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A review by bickie
When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds
4.0
Solid kid Allen "Ali," almost 16, growing up in Bed-Stuy; good relationship with his little sister, Jazz, 11; strong mom who works as a social worker during the day and at a department store sales floor in the evenings; dad a hustler with a good heart. Best local friend (as opposed to school friends from all over NYC) Noodles is bitter about his lot in life and has a complicated relationship with his year-older brother Needles, who has Tourette Syndrome. Ali tends to clean up after Noodles' messes, such as paying for things he steals, but doesn't like how Noodles is always beating up on his brother Needles. Things come to a head when they end up at an exclusive party meant for 18+ people, one thing leads to another, and a fight breaks out. Solid themes of deciding what's right/wrong, how much to tolerate from your friends/people you love before you have to cut them loose.
Some authentic swearing, including quotes from Needles' outbursts, threat of gun violence, hand-to-hand violence in one major scene and one "off-screen" scene, one incidence of teen drinking ("loose juice") and subsequent sexual non-intercourse encounter with healthy self-knowledge tinged with mental impairment.
J.B. Adkins' narration is spot on. He captures the personality and generally optimistic, self-aware tone of Ali very well. Some of the female characters' voices sometimes come across as a little odd, but that is a quibble. It's a terrific narration.
Some authentic swearing, including quotes from Needles' outbursts, threat of gun violence, hand-to-hand violence in one major scene and one "off-screen" scene, one incidence of teen drinking ("loose juice") and subsequent sexual non-intercourse encounter with healthy self-knowledge tinged with mental impairment.
J.B. Adkins' narration is spot on. He captures the personality and generally optimistic, self-aware tone of Ali very well. Some of the female characters' voices sometimes come across as a little odd, but that is a quibble. It's a terrific narration.