rainbow_reviewss's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is the story of a young eighteen years old black guy called Keith. He has lots of problems in his family. It is a dysfunctional family where the mother is a drug addict and the family ties are not strong enough. Things change for Keith when he meets a thug boy “Derrick Cummins” who calls himself D. The two fall for each other yet they struggle to accept their newfound sexuality. And what makes things even more complicated is Jesse Cummins (D’s cousin) coming into the picture and disturbing Keith’s life with his sexual advances. The story is narrated in first-person style from Keith’s point of view.
You can consider this as a coming-of-age story and a slice of life as well. It is more about the relationships between these African-American guys. The way they deal with their insecurities, vulnerabilities, and all the different issues that are affecting their lives. It is not your typical queer romance as it has other elements of storytelling that are more than just pure romance.
When I picked up this story I wanted to read something with a black main character. I’m glad I’ve read this book because it really felt that I was reading about black characters. The author made sure the characters were authentic in their dialogue and their conversation was thug-like as he intended. There are many gay and racial slurs in the book so be warned if that makes you uncomfortable. The steamy scenes were intense both emotionally and sexually. I think the author kept a good balance between love and lust in the story. The characters are well developed and each is multilayered. The story has a sequel so I will be looking forward to reading it too.
The Review
You can consider this as a coming-of-age story and a slice of life as well. It is more about the relationships between these African-American guys. The way they deal with their insecurities, vulnerabilities, and all the different issues that are affecting their lives. It is not your typical queer romance as it has other elements of storytelling that are more than just pure romance.
When I picked up this story I wanted to read something with a black main character. I’m glad I’ve read this book because it really felt that I was reading about black characters. The author made sure the characters were authentic in their dialogue and their conversation was thug-like as he intended. There are many gay and racial slurs in the book so be warned if that makes you uncomfortable. The steamy scenes were intense both emotionally and sexually. I think the author kept a good balance between love and lust in the story. The characters are well developed and each is multilayered. The story has a sequel so I will be looking forward to reading it too.
The Review
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