A review by bhavya_reads
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

 
"Is there someplace I’m supposed to go? I hope it’s heaven. A good place. But I’m still here—which is nowhere, not able to help anybody."


~ Rating- 3.5 stars ~

Content/ Trigger Warnings- Police Brutality, Murder, Grief, Loss of a Child, Nightmares, Bullying, Racism

Note- I have tried to include all the content warnings that I noticed, but there is no guarantee that I haven’t missed something.

-Mention of some these in the review-


"I don’t know. I don’t even know how I go, how I move. I just dissolve. Fade away, then appear again. Can I control that?"


Ghost Boys, by Jewell Parker Rhodes is about twelve-year-old Jerome, who is shot by a police officer that mistakes his toy gun for a real threat. As a ghost, he observes the devastation that's been unleashed on his family and community in the wake of what they see as an unjust and brutal killing.


" Why am I dead? I shouldn’t be dead. I shouldn’t."


Ghost Boys was a dark and powerful story, and is the sad reality of our world. I want to say I liked it, but that feels wrong, as this book is heartbreaking. It is a middle-grade book, and the target audience is children, but I believe that this is a book everyone should read. It was not easy to sit through, but it was a necessary read. Overall, it is an important book that I highly recommend.


"Then, I feel an urge. Deep inside me. A recognition. Injustice. Tragedy"


Review written & uploaded on 16th March 2022.

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DISCLAIMER-All opinions on books I’ve read and reviewed are my own, and are with no intention to offend anyone. If you feel offended by my reviews, let me know how I can fix it.

How I Rate-
1 star- Hardly liked anything/ was disappointed
2 star- Had potential but did not deliver/ was disappointed
3 stars- Was ok but could have been better/ was average / Enjoyed a lot but something was missing
4 stars- Loved a lot but something was missing
5 stars- Loved it/ new favourite


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3.5 stars. Review to come. 
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