Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'
Mes coups seront mes mots by Ibi Zoboi, Yusef Salaam
16 reviews
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
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
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.iheartm4m's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Racism, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, and Violence
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Physical abuse, Gore, and Blood
knifewifestan's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Bullying, Cursing, Racism, Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting
brookey8888's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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? Yes
4.5
Wow was very good. I honestly had no clue what this was about when I picked it up, I just recognized the author. This is such an important story that everyone should read. It does discuss hard, but important topics so be prepared. Some of the poems(?) gave me goosebumps. The reason it’s a 4.5 is because it did take me a while to get used to the verse and kind of connect with the story, but once I did I couldn’t put this down. Highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Confinement, Racism, Violence, Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Colonisation, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Hate crime
hazel_t23's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
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? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Police brutality, Violence, and Cursing
rachelwierick's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Minor: Slavery
jessnreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Racial slurs, and Violence
Minor: Blood
charlottesomewhere's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
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? It's complicated
Absolutely brilliant verse novel about a young black man's experience of being in the prison system for a crime didn't commit. Thought provoking and packs a real punch. A must-read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Racism, and Racial slurs