A review by lorayne
Forever Is Now by Mariama J. Lockington

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wowwwww! I borrowed this audiobook from the library not expecting too much, and I'm blown away. I love that this book shows the complexity of mental health with a main character who is a young, black woman navigating a number of relationships all while trying to hold it together as she navigates living with agoraphobia. Those are already a number of layers to develop in a novel, yet Mariama J. Lockington creates a superb cast of characters that help shed light on how age, race, gender, and sexuality intersect to create barriers and/or bridges. I particularly love where Lockington set the story--Oakland, CA--and that each detail she highlighted about place was about the beauty and safety that exists in Oakland.

I highly recommend this YA novel for anyone who'd like to see Black joy that takes place even as incredibly difficult things are happening. Forever Is Now proves it is the joy that helps us people of color develop resilience as we resist oppressive forces in our daily lives. While we may know this to be true, we don't usually get to see it written so well into a beautiful story.
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