The sequel to Neal Shusterman’s thrilling Unwind, UnWholly follows Connor, Risa, and Lev as they take on new enemies and events. They live in a world The sequel to Neal Shusterman’s thrilling Unwind, UnWholly follows Connor, Risa, and Lev as they take on new enemies and events. They live in a world in which teenagers are able to be literally taken apart once they reach the age of thirteen (the process is called “unwinding”), and their separated body parts are sold to others. After the trio escaped Happy Jack Harvest Camp, unwinding has garnered some negative media attention, but not enough to do anything except lower the safety age from 18 to 17. Connor and Risa struggle to stay together and afloat while Connor takes charge of the Graveyard, a safe haven for AWOL unwinds. Lev leaves the spotlight and after some unfortunate occurrences strikes out on his own. And there are some newcomers to the game – Starkey, Miracolina, and Cam – who change things up for our three original protagonists. All six will encounter danger and will be forced to fight for what they believe in, if they can even figure out what they believe in at all.
Shusterman still captivates with his writing in UnWholly. His foreshadowing, layering of suspense, and overall buildup to the climax sucked me into the story and had me wondering what would happen next. His inclusion of public service announcements and other sources of media solidified the world he created, and the numerous themes within the book – sacrifice, what makes a human human, etc. – all made it more scary and shocking than the average dystopia novel.
The characters spoke to me as well. Their internal struggles and external conflicts combined to communicate how tough they each had to be to survive, as well as how confused and in turmoil they were. Starkey, Miracolina, and Cam’s stories added an extra layer of awesomeness to the book, and I look forward to seeing how they’ll develop in the next novel.
Overall, I didn’t love UnWholly as much as I did Unwind. It didn’t feel as fresh and some of the science felt a little fake. It certainly was entertaining, but not extremely thought-provoking like the first book. I had to read it in snippets due to school, which may have contributed to my apathy, but in the end my emotions were not as revved up as I wished they had been. I’m still curious to see where Shusterman takes the characters and the big picture idea of unwinding in the last book of this trilogy, though.
Merged review:
The sequel to Neal Shusterman’s thrilling Unwind, UnWholly follows Connor, Risa, and Lev as they take on new enemies and events. They live in a world in which teenagers are able to be literally taken apart once they reach the age of thirteen (the process is called “unwinding”), and their separated body parts are sold to others. After the trio escaped Happy Jack Harvest Camp, unwinding has garnered some negative media attention, but not enough to do anything except lower the safety age from 18 to 17. Connor and Risa struggle to stay together and afloat while Connor takes charge of the Graveyard, a safe haven for AWOL unwinds. Lev leaves the spotlight and after some unfortunate occurrences strikes out on his own. And there are some newcomers to the game – Starkey, Miracolina, and Cam – who change things up for our three original protagonists. All six will encounter danger and will be forced to fight for what they believe in, if they can even figure out what they believe in at all.
Shusterman still captivates with his writing in UnWholly. His foreshadowing, layering of suspense, and overall buildup to the climax sucked me into the story and had me wondering what would happen next. His inclusion of public service announcements and other sources of media solidified the world he created, and the numerous themes within the book – sacrifice, what makes a human human, etc. – all made it more scary and shocking than the average dystopia novel.
The characters spoke to me as well. Their internal struggles and external conflicts combined to communicate how tough they each had to be to survive, as well as how confused and in turmoil they were. Starkey, Miracolina, and Cam’s stories added an extra layer of awesomeness to the book, and I look forward to seeing how they’ll develop in the next novel.
Overall, I didn’t love UnWholly as much as I did Unwind. It didn’t feel as fresh and some of the science felt a little fake. It certainly was entertaining, but not extremely thought-provoking like the first book. I had to read it in snippets due to school, which may have contributed to my apathy, but in the end my emotions were not as revved up as I wished they had been. I’m still curious to see where Shusterman takes the characters and the big picture idea of unwinding in the last book of this trilogy, though....more
Really tragic book. Important themes about racism and trauma. I appreciated the representation and messages related to the romance between a Latina giReally tragic book. Important themes about racism and trauma. I appreciated the representation and messages related to the romance between a Latina girl and a Black boy in the late 1930’s. But the book is very heavy and contains graphic depictions of childhood sexual abuse and physical beatings/racist violence so be warned.
