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carolita1128's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, and Toxic friendship
vaniavela's review against another edition
emotional
sad
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? No
5.0
The Black Girls Left Standing is a portrayal of the impact of police brutality, showing the grief people go through and how family relationships are affected.
Beau's sister Katia is murdered after being accused of breaking and entering, but Beau knows her sister. She would never do that.
It was devastating to read how Beau handled her sister's death while having to act like an adult, repressing her childhood and adolescence.
Juliana Goodman made a great debut, impressing me with her work. Her writing is emotional and painful, being a book with flawed characters and incredible flashbacks that explore Beau's relationship with her sister.
This story keeps you hooked, showing us the reality behind the racism, police brutality and grief. I think it was a great ending.
That said, The Black Girls Left Standing deserved to end better. Some of the characters should not have been forgotten as easily as they were.
I highly recommend this book.
tw: gun violence, racism, police brutality, death, drug use, mental illness, toxic friendship, sexual harassment.
Beau's sister Katia is murdered after being accused of breaking and entering, but Beau knows her sister. She would never do that.
It was devastating to read how Beau handled her sister's death while having to act like an adult, repressing her childhood and adolescence.
Juliana Goodman made a great debut, impressing me with her work. Her writing is emotional and painful, being a book with flawed characters and incredible flashbacks that explore Beau's relationship with her sister.
This story keeps you hooked, showing us the reality behind the racism, police brutality and grief. I think it was a great ending.
That said, The Black Girls Left Standing deserved to end better. Some of the characters should not have been forgotten as easily as they were.
I highly recommend this book.
tw: gun violence, racism, police brutality, death, drug use, mental illness, toxic friendship, sexual harassment.
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Death and Drug use
Minor: Mental illness, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
elizabeth_delozier's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
This is a wonderful and engaging contemporary, own voices, debut, YA novel. The reader is told an emotional story across a nonlinear timeline of the events leading up to, and following, the murder of the main character's sister. Our main character, Beau, is a young Black girl from Chicago who, while processing her grief, is also desperately trying to understand the circumstances surrounding the murder of her older sister, Katia, by local police. She and her friend find themselves in more and more dangerous situations as Beau uncovers more about the events leading up to, and people involved in, her sister's murder.
This well written story keeps you engaged throughout its entirety and tackles topics (without glossing over the painful reality of such topics) of grief, institutionalized racism, gentrification, SES, police brutality (including minors), gang violence, bullying, and coming of age.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Ariel Blake, via NetGalley. An advanced reader's copy of this audiobook was provided to me via NetGalley by Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.
This well written story keeps you engaged throughout its entirety and tackles topics (without glossing over the painful reality of such topics) of grief, institutionalized racism, gentrification, SES, police brutality (including minors), gang violence, bullying, and coming of age.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Ariel Blake, via NetGalley. An advanced reader's copy of this audiobook was provided to me via NetGalley by Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Police brutality, and Grief
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Blood, Murder, and Gaslighting
Minor: Toxic friendship and Sexual harassment
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