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sareah04's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
annie_bordeaux's review against another edition
4.0
this is a hard one to rate bc i agree with the message so much, so i just want to specify any of my criticisms are to the characters or the writing, not the message.
characters: the characters were fine. this book was definitely plot/message led so tracy was pretty developed but everyone else was quite bland. one of my main complaints with this book, though, is how unrealistically mature everyone is. the things characters (especially tracy) do and say arent things I would expect 25 year olds to do or say, much less a 17 year old.
plot: the plot was really well written. the mystery was really good too. I like how connected the plot was to the message, so the message didnt feel random.
relationships: I loved the familial relationships, especially tracy and jamal. I think their sibling relationship is really sweet, and I just love jamal. on the other hand, the love triangle is....hm. I mean its not bad, it's just kinda cheesy. plus u never really get to see much of dean, yet hes supposed to be the one shes leaning towards in the first half? if hes her very best friend then why are most of their interactions arguing lol
other: I think this book explored a lot of topics that people normally shy away from, and that's really good. the writing was very emotional too, whether that's joy or sadness, it could make you feel it along with the characters.
characters: the characters were fine. this book was definitely plot/message led so tracy was pretty developed but everyone else was quite bland. one of my main complaints with this book, though, is how unrealistically mature everyone is. the things characters (especially tracy) do and say arent things I would expect 25 year olds to do or say, much less a 17 year old.
plot: the plot was really well written. the mystery was really good too. I like how connected the plot was to the message, so the message didnt feel random.
relationships: I loved the familial relationships, especially tracy and jamal. I think their sibling relationship is really sweet, and I just love jamal. on the other hand, the love triangle is....hm. I mean its not bad, it's just kinda cheesy. plus u never really get to see much of dean, yet hes supposed to be the one shes leaning towards in the first half? if hes her very best friend then why are most of their interactions arguing lol
other: I think this book explored a lot of topics that people normally shy away from, and that's really good. the writing was very emotional too, whether that's joy or sadness, it could make you feel it along with the characters.
lcl_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
dreaming_ace's review
5.0
This was an important novel about the consequences of our current criminal justice system on people and on communities. Too many people do not experience justice when they deal with the criminal justice system. Too many people are in the criminal justice system because of bias and legacies of racism. Too many people have been deeply harmed by the criminal justice system full stop.
prettypious's review
5.0
This was a really good YA book. I see comparisons to Dear Martin and Dear Justyce but that’s wrong completely. Neither of those books quite compare. The closest I can think of is Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke but that still doesn’t quite capture it. Imagine if Ashley Ford, Ibi Zoboi, Brittany Cooper, Tiffany Jackson, Nicola Yoon, and Brandy Colbert got together to write a YA realistic fiction book and then you get this. The author invested me in the characters really early and the character development for the main characters was grade A. The pacing was good and I stayed on the edge of my seat as I waited to figure out what was going to happen next and what really happened. Anyways no review I can give can quite capture it cause honestly I’m overwhelmed by how good the book was, so I just say, read it, as soon as you can!
anaffpereira's review against another edition
5.0
It is sad, and disconcerting, to understand how truthful and relevant this work of fiction is. The Beaumont family might be fictional, but their struggles, their anguish is very much real. I was glad to read this eye-opening debut novel. It was a gripping story with a strong main character.
Spoiler
Unfortunately, not all families get their happy ending, butlovebooks314's review against another edition
Good but took me a while to read but still really good.
mariahistryingtoread's review against another edition
3.0
TW: racism, sexism, police violence
This book was in constant circulation in many book-ish circles I frequented in 2020. I kept putting it off because living while Black can be stressful enough without having to read about situations that (so far, thankfully) have not happened to me or anyone I know. Sometimes I get overwhelmed thinking about all the injustices committed against my people and I need a break. I finally worked up the mental fortitude to do so only to then keep putting off the review for similar reasons. Anyways, the point is this book can be tough to get through so take care of yourself.
The strongest part of this book was how well it handled the everyday realities of being Black. While having an innocent father on death row could be considered an extreme example of how Black people are unfairly misaligned in our society, I firmly disagree given how often Black people run afoul of the prison system by deceptive means. This is not a ‘normal’ experience in a traditional sense, but it’s an altogether too common one.
It captured the underlying fear and resolve it takes to simply go about your life when you are constantly inundated with proof of how much the world hates you. Of course, most Black people don’t spend all their time thinking about it because it is unfortunately expected at this point, however, the reality of it can rear its head at any moment given the inherent racism built into every facet of modern society. Kim Johnson understands the absurdity of having to live under the strain while other people, usually white, live blissfully unaware; the anger, the trepidation, the resignation that more often than not must be buried or ignored.
Even Tracy, who has people who get it around her, is stifled in one way or another. It’s hard to talk about especially when looking at the broader issue of how the medical community has used Black people as guinea pigs to further innovation for white people. It’s a wonder any Black person is willing to talk to a therapist at all.