The main reason I’m giving this book three stars is because unfortunately I didn’t find the characters’ voices very distinct from one another. So that made it hard for me to differentiate between them and stay invested in an immersed way. But I can see why others rated this book highly!...more
I wanted to like this one though found it so boring compared to its predecessor All of Us Villains. While the first book in the series always keptI wanted to like this one though found it so boring compared to its predecessor All of Us Villains. While the first book in the series always kept me on my toes, for some reason I struggled to remain interested in All of Our Demise. I’m not sure if it’s because the ending felt obvious or because the novel lacked the higher stakes of the first book (view spoiler)[which shouldn’t be the end of the world because it’s preferable that not so many of the champions have to die, but (hide spoiler)]. I also was annoyed that so many characters ended up in romantic relationships. I’m mostly giving this novel three stars out of nostalgia for the first in its series. The writing was not technically bad in any sense, though it failed to captivate my attention....more
I liked that this book had strong themes about coping with grief and contending with intergenerational trauma. The main character’s voice and developmI liked that this book had strong themes about coping with grief and contending with intergenerational trauma. The main character’s voice and development felt consistent and authentic, and I appreciated her journey to uncover more about her identity and history. The incorporation of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table was unique.
Unfortunately I found the writing a bit of a slog to get through, mostly because of the large amounts of info-dumping and the repetition of how chapters ended (e.g., lots of the main character running away mid-conversation, blacking out, etc.) I think it’s hard for fantasy/sci-fi writers to build a convincing world while also keeping readers grounded in compelling scenes – I know I could not pull it off – and I don’t think Tracy Deonn nailed that task in Legendborn. I also didn’t love the romance between our main character Bree and Nick; their connection felt too insta-lovey for me and Nick almost came across as kind of white saviory/oblivious to his own privilege and power even though he may have had “good intentions.” It looks like many people loved this one so I’m okay having a different opinion!...more
I felt moved by this gripping and sad graphic novel about Valerie Chu, a teenager struggling with an eating disorder. I thought Victoria Ying did an eI felt moved by this gripping and sad graphic novel about Valerie Chu, a teenager struggling with an eating disorder. I thought Victoria Ying did an excellent job of portraying how an eating disorder can narrow your worldview and make it so fixated on weight, calories, and restriction. Ying’s illustrations showcased Valerie’s emotions well, like her self-loathing and her difficulty breaking free from her disordered eating. I thought Ying did a great job too of portraying Valerie’s relationship with her mother. Ying definitely showed that Valerie’s mother’s behavior was toxic, while also highlighting the complexity of putting up boundaries with someone, still having them in your life, all while knowing they won’t change.
Valerie is a super fatphobic character and takes her fatphobia out on her best friend, so watch out for that going into the book if that’ll activate you. Ying does highlight this fatphobia as horrible and toxic.
Overall, I give this book four stars for its accurate and emotionally resonant portrayal of disordered eating. I think the novel could have gone deeper in certain areas, such as the issue of wanting boys/men to like your appearance, intergenerational trauma, perhaps some general deepening of Valerie’s character. However, given the graphic novel format, I feel like it told a meaningful story that I imagine will resonate with people who’ve had difficult relationships with their mothers or with food. I appreciate Ying ending the graphic novel on a note of hope....more
The second half of this novel blew me away! I enjoyed An Echo in the City, a book about two star-crossed teenagers falling in love during the 2019 HonThe second half of this novel blew me away! I enjoyed An Echo in the City, a book about two star-crossed teenagers falling in love during the 2019 Hong Kong protests. I feel that K.X. Song did a great job writing about a topic that doesn’t get much mainstream attention in the United States (I’m referencing the U.S. just because that’s where I live.) She highlights sixteen-year-old Phoenix’s journey from privilege and lack of awareness to activism, from her disinterested path in attending Yale to her taking action to capture key moments in an activist movement. Song also portrays seventeen-year-old Kai’s evolution from working as a police officer to fulfill what his father wants from him, to honoring what he wants from his life regardless of what other people may think. In the afterword of this novel, Song writes about how people told her that this book may not do well because it doesn’t feature a white protagonist. While the book doesn’t seem to be super popular, I’m so glad Song stuck through with it because it definitely raises intersecting themes of identity, politics, and pursuing what’s right even when doing so comes at a cost.
