A review by pigegesy
The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

3.0

I wasn't really feeling a school shooter's perspective. While Jake's comments on experiences of Black kids in predominantly white schools and how they endure so much systematic mistreatments and racial abuse from peers and teachers, bc schools are designed to oppress with what they teach, what they don't but should have, and how they just let microaggressions happen. It was well-done here (my white european arse think). Parts of it reminded me a bit of ,,Ace of Spades" how straightforward, ruthless and no-bullshit-taken it treats the subject. Those were my favourite parts, though the book was taken over by a white boy's cruel but meaningless inner thoughts. Some may say Sawyer has colonised the story that belonged to Jake. Given the ending...
does anyone else interpreted the body possession as a literal take on colonialism and imperialism?
I loved it!! Maybe because I really hate today's state of the world where Black identity is used as a prop for maintaining power structures. Where it so common to endorse systems of oppressions if they are made by diverse leaders. White supremacy is always the wrong choice, no matter which face is representing it. Maybe I just deeply hate liberals and made my own freak interpretation of what the scene meant, but isn't it what art is about? Uhh, about the book, thougg... I disliked one-dimensional characters and the love story with very boring, very forced-to-be-cool love interest, too. But good for them boys,
it actually cured Jake's anxiety
🤍 There were also super YA story devices that were too cheesy and ridiculous for my liking, like
Allister's hacking skills and the breaking in scene
, but well, am I not ridiculous myself blaming YA for being YA? Don't mind me, it's me-problem 😔 Anyway, I gave it 1.5 stars originally, but fuck it, it was actually okay. Up to 3 stars we go! This opinion has no structure and conveyed very little about the book itself, and I don't know how people stay on topic and are actually useful for potential readers. Sorry.
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