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A review by swordsparks
How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon
2.0
In How It Went Down, Tariq Johnson, a sixteen year old black teenager, is killed near a corner store after he is shot by a white man. The novel details “how the shooting went down” through the perspectives of everyone at scene, as well as friends, relatives, and other key figures.
The multiple perspectives show how vague witness accounts can be, as people may remember details differently. However, the many multiple perspectives can be confusing, and it hard to separate and track the many characters. There is also a romance that is unnecessary, and takes away from the plot and main narrative.
Diversity is represented through different perspectives of the people of color in the low-income, black neighborhood that Tariq lives in. There are perspectives from black teens, black adults, white adults, and others. I would recommend this book as jumping off point for a conversation about race, especially regarding police brutality. It possibly could be used in a classroom setting, as it uses simple language and can be connected to recent events.
The multiple perspectives show how vague witness accounts can be, as people may remember details differently. However, the many multiple perspectives can be confusing, and it hard to separate and track the many characters. There is also a romance that is unnecessary, and takes away from the plot and main narrative.
Diversity is represented through different perspectives of the people of color in the low-income, black neighborhood that Tariq lives in. There are perspectives from black teens, black adults, white adults, and others. I would recommend this book as jumping off point for a conversation about race, especially regarding police brutality. It possibly could be used in a classroom setting, as it uses simple language and can be connected to recent events.