I also enjoyed the characterization and romance in this novel. Loved the development of a healthy romance between two Asian protagonists! I also thought Song did a nice job of having both Phoenix and Kai come to terms with what they really want and who they really are despite familial pressures. I will say though that that ending ~broke~ my heart in an amazing way, I was sitting in bed just like “omg I can’t believe this I’m shaking and devastated though thank goodness a book can make me feel this way.” I’m giving this novel four out of five stars instead of five out of five because I felt that the book did drag a bit in the first half, there just wasn’t much that grabbed my attention. Still, the second half won me over and I’d recommend this book to fans of young-adult realistic fiction....more
I really liked this novel about three Asian American teenagers navigating relationships, career aspirations, and life in general. E.L. Shen includes aI really liked this novel about three Asian American teenagers navigating relationships, career aspirations, and life in general. E.L. Shen includes a nice diversity of plot lines: Jia Lee, who feels pressured to stay at home and support her family’s business, Ariel Kim, an academic superstar grieving the death of her sister, and Everett Hoang, an aspiring actress who faces racist challenges that make her question herself. I appreciated that Shen didn’t stereotype or lazily characterize these characters or their parents/families – each of the main characters and the main side characters felt multidimensional. I also enjoyed that while the book did address anti-Asian racism, it didn’t center whiteness or make any of the characters aspire to be white or be in relationships with white people. Finally, Shen did a great job of emphasizing the characters’ friendship with one another and how they supported one another through positive and negative experiences.
I give this book four stars instead of five because I felt like it was missing that little extra emotional punch to make me feel super invested. Still, I’d consider recommending it to fans of young-adult realistic fiction....more
Ugh, I wanted to love this book because Kelly Loy Gilbert’s Picture Us in the Light and When We Were Infinite are two of my favorite novels evUgh, I wanted to love this book because Kelly Loy Gilbert’s Picture Us in the Light and When We Were Infinite are two of my favorite novels ever, not just of the young-adult genre. I liked elements of Everyone Wants to Know, which follows Honor Lo, one of five siblings of a famous influencer family. The book begins right when Honor’s father announces that he’s moving out of their California home to rent an apartment in Brooklyn, which starts a social media cascade about their once-seemingly-perfect family. Then, one of Honor’s best friends leaks their private conversation to a gossip site. More drama ensues soon after leading Honor to spiral, all while doing her best to reunite her family that keeps feeling more and more fractured.
Starting with what I liked: I think Gilbert did a great job of writing about an influencer family in a way that felt believable. Around the 40-50% mark, I did feel interested in the plot and motivated to find out what would happen next. I also feel like Gilbert portrayed anxiety super well; she has a talent for rendering mental illness in a believable and thoughtful way, as she did in When We Were Infinite. I also enjoyed how both Honor and her mother grew by the end of the book after what felt like a potentially catastrophic lack of growth for most of the novel. Gilbert includes interesting themes related to boundary-setting within families as well as the role of social media in promoting unauthenticity/attention-seeking.
My main dissatisfaction with this novel is that I just didn’t find much to emotionally attach to. I unfortunately didn’t find the plot that engaging until about the 40% mark. Even then, I struggled to develop a connection to Honor or other characters. I think Gilbert has an amazing talent for creating complex plotlines that are emotionally raw and resonant; however, with this novel I felt like there was almost too much going on and not enough focus on a specific set of characters’ relationships. For example, I still remember with When We Were Infinite, Gilbert’s powerful rendering of Beth’s relationship with her friend group, with Jason specifically, and with her family members, and how she captured so much nuance and heart in each of those relationships. However, in this novel I didn’t feel that same spark or magic with Honor and any of the characters around her, even though I did appreciate Honor’s trajectory by the end of the book.
Overall, an okay read that I wish I could have written more positively about. Still rooting for Kelly Loy Gilbert and I’m interested in reading whatever she writes next!...more
Sweet and thoughtful young-adult novel about three generations of boys within the same Iranian family. It’s ironic that the Goodreads description saysSweet and thoughtful young-adult novel about three generations of boys within the same Iranian family. It’s ironic that the Goodreads description says that this book is perfect for fans of Last Night at the Telegraph Club because I found Only This Beautiful Moment far superior. While Last Night at the Telegraph Club plays into stereotypes about Asian families and culture being backwards, this novel does an excellent job of questioning white, western, orientalist views of queerness in the East (in this book’s case Iran specifically). Abdi Nazemian’s writing flows smoothly and he captures poignant family and community dynamics (e.g., learning about your roots, recognizing family member’s flaws, etc.) well. There are sad and dark themes in this book like homophobia and racism though Nazemian keeps the atmosphere of the story from getting too dark. This novel did make me feel grateful for my queer elders of color who’ve come before me and have made things better for me, even if there’s still a ton of work to do....more
A powerful young-adult novel about sexual violence and the silencing of survivors. I felt that Alena Bruzas did a great job of capturing the protagoniA powerful young-adult novel about sexual violence and the silencing of survivors. I felt that Alena Bruzas did a great job of capturing the protagonist’s guilt, shame, and struggle to validate and regulate her own emotions. Bruzas portrays the toxic effects of victim-blaming and how people of various genders can perpetuate destructive attitudes toward those who have experienced sexual assault. I also appreciated how Bruzas captures the healing power of community and even people who will believe you and listen to you, full stop.
