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A review by spinesinaline
Yesterday Is History by Kosoko Jackson
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Full review at spinesinaline.wordpress.com. More like 4.5 stars, thanks to Raincoast Books for an e-ARC!
This is one of the most unique time travel concepts I’ve heard of. A teenage boy receives a liver transplant and suddenly can travel in time! I was immediately intrigued by the premise and pleasantly surprised by the depth of emotions and conversations that the author explores in this book.
I really loved Andre as a character. He’s quick-witted and funny, stubborn and refuses to back down, sometimes to his detriment but it also leads to many important conversations in the book. The main character, and the author, don’t shy away from bringing up privilege, something that’s entirely absent from time travel media, and how Andre’s identity as a gay Black man have an impact on his life in both the present and past. Privilege is explicitly challenged in the book and while some characters are hesitant or feel affronted to have the topic broached, there’s still space for an open discussion, though I still would’ve loved for it to have been expanded on even further. As a note on the content warnings above, there is racist and homophobic content but it is repeatedly called out and often a description of a past incident.
There’s a lot going on in this book but it never feels too busy, taking the time to work through topics of privilege, race, wealth, healthcare, and gay history alongside the major time travel plot. I honestly wouldn’t have complained about the inclusion of many more chapters to further explore the discussions that are raised and continue the characters’ journeys. I was surprised how little of a role Andre’s best friend had in the book but considering how busy he was with his time travel adventures, it makes sense that she wouldn’t be as active in the plot.
There were some small things that held me up at first that made it more difficult to get sucked into the book, some descriptions that didn’t flow well or were nonsensical (like a glass that was empty and suddenly full again), but these were very likely caught by copyeditors in later edits as I did read an advanced copy.
Jackson has created an incredibly beautiful book about a boy who loves big, and this lovely, funny, and yet heartbreaking book touched me more than I ever expected it to and I’m so grateful for that.
This is one of the most unique time travel concepts I’ve heard of. A teenage boy receives a liver transplant and suddenly can travel in time! I was immediately intrigued by the premise and pleasantly surprised by the depth of emotions and conversations that the author explores in this book.
I really loved Andre as a character. He’s quick-witted and funny, stubborn and refuses to back down, sometimes to his detriment but it also leads to many important conversations in the book. The main character, and the author, don’t shy away from bringing up privilege, something that’s entirely absent from time travel media, and how Andre’s identity as a gay Black man have an impact on his life in both the present and past. Privilege is explicitly challenged in the book and while some characters are hesitant or feel affronted to have the topic broached, there’s still space for an open discussion, though I still would’ve loved for it to have been expanded on even further. As a note on the content warnings above, there is racist and homophobic content but it is repeatedly called out and often a description of a past incident.
There’s a lot going on in this book but it never feels too busy, taking the time to work through topics of privilege, race, wealth, healthcare, and gay history alongside the major time travel plot. I honestly wouldn’t have complained about the inclusion of many more chapters to further explore the discussions that are raised and continue the characters’ journeys. I was surprised how little of a role Andre’s best friend had in the book but considering how busy he was with his time travel adventures, it makes sense that she wouldn’t be as active in the plot.
There were some small things that held me up at first that made it more difficult to get sucked into the book, some descriptions that didn’t flow well or were nonsensical (like a glass that was empty and suddenly full again), but these were very likely caught by copyeditors in later edits as I did read an advanced copy.
Jackson has created an incredibly beautiful book about a boy who loves big, and this lovely, funny, and yet heartbreaking book touched me more than I ever expected it to and I’m so grateful for that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Terminal illness
Moderate: Car accident, Death, Grief, Homophobia, and Medical content
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Racism