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A review by theespressoedition
Pride by Ibi Zoboi
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book was super quick-paced and easy to read in a day.
I primarily picked it up because I was excited that Elizabeth Acevedo was the narrator. I love her books and was interested to see what this story sounded like with her voice. Honestly? It almost sounded like it could've been one of her books. There was even poetry between the chapters!
What I found a little strange was how loose this retelling was. I think I had expected it to be much more like P&P than it was. If no one had told me the name or the plot, I never ever would've associated it with the classic Austen novel. That bummed me out a little bit if I'm honest. I'm not a huge Austen fan and I was kind of hoping this would actually pique my interest in the original story.
I really enjoyed the beginning of the book: getting to know the characters, the vibe of their city, the dynamic between the people in the neighborhood, etc. However, the ending wasn't my cup of tea. I think I wanted a little more hope closure on some of the topics, but I did like the hopefulness that was there, especially after the intense emotions of the second half.
My very favorite part was the poetry. I know I touched on that already, but it really was excellent, and there's nothing quite like listening to Elizabeth Acevedo read poems. It made me want to go back and reread The Poet X again.
I primarily picked it up because I was excited that Elizabeth Acevedo was the narrator. I love her books and was interested to see what this story sounded like with her voice. Honestly? It almost sounded like it could've been one of her books. There was even poetry between the chapters!
What I found a little strange was how loose this retelling was. I think I had expected it to be much more like P&P than it was. If no one had told me the name or the plot, I never ever would've associated it with the classic Austen novel. That bummed me out a little bit if I'm honest. I'm not a huge Austen fan and I was kind of hoping this would actually pique my interest in the original story.
I really enjoyed the beginning of the book: getting to know the characters, the vibe of their city, the dynamic between the people in the neighborhood, etc. However, the ending wasn't my cup of tea. I think I wanted a little more hope closure on some of the topics, but I did like the hopefulness that was there, especially after the intense emotions of the second half.
My very favorite part was the poetry. I know I touched on that already, but it really was excellent, and there's nothing quite like listening to Elizabeth Acevedo read poems. It made me want to go back and reread The Poet X again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Classism, Racial slurs, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Toxic relationship