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miasupremacy321's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
alexandriatp's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
tense
4.25
christiana's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars for me. I appreciated getting a glimpse into a world I know little about by a main character that was instantly likeable. I liked this cast of characters too. I wonder about the ending a bit-the rest feels so raw and honest and that felt like it pulled a punch a bit. On the other hand, I think it has a wide audience, which I appreciate in hand outability when I'm recommending books. The narrator was...alright for me. I would hear a certain phrase narrated and think about how if I had seen that in print, I don't think I would have read it with the same tone and intent. But I assume the author is involved in that sort of thing? But maybe not? At any rate, this one made me interested to delve into more of Reynolds' stuff. I can see why he's racking up the awards and has so many readers!
bickie's review against another edition
4.0
Solid kid Allen "Ali," almost 16, growing up in Bed-Stuy; good relationship with his little sister, Jazz, 11; strong mom who works as a social worker during the day and at a department store sales floor in the evenings; dad a hustler with a good heart. Best local friend (as opposed to school friends from all over NYC) Noodles is bitter about his lot in life and has a complicated relationship with his year-older brother Needles, who has Tourette Syndrome. Ali tends to clean up after Noodles' messes, such as paying for things he steals, but doesn't like how Noodles is always beating up on his brother Needles. Things come to a head when they end up at an exclusive party meant for 18+ people, one thing leads to another, and a fight breaks out. Solid themes of deciding what's right/wrong, how much to tolerate from your friends/people you love before you have to cut them loose.
Some authentic swearing, including quotes from Needles' outbursts, threat of gun violence, hand-to-hand violence in one major scene and one "off-screen" scene, one incidence of teen drinking ("loose juice") and subsequent sexual non-intercourse encounter with healthy self-knowledge tinged with mental impairment.
J.B. Adkins' narration is spot on. He captures the personality and generally optimistic, self-aware tone of Ali very well. Some of the female characters' voices sometimes come across as a little odd, but that is a quibble. It's a terrific narration.
Some authentic swearing, including quotes from Needles' outbursts, threat of gun violence, hand-to-hand violence in one major scene and one "off-screen" scene, one incidence of teen drinking ("loose juice") and subsequent sexual non-intercourse encounter with healthy self-knowledge tinged with mental impairment.
J.B. Adkins' narration is spot on. He captures the personality and generally optimistic, self-aware tone of Ali very well. Some of the female characters' voices sometimes come across as a little odd, but that is a quibble. It's a terrific narration.
kitsuneheart's review against another edition
4.0
Oh, the cover makes so much more sense, now! It's not just artsy! It actually connects to the characters! Or, more specifically, to the character Needles, so named because he uses knitting to control his Tourette Syndrome. And that? That is the easiest part of this book. This book is hard, but it is necessary, and a good read.
Ali and his family live in Bed Stuy, New York, in a neighborhood becoming rapidly gentrified. There's not much focus on that conflict, though there is a sense that a sequel might focus on the rising rent prices caused by Yuppies deciding to move into "up and coming" neighborhoods. Instead, this book looks at the specific pressures of brothers Noodles and Needles, and their friend, the narrator, Ali. The main plot of the book only spans a few days, but we are treated to a few flashbacks of the friendship between the three boys, including a close look at the problems of Noodles, trying to fit into a new neighborhood while his mother is conspicuously absent, and also trying to care for his brother, without seeming weak or somehow also touched by TS.
The main conflict ends up being not between the boys and their world, but among the boys themselves, with Noodles especially learning how to mold himself around his life, rather than trying to break everything that threatens to shape him. There are no easy fixes, but there are realistic ones.
The narration by J. B. Adkins is pretty good, so if you can find an audiobook version of this, I recommend a listen. It won the Steptoe Award, so there's a good chance your library system will carry this book, at least for the next few years.
Ali and his family live in Bed Stuy, New York, in a neighborhood becoming rapidly gentrified. There's not much focus on that conflict, though there is a sense that a sequel might focus on the rising rent prices caused by Yuppies deciding to move into "up and coming" neighborhoods. Instead, this book looks at the specific pressures of brothers Noodles and Needles, and their friend, the narrator, Ali. The main plot of the book only spans a few days, but we are treated to a few flashbacks of the friendship between the three boys, including a close look at the problems of Noodles, trying to fit into a new neighborhood while his mother is conspicuously absent, and also trying to care for his brother, without seeming weak or somehow also touched by TS.
The main conflict ends up being not between the boys and their world, but among the boys themselves, with Noodles especially learning how to mold himself around his life, rather than trying to break everything that threatens to shape him. There are no easy fixes, but there are realistic ones.
The narration by J. B. Adkins is pretty good, so if you can find an audiobook version of this, I recommend a listen. It won the Steptoe Award, so there's a good chance your library system will carry this book, at least for the next few years.
jspeight49's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.75
shirleytupperfreeman's review against another edition
Even though I think author Jason Reynolds is amazing, I avoided this young adult book primarily because of the cover. But it turns out one shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. This is a well done coming-of-age story about three urban black teens. Narrator Ali is 15 and not really into the drugs and violence that some in the neighborhood are into. He and his sister and mother befriend two brothers that move into the run-down building next door. One of the brothers has Tourette's Syndrome and the other brother has some issues of his own. At the beginning of the novel, Ali is fairly timid but has a chance to prove himself and do some growing up in the process. For those who don't like the cover, know that knitting (not crocheting) figures prominently and guns not so much.
hayleybeale's review against another edition
4.0
A contemporary slice of life in an urban African American setting - chock full of heart, and appealing read by J. B. Adkins. See my full review here.
vreadsalot's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
CAWPILE: 6.07/3*
Voor mijn smaak was er een beetje weinig plot voor de lengte van het boek. Ali was een leuk personage om het perspectief van te lezen, though.
Voor mijn smaak was er een beetje weinig plot voor de lengte van het boek. Ali was een leuk personage om het perspectief van te lezen, though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
dabooktherapist23's review against another edition
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0