I agree with other reviewers who critiqued the writing style. I found the prose choppy and distracting. Still, a book that addresses an unarguably important topic with sensitivity and care – I respect how Bruzas poured her heart into this one....more
One of the best young-adult fantasy books I have read in a long time! The novel follows a tournament that happens once every generation, where seven fOne of the best young-adult fantasy books I have read in a long time! The novel follows a tournament that happens once every generation, where seven families each offer a “champion” to fight to the death. The prize: that family gets to control a secret wellspring of high magick, the most powerful resource in the world. While the tournament had once been a secret, this year a tell-all book has exposed its inner workings and the families’ strengths and weaknesses to the whole world. The champions must decide whether to accept their fate or try to change what’s expected of them.
I was hooked on this one by page 50 or so. All of Us Villains contains so much of what I’ve been missing from fantasy, YA or not – a magick system that’s compelling and explained in a non-boring and non-distracting way, characters with distinct and interesting personalities and motivations, and writing that flows well and makes me want to keep reading. Even with four different narrators, I found myself so riveted and invested in what would happen to each of them and the world of the Tournament overall. I thought Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman did a fantastic job of inserting clever and unexpected plot twists that kept me on my toes. Though I don’t think the characters or themes were stunning to a five-star level, I was thoroughly immersed in the world and was definitely “omg-ing” to one of my best friends who visited me at the same time I read the book.
I am so excited for the second book in this duology! Though I am interested in all the characters I’m particularly invested in Isobel Macaslan, my fav. That said, I appreciated all the well-drawn and consistent characters and I think this book lives up to the Hunger Games with magic comparison....more
A beautiful young-adult novel about a nineteen-year-old Syrian woman volunteering at a hospital in Homs, navigating the violence of a tyrannical regimA beautiful young-adult novel about a nineteen-year-old Syrian woman volunteering at a hospital in Homs, navigating the violence of a tyrannical regime while planning her escape. Zoulfa Katouh did a great job of imbuing As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow with a message of hope without downplaying the atrocities the characters witness and experience. Our protagonist, Salama, is three-dimensional, human in how she faces deep internal conflicts, and has a narrative voice that feels both honest and engaging. I appreciated how Katouh portrays Salama’s post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a way that readers of all ages can understand and feel the impact of. The romance in the novel is well-plotted and avoided insta-love tropes; the characters’ getting pulled between the should I stay in Syria or should I go for the sake of safety felt heart wrenching. Big props to Katouh for this debut!...more
Oh wow, what a powerful graphic memoir and one of the most enjoyable illustrated works I have read in a long time. In In Limbo, Deb JJ Lee details theOh wow, what a powerful graphic memoir and one of the most enjoyable illustrated works I have read in a long time. In In Limbo, Deb JJ Lee details their experience growing up in a New Jersey suburb as a Korean American child of immigrants. They write about feeling like the Other and facing racism from their white peers as well as mistreatment and abuse from their mom. As their feelings of isolation and mental suffering escalate throughout high school, they start to turn to art as a way to heal. They also take a trip to South Korea that helps them discover a new perspective on their family, their heritage, and themselves.
In Limbo swept me up; I felt so much empathy and sympathy for Deb JJ Lee’s tumultuous childhood and adolescence. Their illustrations felt vivid and alive to me and captured the raw honesty of their experiences so well. I appreciated the themes of not belonging and not meeting both the white beauty standard or really the Korean beauty standard either. As someone who was also abused by my mother, I felt my heart leap up in my throat when I read the scenes about Deb’s abuse at the hands of their mother. This graphic memoir felt so real, though in a way that also showed Lee’s processing and perspective developing over time and not like a first draft diary entry.
