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lidiae's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Everyone should read this book. It’s so important, incredibly well written, and should probably be required reading in school. I listened to the audiobook and it was very well done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Hate crime, Police brutality, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Murder
space_bandit's review against another edition
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? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Murder, Hate crime, and Police brutality
Moderate: Gun violence
nytephoenyx's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This must have been such a challenging book for Johnson to write. There’s so much pain in it. Tracy is persistent, always has hope, but her story is a scenario filled with some good luck, people with a conscience, and the right people in the right places. Through This is My America, I kept thinking about how if even just one of these pieces slid out of place, things would have gone much differently.
I suppose I should mention the foundation fundamentals of the book. This is My America creates a sympathetic cast of characters. Johnson’s writing keeps just on the soft side of horrific, but isn’t sympathetic to white characters or white readers who may relate to them in any small way. And that’s good – it’s good that we don’t forgive those things because that kind of forgiveness is another way we are perpetuating problematic, racist, and unjust behaviors and systems. Like The Hate U Give, This is My America made me dig into myself and check my own biases. It’s a constant state of learning – reeducation is a lifelong job. I’m grateful for the moments this book made me step back.
The story moves quickly and keeps you engaged with consistent twists and discoveries. I also really liked that not only was there a romance, but it was a love triangle and it did not interfere with the actual story and only developed in the between-moments. I don’t feel one way or another about the love story itself, but I did appreciate the good balance of story and subplot. There were a lot of individuals in this story who needed justice and it was a tough set to juggle. I think Johnson did a great job, I really do.
This is My America reminds me of another book I read… I believe it was Dear Justyce I clearly remember the addendum at the end of the book – this story only has a happy ending because all the right things were in place and folks had the support they needed but usually, that’s not true. The same applies to This is My America. If Beverly wasn’t a cop, if Tracy hadn’t spoken to Angela, if she hadn’t written all those letters. There’s always a “what if,” and it hurts. Because in some stories, the “what if”s just mean a relationship wouldn’t happen. In This is My America, the “what if”s are the difference between life and death, and that’s the case in real life. All the time. I hate that we need books like his still to remind us of that.
I highly recommend reading This is My America. It’s a social justice book, and it is a book about Black pain. We need to bear witness. It’s well-written and tells an important story. I’d read it again, even though it would hurt just as much as it did the first time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Gun violence, Hate crime, Murder, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Police brutality
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Domestic abuse
mysterymom40's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Racism, Hate crime, Gun violence, and Bullying
Minor: Police brutality
danileah07's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Hate crime, and Police brutality
Moderate: Murder, Gun violence, and Violence
Minor: Emotional abuse and Domestic abuse
jmariereads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? N/A
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence and Hate crime
theasbookworld's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Hate crime, Murder, Police brutality, Racism, Grief, Confinement, Gun violence, and Religious bigotry
mia333's review
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Some parts of the book felt rushed, but it was very emotional and impactful. I think it did a great job of reflecting the flaws within the American justice system. Johnson also did a wonderful job of humanizing Tracy and keeping her a teenage girl instead of making her this super strong, invincible girl.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, and Violence
Minor: Murder and Police brutality
hesticht's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Racism, and Violence
Minor: Hate crime, Police brutality, and Gun violence
anygivenmemory's review
challenging
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This book was really good. It's important for young readers to see the rampant racism that is still happening today. For the black community, this book is an accurate depiction of issues they face everyday. For white readers, it is an eye opening look at what they might not be aware of since it doesn't directly affect them. It's an important topic in today's society so that we can finally start to address some issues and make real change. For far too long, these issues have been swept under the rug or ignored. The characters felt real and genuine. The mystery of who killed Angela kept the plot moving. The family dynamic was great. We need more books like this for teens!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Police brutality, Racism, Hate crime, Gun violence, and Murder