greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Blood, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Police brutality, Classism, Racism, and Grief
izziebella's review against another edition
4.0
I admire how this book takes place over the course of a couple of hours. So many things happen, and I felt like it was definitely a page-turner. The characters certainly developed somewhat during the entire traumatic ordeal.
However, I felt that, due to the premise and timeline of the story, many things were left unfinished. In the author’s letter, Kimberly and Gilly write that part of the reason they wrote this was for people to try and understand another person’s perspective.
But, one of the biggest loose ends in this story is how Lena never understands how poor Campbell is and how much she’s losing with this store. Campbell understood Lena’s perspective of how when people reach a breaking point, they lash out at anything and everything, and how her father never attempted to reach out to anybody in their neighborhood in his 20 years there. However, Lena barely understood where Campbell was coming from, brushing off her very real concerns of going broke and her father losing his hard-earned business in favor of her own perspective. I really wanted to see a moment where Lena realizes how awful Campbell’s situation is since she makes so many comments about Campbell being able to afford Ubers or how insurance will cover anything, and those are never remedied. I just felt as if Campbell’s financial situation was brought up far too many times for it to be snubbed by Lena in the end.
I did appreciate Campbell’s perspective and how she noticed that only the BLM protestors were being arrested and not the looters. I also liked how the book paid attention to the fact that many looters are just random people taking advantage of the situation, such as when the girls spot a white guy breaking open a window with a brick.
I definitely wish that Marcus had more closure. The poor guy isn’t even related to Lena, and yet he’s constantly looking after her despite her being rude to him and favoring a boyfriend who doesn’t care about her over him. While I recognize that this is a realistic portrayal of young dumb love, I wish he got more time devoted to his character. We do get a few pages in the epilogue explaining his condition, but we get no resolution between him and Lena (I suppose that may be a point the authors are trying to make—that some things are irredeemable).
Again, due to the nature and short time period of the story, there wasn’t room for a ton of character development. I wish Lena cut off Black completely after learning that his friends looted the store, but that’s too much to ask from a young girl in love. I thought that her reaction at the end—keeping her distance from him—was as realistic as it could get.
Overall, it’s a solid, quick read that raises a lot of questions and definitely leaves you thinking about the different perspectives the two characters provide.
However, I felt that, due to the premise and timeline of the story, many things were left unfinished. In the author’s letter, Kimberly and Gilly write that part of the reason they wrote this was for people to try and understand another person’s perspective.
But, one of the biggest loose ends in this story is how Lena never understands how poor Campbell is and how much she’s losing with this store. Campbell understood Lena’s perspective of how when people reach a breaking point, they lash out at anything and everything, and how her father never attempted to reach out to anybody in their neighborhood in his 20 years there. However, Lena barely understood where Campbell was coming from, brushing off her very real concerns of going broke and her father losing his hard-earned business in favor of her own perspective. I really wanted to see a moment where Lena realizes how awful Campbell’s situation is since she makes so many comments about Campbell being able to afford Ubers or how insurance will cover anything, and those are never remedied. I just felt as if Campbell’s financial situation was brought up far too many times for it to be snubbed by Lena in the end.
I did appreciate Campbell’s perspective and how she noticed that only the BLM protestors were being arrested and not the looters. I also liked how the book paid attention to the fact that many looters are just random people taking advantage of the situation, such as when the girls spot a white guy breaking open a window with a brick.
I definitely wish that Marcus had more closure. The poor guy isn’t even related to Lena, and yet he’s constantly looking after her despite her being rude to him and favoring a boyfriend who doesn’t care about her over him. While I recognize that this is a realistic portrayal of young dumb love, I wish he got more time devoted to his character. We do get a few pages in the epilogue explaining his condition, but we get no resolution between him and Lena (I suppose that may be a point the authors are trying to make—that some things are irredeemable).
Again, due to the nature and short time period of the story, there wasn’t room for a ton of character development. I wish Lena cut off Black completely after learning that his friends looted the store, but that’s too much to ask from a young girl in love. I thought that her reaction at the end—keeping her distance from him—was as realistic as it could get.
Overall, it’s a solid, quick read that raises a lot of questions and definitely leaves you thinking about the different perspectives the two characters provide.
catleesi's review against another edition
4.0
Quick read. Great differing perspectives on what happens during a riot. Though could've gone more in depth on backgrounds of each perspective.
amiyaelisha's review against another edition
2.0
2.5/5 i feel like this book could’ve been so much more. the ending seemed so bland there was no real character development unless we were just left to imagine that. this book could’ve been very powerful and i felt that it was just lacking to me.
dani_mae's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
marissalupe's review against another edition
3.0
My beautiful sister picked this signed copy up for me from her local @barnesandnoble
a couple months ago, and I finally got around to reading it, well worth the wait. ❤️
"I'm not Dying with You Tonight", by @kimberlylatricejones and @really.gilly is a powerful and meaningful read. If you need help understanding different viewpoints on what is happening in our country.. then this is a perfect place to start. I read it in just one night, and it was time well spent.
a couple months ago, and I finally got around to reading it, well worth the wait. ❤️
"I'm not Dying with You Tonight", by @kimberlylatricejones and @really.gilly is a powerful and meaningful read. If you need help understanding different viewpoints on what is happening in our country.. then this is a perfect place to start. I read it in just one night, and it was time well spent.
maddness22's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
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
3.5
This was a short and sweet, but thrilling, YA about two girls facing racial ethical dilemmas as they try to survive a night of riots. My biggest peeve with it was that it was very much "children making childish decisions to further the plot" with some VERY convoluted reasons on why they were stuck together. But the conversations about race were casual and realistic to the situation. The fast pace was well done too but that ending was very abrupt given the journey we were taken on. I was legitimately surprised when the audiobook credits started rolling.
emdowd's review against another edition
4.0
Quick read (I'm a fast reader but I finished it in the time it took to travel from Louisville to DC, about an hour and a half flight plus maybe 25 minutes in the airport) which lead to some underdeveloped characters, but was engaging and interesting.
Spoiler
I want to know if Lena and Campbell became/stayed friends after this night. Also what happens to Marcus.abauer's review against another edition
3.0
Set over the course of one night, I'm Not Dying with You Tonight is the story of Lena and Campbell, two girls who become unlikely allies following a mass riot that breaks out at their school football game. The girls have nothing in common but their need to escape and get home. Atlanta has reached a tipping point with racial tensions boiling over and causing chaos to erupt throughout the city. Lena and Campbell have only each other to rely on, and the night turns into a learning curve for them both. A short, enjoyable read that highlights important issues.