upgirlcd's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-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? Yes
5.0
This is poetry and art.
This book is powerful.
This book speaks truth from a perspective most of us do not ever see.
As a Caucasian, Gen X woman, it is perspective for me to deeply wrap my head & heart around. My privilege.
I've been wrongly accused of shit like- sleeping with someone's man; passing a school bus.
Not even relatable to the color of my skin getting me incarcerated for assault.
The hip hop poetic writing makes this work even more powerful.
Read Punching the Air.
This book is powerful.
This book speaks truth from a perspective most of us do not ever see.
As a Caucasian, Gen X woman, it is perspective for me to deeply wrap my head & heart around. My privilege.
I've been wrongly accused of shit like- sleeping with someone's man; passing a school bus.
Not even relatable to the color of my skin getting me incarcerated for assault.
The hip hop poetic writing makes this work even more powerful.
Read Punching the Air.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Violence, Police brutality, and Confinement
sglance9's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, and Confinement
Moderate: Slavery and Violence
zombiezami's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Violence, Racism, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Cursing, and Classism
Minor: Death of parent, Death, Medical content, and Slavery
djimerson's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-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
This book is tough. We follow Amal, a 16-year-old Black teen charge with a crime he didn’t commit. Using his art talent and poetry/ rhyming skills, we watch him struggle through this sudden turn of events that have up-ended his life. It’s a very power message, but it is also rage inducing because the reader is faced with another case of racial injustice.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Physical abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Confinement, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, and Violence
a_alves00's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Racism
cranedphoenix's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Not a bad book
Wasn't expecting the book to end when it did so I was a bit disappointed (reading from my ereader) and it felt a little abrupt because of that
Otherwise it was a solid read, not my most favorite book but not a bad one probably in the middle ranking star wise
I do love how they use art throughout the book
I will also say
Wasn't expecting the book to end when it did so I was a bit disappointed (reading from my ereader) and it felt a little abrupt because of that
Otherwise it was a solid read, not my most favorite book but not a bad one probably in the middle ranking star wise
I do love how they use art throughout the book
Spoiler
especially when his art teacher doesn't believe what he creates is his truthI will also say
Spoiler
the officer who has a tattoo is so accurate in symbolism and yet picturing that tattoo is nerve wracking
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Violence, Racism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Confinement and Classism
seeceeread's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
💭 "Every dumb shit I did, they thought it was because of ... 'Trouble at home.' 'An absent father.' 'A tired mother.' 'Not enough books.' 'Not enough vegetables.' 'Not enough sleep.'"
A Black boy who failed art class, despite having studied the likes of Jacob Lawrence, Romare Bearden, Kerri James Marshall. He's failed to conform to a juvenile justice expectation of subdued self and suspended growth. He's failed by adults and especially institutions. To pass into managing his emotions about it all, Amal first abandons, then reclaims art — poetry, rap, drawing and painting — to lend color, line and shape to his realizations about it all.
The plot unfolds slowly, pulling readers into Amal as a narrator before sharing a full understanding of how his ruminations interlock. Then, captive and caged, we are strapped into his rage-realize-remember-regret-resent loop until a moment of vulnerability reminds him of how to choose expression to keep the rollercoaster on its track. Amal doesn't feel any less; rather, he channels his feelings into processes and pieces that offer others more meaningful containers for what spills over.
The authors capture an adolescent boy so well! I was transported back to conversations with former students: Ronald, who filled pages and pages with poetry and told me stories of disappointing his mother the year before with middle school antics. Delon, who loved Myers' 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 (a literary precursor!) and wanted to learn screenwriting once we finished; a boy who hadn't so much as looked at other assignments. Tevin, a gregarious football player whose neoligisms included iBall in a piece on identity. Amir, who aspired to self-publish a collection of love notes. Amal's perspective is constructed with images of sinking stones and butterflies, recurring thoughts, and sincere grappling with the emotional risks of being authentic (or not).
Spoiler
Amal Shahid threw the first punch. But he didn't deliver the last, the one that put Jeremy Mathis into a coma.The plot unfolds slowly, pulling readers into Amal as a narrator before sharing a full understanding of how his ruminations interlock. Then, captive and caged, we are strapped into his rage-realize-remember-regret-resent loop until a moment of vulnerability reminds him of how to choose expression to keep the rollercoaster on its track. Amal doesn't feel any less; rather, he channels his feelings into processes and pieces that offer others more meaningful containers for what spills over.
The authors capture an adolescent boy so well! I was transported back to conversations with former students: Ronald, who filled pages and pages with poetry and told me stories of disappointing his mother the year before with middle school antics. Delon, who loved Myers' 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 (a literary precursor!) and wanted to learn screenwriting once we finished; a boy who hadn't so much as looked at other assignments. Tevin, a gregarious football player whose neoligisms included iBall in a piece on identity. Amir, who aspired to self-publish a collection of love notes. Amal's perspective is constructed with images of sinking stones and butterflies, recurring thoughts, and sincere grappling with the emotional risks of being authentic (or not).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Forced institutionalization
This is an in-depth, poetic look at juvenile incarceration.mandkips's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Confinement, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Police brutality
Minor: Slavery
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
reading this book was an experience. punching the air is neither too plot- nor character-driven - amal and the tide of his days and life are instead driven along by the oppressive system - but the emotions it's able to evoke from the reader are sth else.
zoboi and salaam masterfully use the verse form to their advantage, visually depicting the oppressiveness and sense of being trapped deeply felt by amal and many black boys and men everywhere under the american prison industrial complex. how the system and the white ppl who both consciously and inadvertently uphold it are illustrated w/ nuance and a keen eye, their ignorance and racism so ingrained they arent even aware of the power of their words or actions, and all of it maddening esp in the juvie setting. this book's also abt art and its power, and the structure and incorporation of drawing and many visual elements rly complement the aforementioned themes.
tbh the novel's content and msg arent anything unfamiliar, but i think what truly makes it unique is the whole absorbing experience the one feels reading it. the emotions it evokes are near total, and one feels strongly connected to amal and what he's going thru. perhaps the fact that salaam himself has been thru the very same thing as amal has sth to do w/ it, and he's able to channel it all very well here.
overall, this is a very emotionally absorbing and powerful book. it's not rly plot-heavy but its form and structure are surprisingly effective and impactful.
zoboi and salaam masterfully use the verse form to their advantage, visually depicting the oppressiveness and sense of being trapped deeply felt by amal and many black boys and men everywhere under the american prison industrial complex. how the system and the white ppl who both consciously and inadvertently uphold it are illustrated w/ nuance and a keen eye, their ignorance and racism so ingrained they arent even aware of the power of their words or actions, and all of it maddening esp in the juvie setting. this book's also abt art and its power, and the structure and incorporation of drawing and many visual elements rly complement the aforementioned themes.
tbh the novel's content and msg arent anything unfamiliar, but i think what truly makes it unique is the whole absorbing experience the one feels reading it. the emotions it evokes are near total, and one feels strongly connected to amal and what he's going thru. perhaps the fact that salaam himself has been thru the very same thing as amal has sth to do w/ it, and he's able to channel it all very well here.
overall, this is a very emotionally absorbing and powerful book. it's not rly plot-heavy but its form and structure are surprisingly effective and impactful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Confinement, and Police brutality
Moderate: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Violence
berglindsh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-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
Graphic: Confinement, Hate crime, Physical abuse, and Racism