Critique

Woodson, as always, delivers a profound story in a short and beautiful way. She has this talent of keeping you interested in the story itself while showing you the light and dark sides of life that many people face on a regular basis. All of the characters seem real, and you come to love them throughout the narrative, especially D, who is often so mysterious in one moment and deeply candid in the next that you feel both intimidated and comforted by her presence simultaneously. 

Also, as always, Woodson integrates challenging subplots, like Neeka’s older brother, a young gay man who’s been wrongfully imprisoned, young Black men disappearing off the street and in jail for what seems like no reason, and the despair surrounding the death of Tupac. It wasn’t until after having read this book that I truly understood even a small portion of the gravity of Tupac’s life and what he represented to the African American community at large (a little personal thanks to Woodson for touching on that theme).

In many ways, Woodson seems to be a YA Lit representation of Toni Morrison or Alice Walker. It’s not surprising that she keeps winning awards for her texts. They’re the perfect balance of engaging and enlightening with a unique voice and excellent literary quality. I recommend this book to readers 12+.