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dee_hzz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Suicide, Drug use, Religious bigotry, Grief, Murder, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Death
jcstokes95's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
This book is best enjoyed like a painting. I think the sooner you release the idea that a narrative is going to form, the better off your reading experience will be. Woodson is drawing vivid portraits of a place, time and its people. The stories here are heartbreaking, but presented as the mundane life of a community. Woodson doesn't dwell on the abuse, addiction or violence or at least, she doesn't present it for us to leer at. It feels so fluid, like you're moving through life with these girls. It also shares their moments of joy, of confidence and their friendship. Another Brooklyn manages to tell a real, dynamic story about young, Black girls and their different but intrinsically tied paths to adulthood.
It's really astonishing how full of a picture Woodson can draw in such a short book. I read it in audiobook form (highly recommend) and it felt like someone spilling their life history in a late night talk. It got straight to the heart of everything that could possibly touch girlhood without pulling punches or gawking. Woodson's always evocative writing is the centerpiece holding this together. Favorite quotes include:
"And she whispered how she was the queen of other places. ‘Close my eyes and boom, I’m gone. I learned it from my mother,’ she told us. ‘So many days you look in that woman’s eyes and she isn’t even there.’”
"We had blades inside our kneesocks and were growing our nails long. We were learning to walk the Brooklyn streets as though we had always belonged to them - our voices loud, our laughter even louder. But Brooklyn had longer nails and sharper blades."
There are so many of these gorgeous, lyrical moments here. I think this book will feel a bit plotless to some. I also am not sure if Woodson fully hammers home her message on memory at times; though I feel that may be because everything these young girls experience feels relevant and recent. In all, this books feels like a great doorway into lives of young girls not always fully seen.
It's really astonishing how full of a picture Woodson can draw in such a short book. I read it in audiobook form (highly recommend) and it felt like someone spilling their life history in a late night talk. It got straight to the heart of everything that could possibly touch girlhood without pulling punches or gawking. Woodson's always evocative writing is the centerpiece holding this together. Favorite quotes include:
"And she whispered how she was the queen of other places. ‘Close my eyes and boom, I’m gone. I learned it from my mother,’ she told us. ‘So many days you look in that woman’s eyes and she isn’t even there.’”
"We had blades inside our kneesocks and were growing our nails long. We were learning to walk the Brooklyn streets as though we had always belonged to them - our voices loud, our laughter even louder. But Brooklyn had longer nails and sharper blades."
There are so many of these gorgeous, lyrical moments here. I think this book will feel a bit plotless to some. I also am not sure if Woodson fully hammers home her message on memory at times; though I feel that may be because everything these young girls experience feels relevant and recent. In all, this books feels like a great doorway into lives of young girls not always fully seen.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Addiction
lumpyspaceprincess99's review against another edition
emotional
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? Yes
4.0
I first tried reading this book about a year ago, and couldn’t get past the second chapter. This time around, I was able to really enjoy the poetic writing style and characters. The pages are short, so you can read it quickly, but it is not an easy read by any means. Each sentence was written carefully and adds depth to the story, so it requires careful reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Sexual assault
Minor: Murder
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