While an author being Black does increase the chance that they will depict the Black lifestyle well, it does in no way guarantee it. I appreciated the consideration paid to the little details. It made it feel real.
I really liked Tracy. She was forthright and confident. I found her resilience very impressive for someone so young. I never once stopped believing in her. Her love for her family was bittersweet; a strong motivator yet the cause of endless heartbreak. I enjoyed watching her work out the mystery immensely.
The romance is like a pool of ink spilled out on a desk, ruining everything it touches.
It heavily relies on a love triangle in which both boys were woefully underdeveloped, annoying, and exuded toxic masculinity in spades. Admittedly, I’m not the biggest fan of romance in contemporary YA. But that’s because it so often detracts from the story and is poorly written because while it is almost a requirement for the genre, it is not required to be well done. If the book is a YA romance that’s one thing - the point is the romance obviously - but in books where it’s intended to be an aside nothing reduces my enjoyment more than a romance that muscles in on the actual plot.
The love triangle is between Quincy, a childhood friend whom Tracy became less close with after her fathers’ incarceration due to his injury sustained during Quincy’s fathers’ murder by the police for his supposed involvement in the crime Tracy’s father apparently committed and Dean, her best friend whom she became close with after his continued defense of her in the face of the public frenzy around her father’s arrest. Quincy is Black and Dean is white, thereby politicizing Tracy’s decision - adding an additional layer of pressure for her to choose ‘correctly’.
I disliked both options for the same reasons. First off, Tracy’s feelings for each were dependent upon how helpful each was to her at any given moment. Quincy implicitly didn't do enough when the two were children so she replaced him with Dean. Then once the Jamal situation kicks off her feelings suddenly resurface for Quincy because he’s now able to take care of her. For half the book every time she thinks about them it’s framed almost as if she's attempting to pick a boyfriend based upon her perception of what is owed to them.
This extends to how the boys treat her as well. The entirety of both of their characters is anchored to how they can protect Tracy. Tracy is an intelligent, extremely capable young woman. Yet, neither Quincy or Dean treat her as such. Oh sure, on the surface they allow her to make her own decisions, but as soon as Tracy makes a decision that they don’t agree with it becomes clear they both have this unspoken idea that their opinion on it trumps hers.
Tracy definitely makes mistakes and if another character wants to call her out for it I’m all for it. It’s the paternalistic attitude that bothers me. In these situations it’s not up for discussion, it’s generally an argument where Tracy defends her choice and then the guy badgers her into promising she’ll call him or text him or whatever when she gets the urge to do x, y, z again. While it can be helpful to have back-up I resent the fact that these boys are being validated for not viewing Tracy as an equal partner regardless of whether or not they would actually be beneficial to have around in certain circumstances. Honestly, what she would do rarely needed another person present anyways, they only wanted to come because they valued their worry over her judgment. And even if it did require a second person I personally would have preferred having Tracy’s close female friend Tasha, who disappears for the bulk of the novel, be her sidekick instead.
I will admit that I like how this book presents the pitfalls of interracial relationships, friendship or otherwise. It can be extremely difficult to interact meaningfully with white people, when you’re Black, for a variety of reasons. Often, books do not address the very real hardships people can face in making interracial romantic relationships work; from the stigma to disapproving family members to the potential violence to the cultural divide. It takes serious effort and that aspect is often glossed over because people would rather believe we live in a more progressive society than we do or are genuinely ignorant to the difficulties still at play. I liked that Johnson was able to be honest about what Tracy and Dean being together might mean whilst not demonizing their relationship or relationships like it as a whole.
The ending of the love triangle is abrupt. Tracy does not even have a conversation with one of the guys after choosing the other. The climax happens and then in the ensuing fallout it is never addressed. Another triangle simmering underneath between Tasha, Quincy and Tracy is dropped because Tasha is barely a character. Tasha has a minor plot with her dad who was recently released from prison for the second time. She is now resentful of him because in her eyes he squandered his first chance. This also is dropped.
All in all, the book is worth some hype though it’s not as magnificent as I thought it’d be. Still it is really good and I definitely do recommend it.
This book was in constant circulation in many book-ish circles I frequented in 2020. I kept putting it off because living while Black can be stressful enough without having to read about situations that (so far, thankfully) have not happened to me or anyone I know. Sometimes I get overwhelmed thinking about all the injustices committed against my people and I need a break. I finally worked up the mental fortitude to do so only to then keep putting off the review for similar reasons. Anyways, the point is this book can be tough to get through so take care of yourself.
The strongest part of this book was how well it handled the everyday realities of being Black. While having an innocent father on death row could be considered an extreme example of how Black people are unfairly misaligned in our society, I firmly disagree given how often Black people run afoul of the prison system by deceptive means. This is not a ‘normal’ experience in a traditional sense, but it’s an altogether too common one.
