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A review by thepetitepunk
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi, Yusef Salaam
5.0
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an advanced audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.
A black boy falsely accused of a crime committed against a white peer. We've heard this story many times on the news and yet I doubt not even that coverage could fully represent how many times black boys have been thrown in prisons and forgotten, even if they haven't done anything wrong--or, even if they have done something wrong, perhaps they were punished for something a white person most likely would walk away from free.
This relatively quick read, written in verse format, is the epitome of "less is more": few words, yet every single word is loud, each holding the value of a thousand more words. Amal, who loves poetry and hip-hop, hence the novel being written in verse, will make your heart ache. He's angry and short-tempered, seeming to always get himself into difficult situations, but Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam so excellently delve into the systemic disadvantages that have led to Amal's incarceration. Because let's be real here: plenty of teenage boys get angry and find themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time, but why is it that some get away with it, and others don't--or, worse, get blamed for the repercussions of someone else's anger? I think by now, especially with all highly-discussed current events, it's not hard to point out a few patterns.
I appreciated the combination of authors here, especially with Yusef Salaam, who first-hand experienced criminal injustice during the Central Park Five case. I also absolutely loved Ethan Herrise as the audiobook narrator. I thought he was engaging and realistic, and it truly felt like I was listening to Amal.
Overall, Punching the Air exceeded my expectations in every way possible and it is, hands down, a must-read. This is one of the very few books I've read that quite literally gave me chills. And may I add, I put the physical book on hold at the library as soon as I finished the audiobook since I was so moved by it that I wanted to experience the story again, but in its original format? I'm sending my greatest thanks to anyone involved creating this book and getting it in the hands of others.
A black boy falsely accused of a crime committed against a white peer. We've heard this story many times on the news and yet I doubt not even that coverage could fully represent how many times black boys have been thrown in prisons and forgotten, even if they haven't done anything wrong--or, even if they have done something wrong, perhaps they were punished for something a white person most likely would walk away from free.
This relatively quick read, written in verse format, is the epitome of "less is more": few words, yet every single word is loud, each holding the value of a thousand more words. Amal, who loves poetry and hip-hop, hence the novel being written in verse, will make your heart ache. He's angry and short-tempered, seeming to always get himself into difficult situations, but Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam so excellently delve into the systemic disadvantages that have led to Amal's incarceration. Because let's be real here: plenty of teenage boys get angry and find themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time, but why is it that some get away with it, and others don't--or, worse, get blamed for the repercussions of someone else's anger? I think by now, especially with all highly-discussed current events, it's not hard to point out a few patterns.
I appreciated the combination of authors here, especially with Yusef Salaam, who first-hand experienced criminal injustice during the Central Park Five case. I also absolutely loved Ethan Herrise as the audiobook narrator. I thought he was engaging and realistic, and it truly felt like I was listening to Amal.
Overall, Punching the Air exceeded my expectations in every way possible and it is, hands down, a must-read. This is one of the very few books I've read that quite literally gave me chills. And may I add, I put the physical book on hold at the library as soon as I finished the audiobook since I was so moved by it that I wanted to experience the story again, but in its original format? I'm sending my greatest thanks to anyone involved creating this book and getting it in the hands of others.