saraitz's review against another edition
4.0
a good and heartfelt read that i would have loved as a teen, and i appreciated every band that was name dropped
girlreading's review against another edition
4.0
Achingly honest, brilliantly funny and crushingly pertinent in its discussion of mental health, race, relationships and growing up feeling 'other'.
This was by no means an easy read and Morgan Parker doesn't shy away from exploring 'tough' topics head on without frills (so if you are sensitive to any of the topics I've listed in the trigger warnings I would be cautious going into it) but they way these topics are discussed are done so with care, honesty and executed brilliantly.
From the multiple relationship dynamics explored and the portrayal of mental illness, to the chapter structure and characters and everything in between, this was truly excellent.
TW: homophobic and racist slurs, homophobia, racism, depression, anxiety, discussion of suicide, acephobic comment, panic attacks, sexual assault.
This was by no means an easy read and Morgan Parker doesn't shy away from exploring 'tough' topics head on without frills (so if you are sensitive to any of the topics I've listed in the trigger warnings I would be cautious going into it) but they way these topics are discussed are done so with care, honesty and executed brilliantly.
From the multiple relationship dynamics explored and the portrayal of mental illness, to the chapter structure and characters and everything in between, this was truly excellent.
TW: homophobic and racist slurs, homophobia, racism, depression, anxiety, discussion of suicide, acephobic comment, panic attacks, sexual assault.
biblioemily's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars. I loved the authentic portrayal of depression & anxiety, and especially how mental health & evangelical Christianity intersect. I found Morgan's parents frustrating, but authentic, though I wish there was a bit of a redemption/education moment for them on how their response to their daughter was incredibly unhelpful & hurtful. I see a lot of myself in Morgan-snarky, over-analyzing, funny, etc. I LOVE mental health lit for teens and I will recommend this one regularly.
samanthamurk's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
This was a book i picked up pretty randomly (i needed to spend a couple more dollars to get free shipping lol) so my expectations weren’t super high, but this book far surpassed all my expectations. I love this book so much. It is insight into someone else’s life which is very different from my own, but who I also have a lot in common with. Also the soundtrack *perfection* (link to author’s playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2zGSIElgJ71byygvmACjGg?si=mK2WgYyPSIaEpvWh1QhJ8w )
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, and Racism
lifeinpoetry's review against another edition
5.0
A smart, funny, tear-inducing YA debut told from the perspective of depressed Black girl going to a (very white) private Christian school in suburbia that largely draws upon poet (and now novelist) Morgan Parker's past. Loved how it took on mental health and race in ways that had me nodding along.
Spoiler
and that romance was not the "fix" or end goalangelreadsthings's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars. I love Morgan Parkerâs poetry. I loved the author notes at the end of this novel. Despite how much I tried, I couldnât love this novel. I appreciated a lot about it as a fellow awkward Black girl with depression who (barely) survived white Christian school through a love of evocative music and writing. There were aspects of this book that felt like they were written just for me or the me I was during my last two years of high school in the late 2000s. The beauty I associate with Parker's poetry was also fully on display in the flow of her fiction writing. Nevertheless, I felt like the novel lacked cohesive forward motion. It felt like random anecdotes from a depressed girlâs life rather than moments that contributed to a larger plot. Moments that would have read as powerful in a more cohesive work felt dull and incomplete in this work. Many characters left me with a mundane sense of having liked them but not being sure whether they had grown or truly impacted me.
All in all, I appreciated Parkerâs illumination of the reality of what it can be like to be a depressed Black girl in Christian settings, but I think I would have enjoyed this story better had it been a television mini series or an actual memoir.
All in all, I appreciated Parkerâs illumination of the reality of what it can be like to be a depressed Black girl in Christian settings, but I think I would have enjoyed this story better had it been a television mini series or an actual memoir.
plaidpladd's review against another edition
4.0
I checked this out because I liked the cover. I was really surprised (in a good way) by how much I got out of it. I really liked the depiction of mental illness. I wish I could have read this when I was a teen.
lenalovesbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
cook_memorial_public_library's review against another edition
4.0
A 2019 staff favorite recommended by Joe. Check our catalog: https://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Swho%20put%20this%20song%20on%20parker__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=gold