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A review by teachinatardis
Torment: A Novella by H.D. Hunter
5.0
This book fell into my life.
For most of this novella, the story is told by a narrator whose name we do not learn until the end. He pours himself out to us as he navigates his brother’s funeral. We know he loves his sister Aquila and that he has mixed feelings about his town, which is the only world he’s known. We learn that he sees himself as “special” in that “I’m in a different class than everyone else” kind of way and that knowledge has molded what he sees when he looks in the mirror. This book is beautifully written and shines with pride for black culture and the power of community. It also doesn’t shy away from pointing out how mental health is viewed in the black community and its effect on the narrator’s own story. It’s also one of the rare YA books that is easily categorized as a solid middle school read due to the lack of potentially offensive content. Books that become windows for readers who are like the characters and doorways for readers who are not...that feel authentic, not forced, and engaging, are special and deserve to be read, discussed, and passed along.
For most of this novella, the story is told by a narrator whose name we do not learn until the end. He pours himself out to us as he navigates his brother’s funeral. We know he loves his sister Aquila and that he has mixed feelings about his town, which is the only world he’s known. We learn that he sees himself as “special” in that “I’m in a different class than everyone else” kind of way and that knowledge has molded what he sees when he looks in the mirror. This book is beautifully written and shines with pride for black culture and the power of community. It also doesn’t shy away from pointing out how mental health is viewed in the black community and its effect on the narrator’s own story. It’s also one of the rare YA books that is easily categorized as a solid middle school read due to the lack of potentially offensive content. Books that become windows for readers who are like the characters and doorways for readers who are not...that feel authentic, not forced, and engaging, are special and deserve to be read, discussed, and passed along.