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A review by heykellyjensen
Disgruntled by Asali Solomon
A classic bildungsroman set in the 1980s in/outside of Philadelphia following young Kenya as she comes to understand her family structure, as well as better appreciate her father and his passions (even if she doesn't come to agree with them or with him).
This is a quicker read, and I would have loved even more. The third person POV was interesting and a bit removed, but it definitely made this story feel like an adult novel, rather than a YA. It's not bad at all, and certainly teen readers who love literary fiction will dig this, but I wondered how different the story would have been had we been even closer to Kenya through her own perspective.
The 80s setting here is purposeful and not at all obnoxious. This isn't about the pop culture or an opportunity to make a teen cool by loving certain bands, but rather, it's about this particular moment in time.
This is a quicker read, and I would have loved even more. The third person POV was interesting and a bit removed, but it definitely made this story feel like an adult novel, rather than a YA. It's not bad at all, and certainly teen readers who love literary fiction will dig this, but I wondered how different the story would have been had we been even closer to Kenya through her own perspective.
The 80s setting here is purposeful and not at all obnoxious. This isn't about the pop culture or an opportunity to make a teen cool by loving certain bands, but rather, it's about this particular moment in time.