The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! đ
aformeracceleratedreader's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
Echo was a great character in both books and loved seeing her continued growth and how she manuevors through and with interpersonal relationships. Also, once again, has great discussions on race, especially on predom white colleges, and the importance of trauma healing.
It is magical realism which can be a little tough to read.Â
Graphic: Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Mental illness, Grief, and Racism
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
bujoxbooked's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The narrators did a great job reading the book and kept me even more engaged with the story.
I liked it overall!
The story was very relatable as it is very common to go to PWIs and easily feel like you don't fit in as a Black woman. Her struggle with her classes, fitting in and ugh just all of it! It just added a whole other stressful layer to the already stressful college experience.
whoops lol I'm going through the reviews and I just realized this is supposed to be a sequel to "Black Girl, Unlimited" Well of course I need to read that now!
Graphic: Alcohol and Rape
ghostlyprince's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Classism, Death, Child death, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, Alcohol, and Sexual violence
Minor: Hate crime, Slavery, Gun violence, and Police brutality
Racial slurs are used by people who can reclaim it but thought I should add the warning just in case, We do get a flashback scene of the main protag being sexually assaulted but it's not nearly as graphic as the first book- however there is lots of discussion regarding sexual assault in the book,amberinpieces's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Rape, Alcohol, Grief, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Alcoholism, Racism, Gun violence, Slavery, Racial slurs, Hate crime, Drug abuse, and Drug use
blainereads's review
- 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
I love a bit of magical realism as much as the next person, but some of the magic/paranormal/unexplained phenomena were a little too mysterious to the point that certain scenes were difficult to follow. This is compounded by the fact that I am not a religious person and cannot relate to that kind of spiritualism AT ALL, so the references to Jesus and the Bible etc wereâŚchallenging, at moments, to push through. I still got the message loud and clear, but the journey to arrive there was a little unpleasant at times.Â
I mainly picked this one up because, like the author and character, I also attended Dartmouth as a minority student and wanted to see how that experience was explored. While, overall, I did enjoy it and definitely recognized threads of truth in the themes and incidents (especially as it relates to social class), the exaggerated nature of characterizations caused a little bit of skepticism here and there. I think itâs possible to show the school as a very hostile place without setting it up as some sort of villainous caricature of a racially divided bell (only for it then to abruptly turn into a kind of utopia was an odd about-face, too). Iâm also curious if someone who isnât familiar with the campus got as much out of it as I didâthere was a lot of name dropping like âcollis cafeâ and âMollyâsâ and âbaker towerâ and âthe Airesâ with no real effort to set the scene, so even though *I* could picture it perfectly, it probably wouldnât be so visceral for someone unfamiliar and might leave them wanting for some more lush description.Â
With all that said, unlike some other reviewers, I thought the way the author moved between time and space was extremely clever. I especially enjoyed how the adults (the HS guidance counselor & professor, the deaN & psychiatrist) weâre juxtaposed as two sides of a coin. That was very effective and not something Iâve seen doneâespecially in YA or NAâvery often. It was also very easy to like the main character and you were instantly rooting for her, despite her flaws and sometimes abrasive nature. The friendship dynamics, I felt, were the real highlight of this book and I personally wish all the time devoted to romance pursuits had instead been handed over to further developing the friend group.Â
Anyway, this was engaging and entertaining enough that I finished it quickly, and I did see some of my experience reflected back to me and I could see it being very impactful for a young person who is marginalized (either by race, culture, or class) who is entering one of these unique very wealthy, very white spaces for the first time. And for that alone, this book is a worthwhile read.Â
Graphic: Rape, Mental illness, Addiction, and Racism
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts