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A review by seh221
The Awakening of Malcolm X by Tiffany D. Jackson, Ilyasah Shabazz
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
THE AWAKENING OF MALCOLM X is the story of young Malcom Little in his young adulthood before he becomes Malcom X. As a young adult, he is sentenced to 8-10 years in prison. During his time there, he struggles with putting together the pieces of who he is supposed to be, ultimately reading countless books in the prison library, connecting with the Nation of Islam, and becoming the man we know as Malcolm X.
This book was a bit of a departure from what I typically read (first person perspective, historical fiction), and I'm so glad I picked this one up. It's a powerful narrative that not only taught me more about Malcolm X, a figure I didn't learn nearly enough about in school, while also reflecting struggles we still see in the USA today. I really appreciated the weaving of the past and Malcom's father and the present in the prison narrative.
I want to especially highlight the audiobook performance of Landon Woodson, who gives an incredibly dynamic and thrilling performance. I'm not sure if I've heard a better audio performance, and I highly recommend listening to it.
All in all, this is a highly worthwhile read, and one that I'd wholeheartedly recommend to YA and adult readers alike.
This book was a bit of a departure from what I typically read (first person perspective, historical fiction), and I'm so glad I picked this one up. It's a powerful narrative that not only taught me more about Malcolm X, a figure I didn't learn nearly enough about in school, while also reflecting struggles we still see in the USA today. I really appreciated the weaving of the past and Malcom's father and the present in the prison narrative.
I want to especially highlight the audiobook performance of Landon Woodson, who gives an incredibly dynamic and thrilling performance. I'm not sure if I've heard a better audio performance, and I highly recommend listening to it.
All in all, this is a highly worthwhile read, and one that I'd wholeheartedly recommend to YA and adult readers alike.