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A review by lizshayne
Black Bird, Blue Road by Sofiya Pasternack
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5, really, and most of my problems were that I was feeling old and cantankerous and not in a stubborn but in a good way twelve year old girl frame of mind.
I think I would have loved the world and the Jewish mythology in an adult novel. Taking points off of a middle grade book for being middle grade is unfair, and yet here we are. Because the things that I really wanted—the deep dive into everything we know about what Judaism looked like culturally "in those days"—was understandably sidelined in a book aimed at people two bat mitzvahs younger than me. Which of those practices reflected history and which were brought in by the author? How much are my own preconceptions tripping me up? I wanted the epic fantasy deep dive.
Points for using "malach ha-mavet" instead of "the malach hamavet", the pedant in me approves. And points for the entire plot; I could tell it was amazing even if it wasn't precisely my plate of baklava.
I think I would have loved the world and the Jewish mythology in an adult novel. Taking points off of a middle grade book for being middle grade is unfair, and yet here we are. Because the things that I really wanted—the deep dive into everything we know about what Judaism looked like culturally "in those days"—was understandably sidelined in a book aimed at people two bat mitzvahs younger than me. Which of those practices reflected history and which were brought in by the author? How much are my own preconceptions tripping me up? I wanted the epic fantasy deep dive.
Points for using "malach ha-mavet" instead of "the malach hamavet", the pedant in me approves. And points for the entire plot; I could tell it was amazing even if it wasn't precisely my plate of baklava.