Reviews

Toen ik de sterkste was by Jason Reynolds

bioniclib's review against another edition

4.0

I struggled a little bit with how the disability was portrayed. Needles Tourette Syndrome was a plot device without which there would be no major conflict. But Reynolds is so good at creating characters that are more than their stereotype, while not shying away from the traits that made that stereotype a thing.

He's also great at creating a happy ending that's not a fairy tale. The current crisis is passed but the characters are still oppressed. He lets the reader peek behind the curtain of the minority life in this country and doesn't try to apologize or excuse the situation. Things change, because without change there would be no plot, but they also stay the same. But with one difference.

Now there's hope.

jadedandylions's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

kirstenrose22's review against another edition

3.0

This may just not be my thing. It's well-written and compelling, but by the end I was just left with a feeling of "so what?" *shrug*

kim_j_dare's review against another edition

5.0

Ali hangs with his friend Noodles on the streets of Bed-Stuy, and with Noodles' older brother Needles, who is protected by everyone in the neighborhood because of his syndrome. The two brothers' nicknames were created by Ali's younger sister Jazz, and are hilarious stories in and of themselves. Fifteen years old, Ali stays out of trouble for the most part, largely because he is scared to death of the consequences of his mom discovering any shenanigans. But when he and Noodles and Needles wrangle an invitation to a Momo party--way out of their normal social stratosphere-- all bets are off, and Ali is suddenly thrust into a situation that could put his life at risk. This is a wonderful story from a new author whose voice is reminiscent of [a:Walter Dean Myers|13291|Walter Dean Myers|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1230178601p2/13291.jpg]. Ali's family and friends are fully drawn, and readers will feel a strong connection to this teen and his struggles and triumphs.

lauraborkpower's review against another edition

3.0

In November I listened to an NPR interview with Reynolds about his book Long Way Down, a book that's also made a lot of "best of YA" lists for 2017. So I got on the hold list to check that one out at the library, and then I picked up this early novel (might be his first novel) to get a sense of his writing. And it's good writing.

I can't say that I'm a prolific reader of YA, but from what I see, there's not a lot of Black male representation, and Reynolds fills this space well. The story -- not exactly a "coming of age" because Ali has needed to be mature beyond his years -- is about brothers and family and acceptance of both. Reynolds's characters are well rounded and he writes great dialogue; Ali's voice is authentic (though his use of the word "poseur" feels out of place for any 15-year-old outside of a Wes Anderson movie [and yes this is a single, minor infraction, but it took me out for a split second]); and the plot has the perfect amount of conflict (it's focused on friendship rather than romance, which is something I'd like all female-centered YA novels to be). I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from Reynolds.

jesslinne's review against another edition

emotional tense medium-paced

4.25

rembrandt1881's review against another edition

4.0

This book started slower than I thought in a couple of ways and for a while I thought I was going to be disappointed. However I had to realize the aim of this book and it's targeted group. Once I did that I was in the right frame of mind to read it and get the message. While I thought I would be able to predict what was going to happen things did play out slightly different than what I expected and when it reached the climax and the way events unfolded. Once it got to that point I couldn't stop reading it until I had finished, even when you think the 'action' is over. The lessons taught were important ones and made it a very worthwhile read.

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!