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melbsreads 's review for:

Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes
4.0
emotional hopeful sad fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content warnings: 9/11, homelessness, terrorist attack (in the past), PTSD, mental health, Islamophobia, grief, death (in the past), bullying

Oh, my heart. It had never entirely occurred to me that kids today have to actively be taught about 9/11. Like, probably I'd half thought about the fact that Australian kids don't automatically know about it, but it hadn't occurred to me that it would be part of the curriculum in the US, especially in New York. 

Anyway, this was extremely hard hitting, with Deja not only dealing with her own homelessness but with learning about 9/11 and Islamophobia. I would desperately love for her to get therapy at some point, but I fully understand why that's NOT part of the story. She's a very prickly protagonist, but the story was really effectively told and while I don't know that I can say it's an enjoyable read, it's an important one and I'm really glad I picked it up.