Reviews with content warning for Alcoholism - Dear Martin

Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

mittens_10's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I liked the book, and I read it in two days, just didn't find anything super duper original about it, and the writing letters to MLK Jr wasn't as big an aspect as I thought it would be. Would definitely recommend reading it though, was still an amazing read. Really made me think.

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ghostlyprince's review

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dark emotional informative 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

4.5

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blombern's review

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challenging sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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erinmcav's review against another edition

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challenging emotional fast-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? Yes

3.75

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abbeydooby1234's review

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challenging emotional informative reflective sad 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

4.75

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kathis_wonderland's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-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? Yes

4.5

Dear Martin by Nic Stone is about Justyce, who is unjustly handcuffed by a white cop. From this day on, he realizes that even though he goes to a good school, he can't escape racism and injustices. He starts to study the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to see if he can somehow apply his doings in his own life. But more bad things happen and people are murdered.

I wanted to read this book for a very long time. It reminded me of THUG but was different in so many aspects as well. What BIPoCs have to face every single day is devastating and a crime. No human being should be discriminated. No matter what. Reading books like this break my heart on so many levels. But is important to get this reality out there more. I learn something new every time I read a book. And I learn even more when it is about a topic that I am personally not affected by. This book helped me to broaden my horizon even more and to keep on calling out racist people and content.

I really liked the concept of the journal that Justyce writes. He is trying to apply concepts to his own life, which is good for learning. The entries give a great insight into Justyce's life and how he is thinking about the world. Jared is one character I absolutely hated! He talked about reverse racism and how he was the one being discriminated. He only saw his mistakes towards the end as he realized that ALL BIPoCs experience racism, even when they are the "good" BIPoCs. Even though the second half of the book was really heartbreaking and unjust, I liked how the book ended. It showed that people can change. Beliefs can change. But you have to be willing to open your eyes and listen to the experiences of people and believe them!

This book gives a strong message to its readers. The story is heartbreaking and shows perfectly that America has a problem with gun violence and racism (but that is also a problem for all of the world). I can highly recommend it to everyone! Really liked it.

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valeriabee's review

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

Actively avoiding GoodReads for fear of racist comments that I might find. I read this in a single day. It helps that the book is short. But more than anything, I was attached to Justyce's story. This is another one of those honest books that doesnt shy from the reality of matters or attempt to make the racism palettable. In fact, Nic Stone went IN on the racist comments, mindsets, behaviors. I mean, there are some moments when youre reading what white kids are capable of doing and you think "there is no way they don't see the problem with that" but I know that it's very possible. I have seen and argued with people that were the exact same way as Jared and Blake.

When Justyce got accepted into Yale early admission I was a little sad for him. I live in New Haven, down the street from Yale, I teach Black and brown students who have lived in New Haven their whole life. New Haven itself is diverse, but Yale? Yale is elitist. While it does the bare minimum with diversity and inclusion (which is decidedly different from equity and justice), it is an institution founded on the exclusion of non-white, non-wealthy, non-male. It has improved, but it's a system. Not to mention the overhype of Ivy leagues. I just knew that Justyce would have to keep fighting to feel seen or understood even after graduating from his prep school.

I am very interested in how some characters have grown. I think the end really speaks to what a college education can do for the capacity to think critical and be more open. I, however, will always take a "changed" racist with a grain of salt. It's unsettling. I understand how someone who sits relatively in the middle can he moved, but someone who was so dead set on their prejudices? It makes me wonder if I should or (could) forgive the white boys from my high school who behaved the same as these white boys? But can I forgive myself for the microaggressions I have thrown into the world? Should I be forgiven?
I think Justyce's experiment of Being Like Martin is a great vehicle for asking these questions. Justyce asks himself (or Martin) very difficult questions about how he should move through the world as a black boy. He asks questions about interracial relationships, whether theyre worth it. Dear Martin brings attention to the nature and impact of interpersonal/low-level racism on systemic racism. I am glad this book is as popular as it is because it is a message that deserves to be heard. Especially in a time when Black people are refusing to be used and abused by the system that has continuously attempted to hold them down.

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