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throwback682's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Grief
Moderate: Child death and Child abuse
Minor: Abandonment, Domestic abuse, and Murder
rockythefreak's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, Outing, Racism, Physical abuse, Death, Murder, Child abuse, Bullying, Homophobia, and Child death
writingcaia's review against another edition
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 💖
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
Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Child death, and Homophobia
Minor: Abandonment, Murder, and Racial slurs
megelizabeth's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
4.5
"Grief takes a lot of forms, and it stays with you until the end of your days."
This is a raw, poignant, devastating story of grief, loss, self-discovery, friendship, being true to yourself, doing the right thing, and living in a hateful world. There's a lot going on, and the subject matter is certainly heavy for a middle-grade, but the story ends, in my view, with just enough hope to balance that out a little.
The friendships feel very real and it was interesting to see how they develop, and sibling relationships are captured heartbreakingly beautifully. The writing is gorgeous, and there's an incredibly strong atmosphere and sense of place. The writing style is pretty different to that of the only other book I've read by the author, Felix Ever After, which threw me a bit, but I adored the writing nonetheless.
This wasn't quite a five-star read for me because there's a plot point that's kind of abandoned and never properly touched on again, let alone resolved, and also because one element of the ending didn't quite make sense to me (largely due to said plot point not being resolved), which was frustrating. However, I would still highly recommend this book; it broke me and didn't quite put me back together, but I'm so glad that I read it and shared King's world for a while.
This is a raw, poignant, devastating story of grief, loss, self-discovery, friendship, being true to yourself, doing the right thing, and living in a hateful world. There's a lot going on, and the subject matter is certainly heavy for a middle-grade, but the story ends, in my view, with just enough hope to balance that out a little.
The friendships feel very real and it was interesting to see how they develop, and sibling relationships are captured heartbreakingly beautifully. The writing is gorgeous, and there's an incredibly strong atmosphere and sense of place. The writing style is pretty different to that of the only other book I've read by the author, Felix Ever After, which threw me a bit, but I adored the writing nonetheless.
This wasn't quite a five-star read for me because there's a plot point that's kind of abandoned and never properly touched on again, let alone resolved, and also because one element of the ending didn't quite make sense to me (largely due to said plot point not being resolved), which was frustrating. However, I would still highly recommend this book; it broke me and didn't quite put me back together, but I'm so glad that I read it and shared King's world for a while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Homophobia, Child abuse, Racism, Murder, and Religious bigotry
purjosipuli's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Grief, Racism, Homophobia, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Bullying, Violence, Toxic friendship, Outing, Murder, and Hate crime
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