Reviews

Sacred Smokes by Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.

jmcarnes45's review

dark emotional funny reflective tense medium-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

4.5

_lilbey_'s review

dark reflective medium-paced

3.0

readbymar's review

adventurous dark emotional funny reflective tense fast-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? N/A

4.25

am1na's review

adventurous dark funny hopeful 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? Yes

4.0

lilycooper's review

2.0

not very memorable but the cover is cool

gitli57's review

challenging emotional funny reflective

4.0

black_girl_reading's review

4.0

A series of stories about coming of age as a young Indigenous youth in Chicago, the books is full of adventure, violence, friendships, and survival. This book was really good. It wasn’t like anything I’ve ever read. The writing was brusque. It was honest. Sometimes it was brutal. It was often funny (laugh or cry funny - those cops) But there was a lot of warmth of remembrance there. I’ve never read happy stories of Chicago (I’m thinking of Samantha Irby here too), but people still write with such warmth about their struggles there. Contemporary, urban, coming of age in a hard world Indigenous lit. It’s 🔥. Check it out.