luneclaire's review against another edition
3.0
I have complicated feelings about this book. I think it's absolutely worth reading and definitely an important addition to queer literature, especially for young, black men. Its heartbreaking exploration of a conservative, immigrant household and how those family members impact Niru highlight the convergence of "Old World" vs. "New," religious vs. not, gay vs. "being a man." But then the story takes an abrupt turn, and it loses me. It may be because I've recently read other books that address this type of turn better/more comprehensively. Or that I was so fully engrossed in the book's initial trajectory, it felt divisive. It's almost like the book tries to do too much, address too many worthy themes, that it doesn't give all the issues their due attention. It left me feeling really conflicted, both in a thought-provoking way but also with slight dissatisfaction.
I both listened to (45%) and read this (55%), utilizing the two mediums out of necessity while traveling. The male narrator captures the voices, accents, and emotions brilliantly; bringing to life this raw, emotional story written in a "stream of consciousness" style, which I feel has more impact being heard than read on pages. I highly recommend listening to it if you can.
I both listened to (45%) and read this (55%), utilizing the two mediums out of necessity while traveling. The male narrator captures the voices, accents, and emotions brilliantly; bringing to life this raw, emotional story written in a "stream of consciousness" style, which I feel has more impact being heard than read on pages. I highly recommend listening to it if you can.
sarful's review against another edition
4.0
3.5
Niru was born into an immigrant family from Africa. His parents are attentive, but often he feels the love conditional. Especially when his father finds out he’s gay when he finds his phone. Niru finds he has to choose between accepting his feelings are natural or believing his pastor who says he can be straight. That this is gay pain is very real and very present.
The last half of the book takes on a completely different kind of story, which shifted too much away from the original story. And I was slightly baffled by Meredith’s actions and reactions to Niru.
However, the ending was this bittersweet realization for Niru’s father and well done. Well worth reading, even if it wasn’t perfect.
Niru was born into an immigrant family from Africa. His parents are attentive, but often he feels the love conditional. Especially when his father finds out he’s gay when he finds his phone. Niru finds he has to choose between accepting his feelings are natural or believing his pastor who says he can be straight. That this is gay pain is very real and very present.
The last half of the book takes on a completely different kind of story, which shifted too much away from the original story. And I was slightly baffled by Meredith’s actions and reactions to Niru.
However, the ending was this bittersweet realization for Niru’s father and well done. Well worth reading, even if it wasn’t perfect.
mxtthewz's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.5
This book is heart breaking and beautifully written, going over homophobia and police brutality in an incredibly accurate way that you feel yourself as part of the story.
lulureadsalot's review against another edition
5.0
This book was beautiful. The storyline was so interesting, and took the most unexpected, heart-wrenching turn halfway through, but really it’s the quality of the writing that transported me. Especially in the first half. I don’t remember ever feeling so present and in the character’s shoes as I did in this book. Everything was so vividly and so accurately portrayed, down to every breath. Read it.
alifromkc1907's review
4.0
Gut Instinct Rating: 4.5
Characters: 4.5
Believability: 5
Uniqueness: 4.5
Writing Style: 4.5
Excitement Factor: 4.5
Story Line: 5
Title Relevance: 5
Artwork Relevance: 5
Overall: 4.72
Characters: 4.5
Believability: 5
Uniqueness: 4.5
Writing Style: 4.5
Excitement Factor: 4.5
Story Line: 5
Title Relevance: 5
Artwork Relevance: 5
Overall: 4.72
theworminbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
ayatamus's review against another edition
4.0
Highly relevant to the world of an American teenager today. Feels the most real of any young adult book I have read in recent years.
sde's review against another edition
4.0
I received an Advance Readers Copy of this book at an event for librarians.
A short, quick volume that will stay with me for a long time. Great writing with a well-developed main character, Niru. The book is a good mix of the standard coming-of-age story with some very specific elements that make the story go beyond the standard - the setting of high end sections of Washington DC, including an exclusive private school, the tension between a US kid and his Nigerian born parents, a very privileged kid who is still dark-skinned.
The author did a great job at the setting. I felt I was there on the school grounds, the streets of Georgetown, out in the more far-flung, suburban parts of the District, etc. The school kids seemed like real school kids, no caricatures of rich, spoiled private school kids. Perhaps because of the author's great skill at evoking character and setting, I found this book to be more heart-rending than books about much worse things - war, death camps, torture, etc. I felt like I was right there experiencing it as the characters' peer.
But the book is a sad one, not a relaxing read. I felt like crying for hours after finishing it. I understand the second section, and it is an important part of the story the author is telling, but I also kind of hated it. I wanted to be able to follow Niru's story further.
A short, quick volume that will stay with me for a long time. Great writing with a well-developed main character, Niru. The book is a good mix of the standard coming-of-age story with some very specific elements that make the story go beyond the standard - the setting of high end sections of Washington DC, including an exclusive private school, the tension between a US kid and his Nigerian born parents, a very privileged kid who is still dark-skinned.
The author did a great job at the setting. I felt I was there on the school grounds, the streets of Georgetown, out in the more far-flung, suburban parts of the District, etc. The school kids seemed like real school kids, no caricatures of rich, spoiled private school kids. Perhaps because of the author's great skill at evoking character and setting, I found this book to be more heart-rending than books about much worse things - war, death camps, torture, etc. I felt like I was right there experiencing it as the characters' peer.
But the book is a sad one, not a relaxing read. I felt like crying for hours after finishing it. I understand the second section, and it is an important part of the story the author is telling, but I also kind of hated it. I wanted to be able to follow Niru's story further.
Spoiler
I also didn't quite understand why there were only two roads Meredith could take - letting people believe that Niru was trying to rape her and taking all the blame for his death. It seemed to me that at some point in the process - at the scene of the shooting, at the hospital, etc. Meredith's reaction would have been such that someone in authority would have suspected that there was more to the story. But we all experience grief differently, so who am I to say.corrina_milito's review
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0