robforteath's review against another edition
3.0
A brilliant concept that could have turned into a great book. Unfortunately, after the first act it goes steadily downhill. To move the plot forward after each step, the author repeatedly chooses easy stunts with little realism or meaning... until the truly atrocious ending. (Self-aware references to "deus ex machina" tell us this is all deliberate, but that doesn't save the book from itself.) Some excellent commentary and neatly-sketched minor characters provide more than a little food for thought -- it's a shame the plot betrays this promise so utterly.
prcizmadia's review against another edition
4.0
My God but Adam Mansbach can write. He sucks you in to the inner lives of his protagonists and you can only follow along on the frenetic ride. I crushed this in one day-- much like I had with 'Rage Is Back,' I literally could not put it down. I think if I had any critique, I would have liked to see more of the supporting cast, and less time in Macon's head as he rhapsodized about the virtues and promise of hip-hop. And, I'm not sure if I loved the book's third act. Then again, I did just swallow this thing whole, so I need to mull it over a bit more. But you're only doing yourself a favor if you pick this one up. Do it.
bibliophagic's review against another edition
2.0
I kept hoping that this would go somewhere interesting with a critique of white anti-racist efforts, but it didn't.
mxsunny's review against another edition
3.0
i'd actually give it a 3.5
it's one of those books you want to pull apart with a few well-selected friends. the ending SUCKED though. but don't take my word for it...
it's one of those books you want to pull apart with a few well-selected friends. the ending SUCKED though. but don't take my word for it...
sarahjsnider's review against another edition
4.0
Someone has been tagging south Minneapolis with "Angry Black White Boys with Feelings" (sometimes just abbreviated to "Boys with Feelings"). The ever-curious Jill Bernard Googled the phrase, found this book, and said it was pretty good. So that's how I came to read a novel by the "Go the F*ck to Sleep" guy.
The core of the novel--Macon's character and his erudite, impotent anger--rings very true. The author pulls no punches in throwing his characters into messy situations and letting them get messier. The last act was about 30 pages too long, and yet, it did resolve things, however controversially.
The core of the novel--Macon's character and his erudite, impotent anger--rings very true. The author pulls no punches in throwing his characters into messy situations and letting them get messier. The last act was about 30 pages too long, and yet, it did resolve things, however controversially.
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