.
I'm rounding up because I think the ideas propelling this narrative, in terms of both subject and form, are ambitious. They aren't executed perfectly but it's still hard-hitting, interesting, and emotional. I may have cried the most during the acknowledgments, to be honest, knowing that the story IS true & hugely personal (in a lot of ways), and listening to the author get choked up thanking the important people in her life (including herself). Expect to feel overwhelmed. It's a journey.
TW: Rape, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, drug abuse, suicidal ideation, & more. Very heavy. Very sad. But also hopeful.
I think this would be a great choice for a Book Club. There's A LOT to work through. I can guarantee that readers will want to talk not just about the story but about a lot of the decisions that the author made, as well (e.g. genre, ending, et al).
The author's choice to write in the first-person, present-tense, however, did not work for me. It felt too straight-forward & matter-of-fact for a story that held so much poetic promise. I think this choice also made the telling feel long-winded (I did this, then I did this, then I did this...) when, at 304 pages, it really wasn't that lengthy at all. The years of Echo's life felt long. I felt like I lived each of her days along with her, minute by minute. And I felt like I knew too much about each of the people she encountered, too (which is maybe how it felt to *live* those struggle-filled days in a gossipy, close, & crowded neighborhood). I should also acknowledge that another part of why it felt so long was probably because of the tough subject matter. It's an unflinching portrayal of hard realities & it hurts.
I'm rounding up because I think the ideas propelling this narrative, in terms of both subject and form, are ambitious. They aren't executed perfectly but it's still hard-hitting, interesting, and emotional. I may have cried the most during the acknowledgments, to be honest, knowing that the story IS true & hugely personal (in a lot of ways), and listening to the author get choked up thanking the important people in her life (including herself). Expect to feel overwhelmed. It's a journey.
TW: Rape, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, drug abuse, suicidal ideation, & more. Very heavy. Very sad. But also hopeful.
I think this would be a great choice for a Book Club. There's A LOT to work through. I can guarantee that readers will want to talk not just about the story but about a lot of the decisions that the author made, as well (e.g. genre, ending, et al).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Addiction, and Self harm