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A review by jkneebone
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Knocking half a star off simply because of how long it took me to finish this book - I finally read the last few chapters, but it was a hard read to complete for me because I think it was just too long! There was a lot happening, and a lot of characters to keep track of (although I'm sure someone more familiar with the mythology Mbalia is drawing from would disagree). I think the book would have been better served if it had narrowed the scope of the story just a little, and moved through the plot a little faster.
That being said, I think this was a really creative interpretation of West African and African American mythology, especially the way the truth of the villains came together at the end. I thought Gum Baby was hilarious and I liked the mentor-esque relationship Tristan had with some of the figures like John Henry. I'm sure this would be well loved by readers in the target age group, but for me personally, it was trying to do just a little too much in one book.
That being said, I think this was a really creative interpretation of West African and African American mythology, especially the way the truth of the villains came together at the end. I thought Gum Baby was hilarious and I liked the mentor-esque relationship Tristan had with some of the figures like John Henry. I'm sure this would be well loved by readers in the target age group, but for me personally, it was trying to do just a little too much in one book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death
Moderate: Slavery