steven_sahatjian's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence and Domestic abuse
templetoncecelia's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Deportation
Moderate: Grief, Drug use, and Bullying
abbyt152's review against another edition
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Gun violence, and Physical abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
nannahnannah's review against another edition
4.0
Ahh, this is some good contemporary YA fiction. I don't even like contemporary fiction all that much, but I enjoyed this a lot.
Fabiola and her mother are finally coming to America from Haiti to live a better life on the corner of America and Joy street. But when her mother is detained, and the picture-perfect American ideal is dashed when she discovers life is just as dangerous here as it is in Haiti. It's not the only discovery she makes about America--or her family: her three cousins and her aunt.
This book is incredibly engaging, and what I loved most about it is probably the weaving in of religion. Though, I really hesitate to call it magical realism? I mean . . . I understand why, but at the same time, if Fab was a Christian and didn't practice Vodou--and therefore Papa Legba was an Angel and not an Lwa, would it still be magical realism or under the category Religious? Maybe that's a discussion for a different place/time . . .
Anyway, that mix of religion and contemporary fiction was so genuine and beautiful, especially because that religion wasn't Christianity (as I'm not Christian myself). It's so nice and refreshing to see a religion treated so beautifully and without judgement (especially religions practiced by non-white people) in young adult books. Then again, the author is black, so that's probably the main reason why!
I feel like I should like the secondary characters better (i.e. Fab's cousins, Pri, Donna, and Chant), but I really couldn't become as attached to them as I was for Fab. I loved the details Ibi Zoboi gave them, like that Pri uses a binder for her breasts, but they really failed to become fully fleshed to me for some reason. Also, and this is suuuuper nitpicky, but I didn't like that Pri, the only lesbian/lgbt character, was the cousin that was the most aggressive character in the book.
But anyway, a good read! A really good read.
Fabiola and her mother are finally coming to America from Haiti to live a better life on the corner of America and Joy street. But when her mother is detained, and the picture-perfect American ideal is dashed when she discovers life is just as dangerous here as it is in Haiti. It's not the only discovery she makes about America--or her family: her three cousins and her aunt.
This book is incredibly engaging, and what I loved most about it is probably the weaving in of religion. Though, I really hesitate to call it magical realism? I mean . . . I understand why, but at the same time, if Fab was a Christian and didn't practice Vodou--and therefore Papa Legba was an Angel and not an Lwa, would it still be magical realism or under the category Religious? Maybe that's a discussion for a different place/time . . .
Anyway, that mix of religion and contemporary fiction was so genuine and beautiful, especially because that religion wasn't Christianity (as I'm not Christian myself). It's so nice and refreshing to see a religion treated so beautifully and without judgement (especially religions practiced by non-white people) in young adult books. Then again, the author is black, so that's probably the main reason why!
I feel like I should like the secondary characters better (i.e. Fab's cousins, Pri, Donna, and Chant), but I really couldn't become as attached to them as I was for Fab. I loved the details Ibi Zoboi gave them, like that Pri uses a binder for her breasts, but they really failed to become fully fleshed to me for some reason. Also, and this is suuuuper nitpicky, but I didn't like that Pri, the only lesbian/lgbt character, was the cousin that was the most aggressive character in the book.
But anyway, a good read! A really good read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use and Domestic abuse
brookey8888's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
fast-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 very good! I didn’t really know what it was about when I picked it up. I listened to the audio book and it was really well done. I liked learning more about Haitian culture. I really liked Fabiola as a main character. I think this is also an important read about immigration, family and a few other things.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Grief, Classism, Death of parent, Deportation, Police brutality, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Violence, Drug use, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, and Racism
kshertz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This story about a Haitian immigrant losing her mother to a detention center and going to stay with her cousins is really heartbreaking. She’s forced with facing a lot of the realities of America for people who are Black and thrown into it at a formative time. I thought it was very true to reality and very sad. It was hard to read and know that while fictional, this very well could be someone’s true story. It’s definitely calling to do better and hard look at community.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, and Murder
achiunicorn's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, and Police brutality
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual assault
robinreads_'s review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I really enjoy Ibi Zoboi’s writing and this was no exception. I liked following Fabiola as she was navigating the challenges she faces as she starts her new life in the US. YA can be very hit or miss for me, but this was very compelling, emotional and the ending…wow!
Content Warnings
Minor: Domestic abuse and Police brutality
bookswhitme's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, and Violence
bookdragon217's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"-where Joy Road meets American Street. Joy and American. A crossroads. Intersecting. One is not the other."
American Street by Ibi Zoboi was pure gold from the first page until the last. You are immediately sucked in to the story and introduced to rich, characters that you want to know more about. Zoboi gives a glimpse as to what it is like to be a young, girl from Haiti coming to America for the first time through Fabiola, the main protagonist. She is quickly thrust into a world she doesn't know, trying to fit in and make sense of what she sees around her. Fabiola has to reconcile what her preconceived notions of the American Dream. She navigates her new world by holding on to her Haitian traditions and using her spirituality practices to help cope with the confusion.
There was so much to love about this book. Zoboi gives us layered characters, rich Haitian culture, masterful storytelling sprinkled with magic and social commentary that will leave you thinking long after you close the book. Zoboi introduced me to my first book bae in Kasim.
What will stay with me the most are the questions that this story brings up.
¤ What is the American dream and who is it afforded to?
¤ How do you make a life when you are torn between worlds?
¤ Does being an American automatically mean you will be happy?
¤ Why do immigrants from black & brown countries get treated as criminals?
¤ Does becoming American mean that you forget home?
¤ When does the world become safe for women & young girls?
¤ How do you overcome the violence & anti-blackness of the American dream?
¤ Does poverty automatically equate with violence & crime?
¤ How do you overcome personal trauma & grief in a country that exerts violence on & blocks opportunities for Black people?
This story was compelling, insightful, and heartbreaking but it leaves room for hope. Fabiola and Kasim's love story warmed my heart but it also made me think about stolen dreams which was the main theme of the book.
Bookdragon rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
American Street by Ibi Zoboi was pure gold from the first page until the last. You are immediately sucked in to the story and introduced to rich, characters that you want to know more about. Zoboi gives a glimpse as to what it is like to be a young, girl from Haiti coming to America for the first time through Fabiola, the main protagonist. She is quickly thrust into a world she doesn't know, trying to fit in and make sense of what she sees around her. Fabiola has to reconcile what her preconceived notions of the American Dream. She navigates her new world by holding on to her Haitian traditions and using her spirituality practices to help cope with the confusion.
There was so much to love about this book. Zoboi gives us layered characters, rich Haitian culture, masterful storytelling sprinkled with magic and social commentary that will leave you thinking long after you close the book. Zoboi introduced me to my first book bae in Kasim.
What will stay with me the most are the questions that this story brings up.
¤ What is the American dream and who is it afforded to?
¤ How do you make a life when you are torn between worlds?
¤ Does being an American automatically mean you will be happy?
¤ Why do immigrants from black & brown countries get treated as criminals?
¤ Does becoming American mean that you forget home?
¤ When does the world become safe for women & young girls?
¤ How do you overcome the violence & anti-blackness of the American dream?
¤ Does poverty automatically equate with violence & crime?
¤ How do you overcome personal trauma & grief in a country that exerts violence on & blocks opportunities for Black people?
This story was compelling, insightful, and heartbreaking but it leaves room for hope. Fabiola and Kasim's love story warmed my heart but it also made me think about stolen dreams which was the main theme of the book.
Bookdragon rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Drug abuse
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