I most loved reading about Lee’s growth and hard-won emotional maturity. After a lot of suffering, toward the end of the graphic memoir they learn several important lessons about not expecting your friends to fix your mental health (even if you can receive support from them, just not in a codependent way) as well as honoring their Korean heritage and seeing their mother as a full-person. The therapy session they go to where their therapist made the pillars analogy made me legit choke up because I felt the exact same way about my life, about how once you can escape your childhood environment (e.g., by going to college) you can eventually go back to your childhood and witness it with newfound perspective and maybe even peace. I also felt so moved by Deb’s healthy relationship with their father. We love seeing supportive and three-dimensional Asian fathers portrayed on the page!
The main reason I give this book four stars instead of five is because I felt like some of the themes related to race and racism could have been further developed. I think the end of In Limbo highlights Lee’s initial start to developing a deeper understanding of their Korean heritage. However, I felt that Lee highlighted several instances of internalized racism (e.g., not wanting to be friends with the other Korean kid in their class at one point) but didn’t really address that internalized racism fully. There are a lot of white people in this book and while that makes sense because In Limbo is a memoir and that’s how things played out in the author’s life, I found myself wanting more growth in the area of racial self-esteem. However, I recognize that journey may have occurred after the events shown in this memoir. Overall, a heartrending debut from a talented illustrator and writer....more
Overall I loved the content of this book. A romance between a queer Mexican American girl and a queer Asian American girl, themes of coming-of-age amiOverall I loved the content of this book. A romance between a queer Mexican American girl and a queer Asian American girl, themes of coming-of-age amidst homophobia among a rich white Catholic school, and some difficult family dynamics that turn out okay. I felt a lot of heart from this novel and am happy to see uplifting representation of LGBTQ+ people of color.
Unfortunately I didn’t love the execution of the book from a writing perspective. The first half of the book in particular felt like a lot of teen cliches without much direction. While the latter half of the book contained more scenes with heartfelt emotional resonance, some of what took place still felt rushed. I wanted more from the writing. Still, I’m happy with what this book represents in terms of social justice and narrative of joy for queer poc!...more
Super super cute book. Beating Heart Baby follows a romance between a mixed Korean-Japanese and mixed Filipino-Latino gay teenaged couple as they searSuper super cute book. Beating Heart Baby follows a romance between a mixed Korean-Japanese and mixed Filipino-Latino gay teenaged couple as they search for one another and themselves. Leo Min includes a lot of elements that I imagine will resonate with those who had quirky interests in high school or throughout life: internet friendships, music, anime, and more. I liked this book because it’s unapologetically queer and trans and on-the-nose sentimental. The role of affirming, life-giving friends and family stood out to me too.
There was a tightness and quality to the prose of this book in its first 50 pages that had me wondering if I’d give this book five stars, though over time I felt like the writing became a bit more diffuse/not-as-precise. Still, I’d recommend this book to fans of queer young-adult fiction and I’m glad Beating Heart Baby exists for today’s teens....more
Appreciated the Black sapphic representation in this book and its theme of a codependent relationship with devastating ups and downs. My reaction to tAppreciated the Black sapphic representation in this book and its theme of a codependent relationship with devastating ups and downs. My reaction to this book reminds me of why I tend to avoid reading poetry collections – I tend to rate then a bit lower because *I* struggle to resonate with them which makes me feel a tad guilty. I liked how Woodfolk portrays the immersive grip of an intense friendship turned romance and the complexity of caring for someone even when they are not right for you. The story being told in verse and the related lack of specific detail made it difficult for me to deeply connect with the characters. Still, I would recommend maybe checking this one out if you like poetry and are intrigued by the book’s synopsis....more
Okay I read this book at the ideal time because I am ~obsessed~ with “Hype Boy” by NewJeans which came out recently, BlackPink releases their new songOkay I read this book at the ideal time because I am ~obsessed~ with “Hype Boy” by NewJeans which came out recently, BlackPink releases their new song “Pink Venom” in six days, and Twice’s next album comes out in less than two weeks! So excited for all of these K-Pop women to step on me!
Onto the book though. I enjoyed I’ll Be the One a lot because it’s both so cute and confronts serious topics. I’ve felt cognitive dissonance as a K-Pop fan because I love the music though the fatphobia and colorism are so toxic like ugh??? Lyla Lee tackles the fatphobia head on through this story that details a fat teen, Skye Shin, competing in a K-Pop reality television show with the hope of winning and joining an established K-Pop entertainment company in Korea. Lee does an excellent job of portraying difficult mother-daughter dynamics, fatphobia, and bisexuality and stigmas against bisexuality. She highlights these topics in an empowering way without undercutting their complexities. I also appreciated Skye’s character – she’s confident and charismatic while still real and vulnerable. Lee’s writing flows well and the story moves fast in a pleasant way.
