Reviews

Let Me Hear a Rhyme, by Tiffany D. Jackson

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tremalika's review

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adventurous emotional funny sad fast-paced

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

emily_mh's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Tiffany D. Jackson is an auto-buy author for me, okay? She is SO TALENTED and I can just trust that her books will be a hit with me. This was no different.

There are two major parts to the plot of this book: Jasmine, Quadir, and Jarrell trying to get their dead brother and friend Steph a record deal, and them trying to solve his murder. The music side of the plot paced the story well from the beginning. It brought some levity to it as the MCs were made to navigate the challenges brought about when you’re trying to get a record deal for someone who is no longer alive. It still had a huge emotional impact though, because it was through Steph’s music that the MCs were processing their grief and mourning for him. The murder mystery plot line mirrored the music one in that through trying to solve Steph’s murder, the MCs were seeking closure and also justice for Steph. And it certainly kept me guessing till the end! Inextricably woven into all of this was nuanced discussion of racism, classism, and sexism, and the way they manifest in social issues (that directly impacted and influenced the story itself) such as police brutality, lack of access and opportunity, and gun violence.

The MCs were excellent. Individually they all had amazing character development, coming so far from where they started out at the beginning of the book. This really is a coming-of-age story, where Jarrell, Quadir and Jasmine are learning a lot about themselves, each other, and the world around them.

The friendship shown in this story was beautiful. Not only was it written so naturally, but the MCs had such loyalty and love for one another, and for Steph. The lengths they went to make his dreams come true and get justice for him spoke to their deep devotion. I also liked the romance between Quadir and Jasmine, and generally loved how community was depicted in people showing up for others when they needed it.

Finally, I loved learning about 90s hip hop culture, like what different artists were known for and the impact their music had on listeners. On that note, Malik “Malik-16” Sharif’s lyrics were incredible in how expressive they were and and how they perfectly tied into the narrative.

Content Warnings

riahwamby's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

This one wasn’t bad, just didn’t hold up to some of Tiffany D Jackson’s other works imo.

leeleeloosies's review against another edition

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there was something so special abt the audiobook that i don’t think this medium quite captures. also i don’t think this plot has much re-read value

rose_peterson's review against another edition

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3.0

First, I love that this book is unapologetically black: no white suburbs or white schools or white friends or white norms. This is SO rare in YA lit today, as even the handful of books that feature main characters of color often still situate them in white contexts.

I know my kids will like the NYC setting, the hip hop references, and the pieces of the mystery, but I worry that for the kids with whom all of this resonates, mirroring their neighborhood and their experiences, the ending will be too tidy and artificial.

juanitamfm's review against another edition

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5.0

I just finished “Let Me Hear a Rhyme” by Tiffany D. Jackson. I chose this book because I’m trying to read more diverse books by diverse authors. It’s a great YA novel that was a real quick read for me because I really wanted to see how she was going to wrap it all up. The ending was better than I expected! I love how real the characters are. It’s a great book for anyone who knows anything about 90’s rap.

bkyng313's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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

4.5

I loved this book. It had some feel good moments and also some spots where my heart truly ached for the characters. All in all a good read.

Content Warnings

duskyliterati's review

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5.0

The author really captured the authenticity of young Black voices. Great references to 90s hip-hop and R&B with a nice whodunit mystery. Needed a Spotify playlist as a companion.