It captured the underlying fear and resolve it takes to simply go about your life when you are constantly inundated with proof of how much the world hates you. Of course, most Black people don’t spend all their time thinking about it because it is unfortunately expected at this point, however, the reality of it can rear its head at any moment given the inherent racism built into every facet of modern society. Kim Johnson understands the absurdity of having to live under the strain while other people, usually white, live blissfully unaware; the anger, the trepidation, the resignation that more often than not must be buried or ignored.
Even Tracy, who has people who get it around her, is stifled in one way or another. It’s hard to talk about especially when looking at the broader issue of how the medical community has used Black people as guinea pigs to further innovation for white people. It’s a wonder any Black person is willing to talk to a therapist at all.
While an author being Black does increase the chance that they will depict the Black lifestyle well, it does in no way guarantee it. I appreciated the consideration paid to the little details. It made it feel real.
I really liked Tracy. She was forthright and confident. I found her resilience very impressive for someone so young. I never once stopped believing in her. Her love for her family was bittersweet; a strong motivator yet the cause of endless heartbreak. I enjoyed watching her work out the mystery immensely.
The romance is like a pool of ink spilled out on a desk, ruining everything it touches.
It heavily relies on a love triangle in which both boys were woefully underdeveloped, annoying, and exuded toxic masculinity in spades. Admittedly, I’m not the biggest fan of romance in contemporary YA. But that’s because it so often detracts from the story and is poorly written because while it is almost a requirement for the genre, it is not required to be well done. If the book is a YA romance that’s one thing - the point is the romance obviously - but in books where it’s intended to be an aside nothing reduces my enjoyment more than a romance that muscles in on the actual plot.
The love triangle is between Quincy, a childhood friend whom Tracy became less close with after her fathers’ incarceration due to his injury sustained during Quincy’s fathers’ murder by the police for his supposed involvement in the crime Tracy’s father apparently committed and Dean, her best friend whom she became close with after his continued defense of her in the face of the public frenzy around her father’s arrest. Quincy is Black and Dean is white, thereby politicizing Tracy’s decision - adding an additional layer of pressure for her to choose ‘correctly’.
I disliked both options for the same reasons. First off, Tracy’s feelings for each were dependent upon how helpful each was to her at any given moment. Quincy implicitly didn't do enough when the two were children so she replaced him with Dean. Then once the Jamal situation kicks off her feelings suddenly resurface for Quincy because he’s now able to take care of her. For half the book every time she thinks about them it’s framed almost as if she's attempting to pick a boyfriend based upon her perception of what is owed to them.
This extends to how the boys treat her as well. The entirety of both of their characters is anchored to how they can protect Tracy. Tracy is an intelligent, extremely capable young woman. Yet, neither Quincy or Dean treat her as such. Oh sure, on the surface they allow her to make her own decisions, but as soon as Tracy makes a decision that they don’t agree with it becomes clear they both have this unspoken idea that their opinion on it trumps hers.
Tracy definitely makes mistakes and if another character wants to call her out for it I’m all for it. It’s the paternalistic attitude that bothers me. In these situations it’s not up for discussion, it’s generally an argument where Tracy defends her choice and then the guy badgers her into promising she’ll call him or text him or whatever when she gets the urge to do x, y, z again. While it can be helpful to have back-up I resent the fact that these boys are being validated for not viewing Tracy as an equal partner regardless of whether or not they would actually be beneficial to have around in certain circumstances. Honestly, what she would do rarely needed another person present anyways, they only wanted to come because they valued their worry over her judgment. And even if it did require a second person I personally would have preferred having Tracy’s close female friend Tasha, who disappears for the bulk of the novel, be her sidekick instead.
I will admit that I like how this book presents the pitfalls of interracial relationships, friendship or otherwise. It can be extremely difficult to interact meaningfully with white people, when you’re Black, for a variety of reasons. Often, books do not address the very real hardships people can face in making interracial romantic relationships work; from the stigma to disapproving family members to the potential violence to the cultural divide. It takes serious effort and that aspect is often glossed over because people would rather believe we live in a more progressive society than we do or are genuinely ignorant to the difficulties still at play. I liked that Johnson was able to be honest about what Tracy and Dean being together might mean whilst not demonizing their relationship or relationships like it as a whole.
The ending of the love triangle is abrupt. Tracy does not even have a conversation with one of the guys after choosing the other. The climax happens and then in the ensuing fallout it is never addressed. Another triangle simmering underneath between Tasha, Quincy and Tracy is dropped because Tasha is barely a character. Tasha has a minor plot with her dad who was recently released from prison for the second time. She is now resentful of him because in her eyes he squandered his first chance. This also is dropped.
All in all, the book is worth some hype though it’s not as magnificent as I thought it’d be. Still it is really good and I definitely do recommend it.
reneelewis22's review against another edition
5.0
Such an important book. While fiction, it highlights many of the things that are wrong about our country.