Reviews

Long Division by Kiese Laymon

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thepaperbackplanner's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

This book struck me from the moment I opened my local bookstore subscription envelope and saw the cover, which indicated that it contained two stories — one you read from the front, and another you flip and read from the back. No spoilers here, but I loved the mystery and sci-fi-ish aspect of this story. I enjoyed learning about and hearing from all the different characters, and the writing still was smooth. I only gave this 3.5 stars, though, because for some reason it was hard to get into and stick with. BUT I would definitely still recommend it if you’re looking for something that dips into light sci-fi but is still super relevant and relatable.

maysolver's review against another edition

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funny hopeful inspiring reflective fast-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? Yes

5.0

itschelseaw's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

I can’t tell if I liked this book or didn’t. I thought the book within the book was interesting, and I was far more into that story than the “real” one.
The premise sounded interesting, but I was expecting more interplay between the real world narrative and the book narrative; that things done in the real world would affect the book in some way. Especially with the Baize of it all!!

mathman329's review against another edition

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3.0

2023 Book Review - Book No. 11: “Long Division”, written by Kiese Laymon

Date started: 3/22/23
Date finished: 4/7/23

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (would recommend reading if you like Back to the Future, ATL, and meta-experiences)

Spoiler free review: When I walked into the library to pick up something that I had reserved, I passed a table set up for the month with books about time travel. As a math teacher, the title immediately jumped out to me. Alas, this book has very little to do with long division or any type of math, but that wasn’t the only thing that caught my eye. This book is ingeniously constructed such that it’s printed in two halves, each roughly 140 pages, and upside down for the second half. Thus, you read Part One, close the book, flip it upside down, and then read Part Two. As far as a “novel” idea, that was pretty cool.

Depending on how you interpret it, “Long Division” is a book about a boy named City Coldson who, upon becoming a YouTube sensation in 2013, goes to Melahatchie, MS to visit his grandmother where he gets a book . . . called “Long Division” . . . featuring a boy named City Coldson from 1985. As you might imagine, things get a bit strange from there. At first I was convinced Part 2 was the “Long Division” book Part 1 City was reading, but now I’m not so sure. Because both Part 1 and Part 2 felt like they were the “real” story, so why couldn’t they both be the “real” story? That’s one of the cool things about the meta nature of this book - it sets up as if you’re going to read the same book as City and yet the City of the book feels just as alive. If that’s not enough, 1985 City ALSO begins reading a book called - you guessed it - “Long Division”.

It’s tough to explain much about the plot beyond this. In both halves, City is a young African American boy coming to terms with growing up in the south. Both City’s have a unique cast around them along the way. And both City’s have their own demons to battle in the end. I had really big expectations for this one, and it just missed out on reaching them, but it was still an intriguing idea for a book. Or books . . .

upshawsg's review against another edition

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There were some high points of humor that I enjoyed. Besides that, the main character didn’t hold my interest and the plot didn’t go very far. I kept waiting for a twist, skimming over endless dialog, and none came. If it takes me this long to finish a book, I’m not enjoying it.