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A review by callme_tippy
King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Kacen writes books that seem like they are for Black people on the outside, but in reality they are actually written for white people.
I find it very interesting that in a book where Callendar themselves sates they wanted to make a book for young Black boys that have a Black gay lead, they still made the 2nd lead a white boy.
And not just any white boy, he' the son of the racist white sheriff, and the brother of the racist young man that killed a Black man by tying him to his truck and dragging him around town.
In what world is this written for young Black boys?
Wouldn't it have made more sense to have the main character as well as the 2nd main character/"kind of love interest" also be a young Black boy?
This novel could have given so much more than what it did. I think the book would have been much more powerful and impactful had both of the leads been young Black boys struggling with being gay.
On top of that, I found Sandy very annoying, I was sad for his situation but he was not a likeable character.
And to top it off, the only other young Black boy that speaks (besides the lead), is a misogynistic bigot. Meanwhile the young white boy in group is shown to be understanding and open minded.
I think some of the authors internalized anti-blackness and need for white approval shows through this book and characterizations.
This is the second book where I have had issue with the way Callendar portrays and writes their Black characters vs non-Black characters. I will not be reading another one of their books.
I find it very interesting that in a book where Callendar themselves sates they wanted to make a book for young Black boys that have a Black gay lead, they still made the 2nd lead a white boy.
And not just any white boy, he' the son of the racist white sheriff, and the brother of the racist young man that killed a Black man by tying him to his truck and dragging him around town.
In what world is this written for young Black boys?
Wouldn't it have made more sense to have the main character as well as the 2nd main character/"kind of love interest" also be a young Black boy?
This novel could have given so much more than what it did. I think the book would have been much more powerful and impactful had both of the leads been young Black boys struggling with being gay.
On top of that, I found Sandy very annoying, I was sad for his situation but he was not a likeable character.
And to top it off, the only other young Black boy that speaks (besides the lead), is a misogynistic bigot. Meanwhile the young white boy in group is shown to be understanding and open minded.
I think some of the authors internalized anti-blackness and need for white approval shows through this book and characterizations.
This is the second book where I have had issue with the way Callendar portrays and writes their Black characters vs non-Black characters. I will not be reading another one of their books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Outing
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Grief, and Classism