A review by rorikae
Yesterday Is History by Kosoko Jackson
hopeful
reflective
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? Yes
3.75
'Yesterday Is History' by Kosoko Jackson is a sweet story that explores first love, familial expectations, and more with time travel.
The story follows Andre Cobb, who is recovering from a liver transplant. Andre is just trying to get back to his life, finish off his last classes, and head off to school to be a doctor like his parents have always expected. But suddenly, Andre is pulled back in time to 1969, where he meets Michael, the boy that lives in his childhood home. Andre feels a spark with Michael, but then he is whisked back to his time period and he starts to unravel what happened and what it means for his future.
This story has so much heart. Jackson has created lovable characters that are dealing with difficult situations and often stumbling on their way. Andre is still trying to get his head around his future and whether he wants to follow in what his parents expect for him or what he truly feels called to do. The time travel element works great as a way to demonstrate how Andre is split between his past and the possibilities for his future. I do think that one of the downsides to this story is that it doesn't feel completely fleshed out and at times feels a little rushed. There are moments I wish were given more time and others that are merely mentioned that I think would have been helpful to have seen. There is some reconciliation that happens off the page that I think should have been a full scene and some elements that I think could have been delved further into. Even so, it's a really sweet story and the ending tugged at my heart. I'm interested to see what Jackson writes next as I think this novel shows a lot of promise.
The story follows Andre Cobb, who is recovering from a liver transplant. Andre is just trying to get back to his life, finish off his last classes, and head off to school to be a doctor like his parents have always expected. But suddenly, Andre is pulled back in time to 1969, where he meets Michael, the boy that lives in his childhood home. Andre feels a spark with Michael, but then he is whisked back to his time period and he starts to unravel what happened and what it means for his future.
This story has so much heart. Jackson has created lovable characters that are dealing with difficult situations and often stumbling on their way. Andre is still trying to get his head around his future and whether he wants to follow in what his parents expect for him or what he truly feels called to do. The time travel element works great as a way to demonstrate how Andre is split between his past and the possibilities for his future. I do think that one of the downsides to this story is that it doesn't feel completely fleshed out and at times feels a little rushed. There are moments I wish were given more time and others that are merely mentioned that I think would have been helpful to have seen. There is some reconciliation that happens off the page that I think should have been a full scene and some elements that I think could have been delved further into. Even so, it's a really sweet story and the ending tugged at my heart. I'm interested to see what Jackson writes next as I think this novel shows a lot of promise.
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Medical content, and Cancer