wggleworm's review against another edition
3.0
I really did enjoy this book, especially each of the characters. I like seeing Matt learn how to deal with the grief of his mother's death, and how he relates to others who also deal with grief. however, I feel like there's so much more development that could take place, or that there are just too many undeveloped character plot lines. I'd like to see more between Mr. Ray and Candy Man, I'd like to see more about Matt and Love, I'd like to see more about Matt and his father. Somehow, with all of these things missing, I was really surprised that I was at the end of the book when I got there. It just felt incomplete.
brianna_4pawsandabook's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars rounded up
I really loved Long Way Down, but this one was a miss for me. This was very much a character driven, slice of life story, but unfortunately I didn't care about any of the characters. It's about a boy who loses his mother, has to parent his father because he's an alcoholic, and has to grow up too quickly. But there wasn't a driving force, or something that the character is trying to learn or grow into throughout the book. I continued to wait and wait for something to happen, and nothing really did... I definitely see why people love this book, but literary fiction is a hard sell for me, and this one just didn't personally work for me.
I really loved Long Way Down, but this one was a miss for me. This was very much a character driven, slice of life story, but unfortunately I didn't care about any of the characters. It's about a boy who loses his mother, has to parent his father because he's an alcoholic, and has to grow up too quickly. But there wasn't a driving force, or something that the character is trying to learn or grow into throughout the book. I continued to wait and wait for something to happen, and nothing really did... I definitely see why people love this book, but literary fiction is a hard sell for me, and this one just didn't personally work for me.
dianacarmel's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
elisabeths_library's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
beccalove's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
collkay10's review against another edition
4.0
This is a tough one to rate. I think I feel like this should be about a 3.5 rating. It’s a great story about seeing a young boy continue on after losing his mother to breast cancer, but it’s not as much of a page turner as the rest of Reynolds’ books are. The level of detail is ever-present, and I always enjoy how Reynolds sees and describes the world. There are a few surprising things in this novel which makes you keep reading as you begin to feel like it’s dragging out. The young love brewing between characters Love and Matt is refreshing to read about. Reynolds ends this book in a feel-good way that leaves you thinking and drawing your own conclusions, as per usual.
browncharlotte18's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
aksnowraven's review against another edition
5.0
What a masterful view of grief and loss. I never expected to appreciate this subject or for the book to touch me as deeply as it did. I feel the need to build some space around it to let it all sink in, but also feel compelled to keep reading even more of Mr. Reynold’s work to see where it takes me.
sandraagee's review against another edition
4.0
I read something where someone compared Jason Reynolds to [a:Walter Dean Myers|13291|Walter Dean Myers|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1230178601p2/13291.jpg]. If this book is any indication, it's an incredibly apt comparison. Reynolds writes compelling characters and crafts a portrait of the grieving process that can be appreciated by just about anyone, but the way he paints his setting (seems to be a predominantly black urban neighborhood) is especially fantastic.