I had mixed feelings about Skye’s romantic relationship with Henry Cho. On one hand, I love the representation of Asian American men (I guess in this case Henry is still a teenager, though you know what I mean) as desirable and Asian American folks dating one another, because white people are still so prevalent and that’s yikes. At the same time, I think the romance made the book super fluffy – as opposed to just fluffy – and I wonder if the book could have more deeply explored its central topics related to fatphobia, bisexuality, etc. with that page time instead. I suppose some books, especially young-adult books, are allowed to be this fluffy though. Also, I’m not sure how I feel about Henry being written as this near six foot tall, super fit (I think he has abs?) guy. I suppose in this case it’s fine though I know men in the K-Pop industry, as well as men outside the industry, suffer from body image even if they’re not held to the same standards as women.
Overall I liked this book a lot and would recommend it to K-Pop fans looking for a light read! This book felt so hopeful and optimistic and I’m curious if evoking any of these changes in the K-Pop industry would actually work....more
This novel follows seventeen-year-old Lily Hu, a young Chinese American teenager coming to terms with her queerness in 1954 San Francisco. I liked howThis novel follows seventeen-year-old Lily Hu, a young Chinese American teenager coming to terms with her queerness in 1954 San Francisco. I liked how Malinda Lo wrote about the racism Lily experienced in her newfound, predominantly white queer community, as well as the homophobia she faced from her Chinese family and friends. Lily’s coming to terms with her queerness – the fear, the longing, the search for understanding and connection – all felt real and honest. Lo incorporates some interesting scenes pertaining to xenophobia and anti-communism that help ground the novel in its time period and add nuance to Lily’s experience as well as those of her family.
My main disappointment from this novel comes from how I felt the Chinese American characters came across as underdeveloped. For example, Lo includes a riveting flashback scene from the perspective of Lily’s mom, Grace, though she never revisits that and by the end of the book Grace and Lily’s relationship feels underdeveloped and unfinished. Similarly, Lo drops hints that Lily’s best friend, Shirley, has some nuanced family conflict and a potentially intriguing romantic relationship, though those elements of Shirley’s character never come to fruition. It felt like Lo focused on Lily’s relationship with her white love interest Kath, which is whatever, though I wish that focus did not come at the expense of other elements of Lily’s life. Also, I feel like white queer love interests are overrepresented in queer literature, so I hope that future books can include romances and friendships between queer people of color....more
So appreciated the trans and queer representation in this book. H.E. Edgmon centers trans and queer voices without falling back on expected narrativesSo appreciated the trans and queer representation in this book. H.E. Edgmon centers trans and queer voices without falling back on expected narratives such as transitioning and queer pain. I also liked Edgmon’s sincerity in writing this story. I sensed that they wanted to write a book about overcoming oppression and stereotypes as well as finding love and connection against the odds, and The Witch King succeeds in putting forth those messages.
With those positives stated, I found the execution of The Witch King rather messy. In terms of the writing, Edgmon included pop culture references on almost every other page, which distracted me and took me out of the narrative and world they created. The plot felt all over the place and a lot of it occurred through characters verbally stating past events and misunderstandings. Aside from our main character Wyatt, a lot of the characters blurred together for me in the way they spoke and presented themselves.
Overall, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book though again I am a fan of Edgmon’s intention and purpose behind writing this book and this series. Yay for trans and queer rep, let’s get more of that!...more
I liked the content of this book a lot, even though the writing style disappointed me a bit. Saaba Tahir tackles so many important topics in All My RaI liked the content of this book a lot, even though the writing style disappointed me a bit. Saaba Tahir tackles so many important topics in All My Rage, including Islamophobia, abuse, substance use disorders, racism, financial stress and more. I felt that she captured the full emotional weight of these issues through her main characters, Salahudin and Noor, and through their journeys she showed us that anger and rage act as appropriate responses to mistreatment and trauma. She also highlights how her characters cope and begin to heal from the struggles they face which felt hopeful though not overly optimistic. Through reading this novel I could feel Tahir’s deep care both about these important issues and about her characters.
I only give this book three stars because the writing style distracted me from the story and its characters. I felt at times that Tahir would “overwrite” some of the emotions and thoughts of our protagonists, so it came across as tell and not show. Still, I appreciate this book for the positives it does offer, like two people of color falling for one another romantically and a nuanced portrayal of intergenerational trauma and resilience....more