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A review by twiinklex
Dream, Annie, Dream by Waka T. Brown
4.0
What a fantastic book that I devoured in one day!
I really liked how the story is split into 3 Acts; we get to see Aoi not only grow as a 12-year-old girl but also develop as a character. She's such a relatable and likeable protagonist whose journey I enjoyed following every step of the way.
The microaggressions and racism experienced by Aoi and her family made me so angry! I had to remind myself that the story is set in the late 80s to feel less boiling mad. At the same time, the book also feels like contemporary fiction because things like that are still happening today and people continue to face the same crap. Sure, we've made progress in the last few decades — but there's still a long way to go.
I would have given this a higher rating if not for the last few chapters, which felt a bit too fast-paced. Some of the characters were forgiven too easily and I wanted them to be more challenged. Then again, the 1980s setting is something to consider. I also didn't understand Ben's inconsistency i.e. what was up with the earlier flirting?
This is a beautifully written middle-grade novel that I would highly recommend to everyone regardless of age. Don't miss the author's note.
I really liked how the story is split into 3 Acts; we get to see Aoi not only grow as a 12-year-old girl but also develop as a character. She's such a relatable and likeable protagonist whose journey I enjoyed following every step of the way.
The microaggressions and racism experienced by Aoi and her family made me so angry! I had to remind myself that the story is set in the late 80s to feel less boiling mad. At the same time, the book also feels like contemporary fiction because things like that are still happening today and people continue to face the same crap. Sure, we've made progress in the last few decades — but there's still a long way to go.
I would have given this a higher rating if not for the last few chapters, which felt a bit too fast-paced. Some of the characters were forgiven too easily and I wanted them to be more challenged. Then again, the 1980s setting is something to consider. I also didn't understand Ben's inconsistency i.e. what was up with the earlier flirting?
This is a beautifully written middle-grade novel that I would highly recommend to everyone regardless of age. Don't miss the author's note.