Reviews with content warning for Racism - Me (Moth)

I struggled with the YA aspects of this novel, but that's a me problem since I'm not a huge fan of YA teenage/high school drama. Otherwise, this is beautifully written and the haunting language and imagery made me reconsider how I view the world. The ending blew me away and will linger with me for days -- if not years -- to come.

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haylzno's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

First off, the narration was just wonderful. Amber McBride really knocked it out of the park. It was like I was listening to someone recite poetry. I loved the addition of music to add to the storyline and aid in our (readers) understanding of the bond between Moth and Sani.

I'm not one to ever guess "plot twists" and I definitely didn't foresee any of this plot. I loved that most of the novel was told through Moths POV and only switched to Sani at the end. The characters were relatable and it really provoked many emotions (again, the audiobook was just fantastic. I listened to it while paining and had to take quite a few breaks to wipe away some tears).

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halfbloodprincess_hogwarts's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious 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

5.0

I absolutely adore this audio!!! So fast-paced with no filler sentences. Adore how poetic, spiritual and straight to the point this novel is told.

This novel in a span of 3 hours had so much heartache, passion, first love, tragedy, emotion and everything in-between. But that plot twist at the end completely shook my world and felt bittersweet. Moth is such a loving character whom I wanted to encase in a protective bubble. I adore both her and Sani's relationship.

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bookishcori's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

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uglypopcorn's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

4.5

Like a Phantom Limb...

...this piece will stay with me forever.

Me (Moth) is a beautiful sweeping first-person narrative inverse. Its richness in both Hoodoo and Navajo (Diné) tradition and creation story give it critical depth. There are so many lines that spark beauty in the mind,

"Honey, you can keep me forever, like a phantom limb."

The tender connection between the main characters, Moth and Sani, will make you realize what you've been missing in your reads all this time. You'll find yourself tumbling with them as they whirl through myth, music, dance, and emotion on their solitary road trip - bringing you to a conclusion completely unseen.

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theespressoedition's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad medium-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

This book rendered me absolutely speechless. It was poignant, heartbreaking, and an absolute must-read.

I always knew that I loved prose, but I never knew how much I loved it until I read Me (Moth). This book did something that I've never seen before: it took a story and made it feel like a song. Or maybe it took a poem and made it feel like a river - something I had to navigate my way through rather than just reading a line and moving on. All I know is that I'm so glad that I started my year by reading this book.

When I spontaneously picked this up at a local coffee shop, the barista told me that I was making a wonderful decision. That while she preferred non-fiction on most occasions, after reading this book, she's predicting it will be considered an American classic in the future. I believe that if enough people get their hands on this beautiful book, her predictions could come true. So this is me screaming it from the rooftops: PLEASE READ THIS BOOK.

It's not an easy read, but don't let that deter you. It might make you cry (it made me cry), but it's so worth it. You may even be a little bit confused at times, but it does all make sense by the end - and I can almost guarantee that the moment you close it, you'll want to pick it back up again. That's what happened to me.

Me (Moth) is the kind of book that makes you want to get a second, third, and fourth copy to annotate with your thoughts before giving it to your friends (or placing one in each room in the house just to look back on - or cry over - at a later time).

I'd like to just give a long and loud round of applause to the author for producing something so breathtaking. Thank you for this masterpiece.

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ashleyreads88's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

*I received this for review from NetGalley, in no way shape or form does that influence my opinion on this book.

I love a novel in verse, and Me (Moth) is that. I honestly don't think this book would work if it was written in prose. I loved Moth, I found that I was able to relate to her, I always felt like an outsider and misunderstood. Moth's relationship with Sani was great, I appreciated how much they wanted to connect to their family roots. The twist at the end of the book was one that I didn't see coming. Me (Moth) is a beautiful debut.

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oldandnewbooksmell's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad 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? No

4.0

Trigger Warnings: physical abuse, racism, bullying, death, mental health - depression

Moth lost her mother, father, and brother when their car split in half like a candy bar. Now she lives with her aunt but she feels deeply alone and unnoticed.

Then one day, she meets Sani, a boy battling depression and searching for his roots, and hoping that finding those will help him understand the static in his mind. If Moth can help him, maybe she can understand her own history. They decide to go on a road trip together to find out.

A YA novel told in verse, Me (Moth) is about identity, first love, and what holds us together.

What a beautiful, heartbreaking story. Both Moth and Sani and their stories will stay with me for a very long time. Amber McBride did wonderful writing these characters so they dug into your heart to stay there. McBride also did an amazing job at including Navajo and Hoodoo culture and blending them together through Moth and Sani.

This book will sit among the titles of The Poet X, The Crossover, and Long Way Down, just you wait, it is that special! It’s a fast read that will break your heart and stitch it back together, all while you learn and grow with Moth and Sani.

I borrowed this from my public library, but I’m adding it to my list to get myself my own copy so I can reread it again, and again, and again. Teens and adults will both be mesmerized by this emotionally beautiful novel-in-verse.

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