Reviews

Vicious Is My Middle Name by Kevin Dunn

emily_loves_2_read's review

4.0

Vicious is My Middle Name
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 11/15/22
Author: Kevin Dunn
Pages: 228
GR: 4.89

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and publisher and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: This book touches a lot of societal issues, but does it in a beautiful and graceful way. It discusses both political and environmental issues. This book is geared toward middle grade students, but would be easily read by a YA or an adult reader. Sydney Vicious Talcott is a wonderful character, you could not help but want things to work out for her. She was uprooted from NY to NC, which is always hard for a middle schooler. Even though she stood out at first, she settles in with a good group of friends. The characters were well developed with depth, passion, and creative. The author’s writing style was creative, intriguing, and engaging. This would be an excellent resource for teachers and libraries to provoke discussion on political and environmental issues among middle schoolers. It could even bridge to high school students to open up dissuasions on equality.

happily_undignified's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

5.0

Vicious Is My Middle Name by Kevin Dunn is a mid-grade masterpiece! This book was so relatable and had me smiling, gasping, and crying! The book is about Sydney Vicious, a punk rock enthusiast from New York who ends up in a small town in the Appalachian mountains. No stranger to heartbreak, Sydney is the victim of bullying and can't seem to find her place in her new school. That is until she finds a group of students and teachers who share her love of music and reading. When she discovers that her new home is at risk from the underhanded dealings of the powerful and corrupt family of her tormentor, Sydney decides to fight back in the most punk rock fashion ever. She creates a zine calling out "The Man" and throws an epic concert. This story had so many great elements, including the friendship of unlikely misfits, environmental protest, working through grief and loss, and how to stay true to your authentic self. I would recommend Vicious Is My Middle Name to any young reader who sees the oppression so rampant in our society and longs to stand up against it.  

mistressviolet's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

5.0

I'm usually stingy about giving out 5 star reviews, but OMG, this book was so good. I was in tears by the end. When a writer can make you cry, it's a real testament that they wrote about something moving and impactful. 

There is so much going on in this book. It really touches on some fundamental issues in society. Instead of trying to address all of it, I've included some keywords/themes below that sum up the book. 

Beautifully written and so incredibly relevant to the world we live in. 

Keywords: environmental protection, feminism, bullying, punk rock, bluegrass, middle school, Black, Latinx, Appalachian, Affrilachian, corrupt politicians, cultural awareness, activism, book nerds. 

P.S. Even though this is marketed as a middle grade book, due to the complexity of the issues addressed, this book is equally suited for YA and adult audiences.