Reviews with content warning for Drug use - The Black Flamingo

Quick but provocative YA read, written in verse! This is a great coming-of-age novel that draws on the character's sexuality, race and acceptance of oneself. I loved reading this verse and how it connected from one piece to the next. Any readers put off by the idea of verse in a novel: don't be! It's a very engaging and accessible text with short and sharp poems that keep you thinking long after you've turned the page.

TW: racism, homophobia, bullying, drug use

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menomica's review against another edition

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emotional funny informative inspiring medium-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? No

4.0

Remember you have the right to be proud. Remember you have the right to be you.

Oh god. Wow. Wow.
This book is so beautiful and powerful. I think this is a very great source of Black Queer literature. I loved walking with Micheal from childhood to his college years. Watching him grow into himself, making and loosing friends.

I loved that this book didn’t focus on love. There was love definitely, between friends and family, but Micheal never had a main love interest, but guys that he was really into, which is, exactly the experience of being a teenager/young adult. This book just focused on Micheal and how he felt. And it did so with beautiful prose. I don’t usually care too much about poetry, but this book was very great in both it’s formatting and it’s use of language. Very amazing.

I also learned a lot about drag through this. No so much the technical aspect but the emotional artist’s statement. I loved learning about how personal drag performance is, and getting to the heart it being a form of self expression and playing with gender.

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lindseyhall44's review against another edition

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emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

A moving portrayal of sexuality, race, indentity, and love, Black Flamingo is a story I will never forget.
This beautiful novel-in verse- wraps around your heart and doesn’t let go.

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martapsalvado's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? N/A

5.0

This book!! I knew from the start I would love it and I was absolutely right. The writing is beautiful, the illustrations are beautiful, the characters are beautiful, everything is beautiful. We follow the main character's journey to self-discovery and self-expression from childhood to college. It's not just extremely entertaining but inspiring and eye-opening as well.

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jasthebooklover4's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring 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

I thought it was a great and powerful read. The Black Flamingo is written in prose. In it we follow Micheal from a young age as a mixed race gay teen. Then when he goes to university trying to find where he belongs, he learns how to spread his wings as a Drag artist.

I really like Micheal's character and reading about his life/ journey. This is a coming of age story with lots of topics and themes being discussed. This was a deep book, but there were some sweet and touching moments.

Micheal is a half Jamaican and half Greek-Cyprian, living in England. Throughout the novel he doesn't feel like he is Black or Greek enough. He also deals with struggles with racism and having people stereotype him. We also see him coming out, figuring out his identity, and finding his place in the drag society where he could be the confident and fierce person he is. The Black Flamingo also have themes of family, friendship, and love.

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howlinglibraries's review against another edition

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hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

"So who is The Black Flamingo?"

"He is me, who I have been,
who I am, who I hope to become.
Someone fabulous, wild, and strong.
With or without a costume on."

I'd been meaning to read The Black Flamingo since it took the book community by storm a couple of years ago, and it definitely did NOT disappoint. Following Michael, a young biracial (Jamaican/Greek Cypriot) British boy, we start off at a young age in his life and watch him grow into a college freshman learning self-love through drag.

The entire story is told as a novel in verse, but the first-person narrative gave the book a very autobiographical feeling that was beautiful to experience. There's a lot of commentary on race, gender, sexuality, and feeling "othered" by your loved ones that a lot of readers will absolutely relate to, but most of all, I loved seeing this beautiful queer young Black boy celebrate every facet of his identity by the end of it.

It's for your liberation. It's knowing that after this nothing will be the same for you. It's a rebirth.

✨ Representation: Michael is Jamaican/Greek Cypriot and self-identifies as both Black and mixed, is gay, and uses he/him pronouns but seems to be exploring some elements of his gender; several side characters are Black and/or multiracial; several side characters are queer, including gay, lesbian, bi, and trans on-page representations

✨ Content warnings for: bullying, homophobia, racism, substance abuse, absent parent, brief mention of child abuse

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ash_the_spy's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny inspiring 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

4.5

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tahsintries's review against another edition

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4.0

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