Reviews with content warning for Abandonment - En King i les libèl·lules

A YA novel about death, grief, racism, homophobia, and Black masculinity. I wish I had more eloquent words for it but… it was just very good. Touching. Really captures well the middle school “dating” relationships, friendships, and bullying.

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writingcaia's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

It was so easy to rate this book.
Even though I rarely read middle grade I’m so happy I gave this one a chance because I loved the author’s work in their book Felix Ever After.
Now about King and The Dragonflies. What a wonderful, sad and hopeful journey along with King.
Kingston aka King is a twelve year old boy that just lost is 16 year old brother. Grief is what you first encounter, such pain and loss fill out young boy. But, King believes his brother has not left but instead is a dragonfly now. So, everyday we see him go to the bayou look at the dragonflies hoping one will make contact. It’s there he encounters is once friend Sandy. The best friend who once confessed to him he way gay. But, King’s brother overheard the talk and advises him to stay away from Sandy so people don’t think he’s gay too. King doesn’t hesitate to break the friendship.
Through loss, grief and confusion on how to act, because all he’s told is Black man don’t cry, don’t cook, are not gay because being Black is bad enough in the world as is, King doesn’t know who to be or how to be. He makes mistakes, he lies, but he amidst all he also fights to help Sandy when he finds him hiding from his abusive father.
There’s so much in this story, all the characters from Sandy’s supposedly racist murderous brother, to King’s friends, Jasmine who likes him, and Breanna who sees him, to the little nasty Camille and their homophobic friend Darrel.
They’re all so complex.
This book was a breath of fresh air, of warmth and light, even amongst all the hard feelings it portrays, because there’s also a lot of love and a lot of fighting for what’s right.
Loved, loved, loved.
My second book from Kacen and won’t be my last from them. They’re amazing writers and show such understanding of the emotions and lives they create on the page.
Another amazing for PRIDE MONTH 💖

Content Warnings

greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-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

4.5

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doctorjessie's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

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michaelion's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

he just like me fr

But seriously, this is the second middle grade Callender book I've read and the only issue I have so far is the kids feel so young. King is uhh 13? In eighth or ninth grade? He feels much younger. I don't remember what I was like when I was in eighth and ninth grade, not fully, but I know I was a bit more mature. Then again, I am from a big city, and in hindisght I probably thought I was more mature than I was, but there are some things in the book where I thought "Okay now baby boy you should know about that by now." It's all perspective though I guess.

This book is perfect for readers of the same age, not old 20 year old hags like me. There's a little black 13 year old child who's gonna read this book and make it their entire personality. If it came out nine years ago, that child could've been me. And then when they turn twenty they'fe gonna look back and reread the book again for the first time in years and go, "Damn... he just like me fr."

Kacen Callender you will always be famous! ❤️ Call me.

Content Warnings

brookey8888's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

This was a very good middle grade about hard topics like grief, sexuality, homophobia, and racism. I thought it dealt with all these subjects really good. I really liked king as a character, but I do wish we got to see him and his brother interact more somehow. The friendships were interesting how different they reacted and who your true friends are. I do feel like king acted a little young for twelve but maybe I just grew up to fast.

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