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lukenotjohn's review against another edition
3.0
I read Gautier's [b:Now We Will Be Happy|21945041|Now We Will Be Happy|Amina Gautier|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403740176l/21945041._SY75_.jpg|41249137] a few months ago and was stunned by how perfectly it seemed to hit every note, leaving me with high expectations for this one. While this was still a very enjoyable read, it didn't manage to reach the same heights as her later collection, and I largely understood that to be an encouraging testament to the Amina's continuing growth as she continues in her craft (this collection was written before the one I read first).
In fact, I would even say that the uniquely impeccable strengths of NWWBH were weaknesses here. Whereas I was engrossed by the masterful restraint employed throughout that collection, which created and sustained a gripping tension and sense of rich realism, here it seems to be overdone, resulting in a coldness and staleness throughout the stories. And ultimately, that is my complaint with At-Risk...it just felt a bit lifeless, and not in a way that felt intentional, almost as if the technical perfection of the writing got in the way of the narratives and especially the characters.
With that said, it was still a worthwhile read. I always appreciate when young adults who -aren't- lovestruck white suburban teenagers get an honest and authentic spotlight in literature, and this is a commendable example of that. Furthermore, it comes off neither idealistically naive nor tragically exploitative; it tells truthful stories about life for urban black teenagers in Brooklyn hovering around the poverty line, acknowledging the inevitable hardships as well as the highs, refusing to give easy explanations or simple solutions, instead offering an unflinchingly honest look at the complex and complicated lives they live. Most impressively, this is accomplished while still managing to maintain a tone of teenage naivete, self-centeredness, and even ignorance; the narration feels like it's coming from a teenager. My personal favorites of the collection were Pan is Dead, Boogiemen, Some Other Kind of Happiness, and Held.
In fact, I would even say that the uniquely impeccable strengths of NWWBH were weaknesses here. Whereas I was engrossed by the masterful restraint employed throughout that collection, which created and sustained a gripping tension and sense of rich realism, here it seems to be overdone, resulting in a coldness and staleness throughout the stories. And ultimately, that is my complaint with At-Risk...it just felt a bit lifeless, and not in a way that felt intentional, almost as if the technical perfection of the writing got in the way of the narratives and especially the characters.
With that said, it was still a worthwhile read. I always appreciate when young adults who -aren't- lovestruck white suburban teenagers get an honest and authentic spotlight in literature, and this is a commendable example of that. Furthermore, it comes off neither idealistically naive nor tragically exploitative; it tells truthful stories about life for urban black teenagers in Brooklyn hovering around the poverty line, acknowledging the inevitable hardships as well as the highs, refusing to give easy explanations or simple solutions, instead offering an unflinchingly honest look at the complex and complicated lives they live. Most impressively, this is accomplished while still managing to maintain a tone of teenage naivete, self-centeredness, and even ignorance; the narration feels like it's coming from a teenager. My personal favorites of the collection were Pan is Dead, Boogiemen, Some Other Kind of Happiness, and Held.
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