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olivialandryxo 's review for:
3.5 stars
I picked Black Enough on a whim for a Year of Epic Reads challenge, and although some stories didn’t click for me, for the most part, I enjoyed this anthology.
Please note that I read this and am reviewing this as a white teen. I cannot comment on the representation in or nuance of these stories. My thoughts and ratings are based on enjoyment and other basic critical aspects.
——
Half a Moon by Renée Watson — 3.5 stars. A good, sweet story, about a girl and her younger half-sister at a girls wilderness camp. It was a bit too short, in my opinion.
Representation: a fat side character
CW: fatphobia
Black Enough by Varian Johnson — 2 stars. I feel that this story was too short to truly be enjoyable. Admittedly, I’m not sure what the point of it was.
CW: mention of police brutality, death
Warning: Color May Fade by Leah Henderson — 4 stars. One of my top five stories. I liked the focus on art and, as the story phrased it, telling your truth. I just wish the end had been a bit more detailed.
Black. Nerd. Problems. by Lamar Giles — 3 stars. While entertaining, the characters in this story felt stereotypical to me. I did like many elements of the ending, though.
Out of the Silence by Kekla Magoon — 3.5 stars. This story was very powerful, and I believe it would’ve had a stronger impact if it had been a bit longer. I also would’ve liked to know the protagonist’s connection to the dead girl, in a bit more detail.
CW: car accident, death
The Ingredients by Jason Reynolds — 2.5 stars. One of my least favorite stories. I appreciated the banter between the boys, but there was no plot.
Oreo by Brandy Colbert — 4 stars. Another story in my top five. I really liked the dynamics of such a large family, and the way Junior’s demeanor changed as the story progressed.
Samson and the Delilahs by Tochi Onyebuchi — 3.5 stars. This story was entertaining, but ultimately nothing special. I liked Desirée and Dominique more than Sobechi, the protagonist. However, the music aspect stood out to me, as I don’t recall any stories I’ve read involving music focusing on metal.
Stop Playing by Liara Tamani — 3 stars. I think Tish and Brandon were better characters than the protagonist, Keri, though I did like the growth of her friendship with Dara. Lucas annoyed me, as did the various clichés used. Also, Brandon deserved better.
Wild Horses, Wild Hearts by Jay Coles — 3.5 stars. I liked the two protagonists and their budding romance, but it would’ve been nice if the horses and horse racing played a slightly bigger part in the story. I also would’ve liked more details about the ending.
Representation: gay protagonist and love interest
CW: racism, homophobia
Whoa! by Rita Williams-Garcia — 2 stars. I think this would have to be my other least favorite story. I didn’t understand it whatsoever, and spent much of my time reading confused. If there was a deeper meaning between the lines, I didn’t catch it.
Representation: queer protagonist
Gravity by Tracey Baptiste — 2.5 stars. My biggest issue was the second person narration. Had it been told in first or third person, I believe it would’ve been more enjoyable and had a bigger impact.
CW: sexual harassment and assault
The Trouble with Drowning by Dhonielle Clayton — 3 stars. Although this story intrigued me, the timeline confused me. It switched between past and present with little indication.
CW: death, self-harm
Kissing Sarah Smart by Justina Ireland — 5 stars. Not only is this one of my top five stories, it’s also one of two that received five stars. Is anyone surprised that I love the sapphic story most? The protagonist and love interest were great, together and separate. Also, the scene with the old lady at the very end made me laugh.
Representation: sapphic protagonist, lesbian love interest, biracial relationship [black girl + white girl]
Hackathon Summers by Coe Booth — 4 stars. I can’t put my finger on why, but I consistently seem to enjoy stories that involve coding. This one was no exception. I liked that the story was told chronologically, from the first summer to the fourth, current summer. My only issue was the ending; if it were different, this might have been a five star story.
Representation: Muslim side character
CW: emotional abuse
Into the Starlight by Nic Stone — 5 stars. Although this story wasn’t what I expected, I honestly believe it was better than what I expected. I liked Makenzie and Kamari as individuals, as well as the implications of where their relationship was headed. To be honest, I also gave this story an additional star because Kamari is an avid Rick Riordan fan.
The (R)Evolution of Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi— 3 stars. I can’t put my finger on why, but I just didn’t care for this story. I don’t know that this was the best story to wrap up the anthology, though that’s likely personal preference. That aside, I wish the end had been more detailed.
Representation: gay side character
——
Although this anthology definitely had its ups and downs, all in all, I enjoyed it. I’m interested in reading more by a few of these authors. However, allow me to end this review by reminding you to take this review with a grain of salt, as I’m white, and urging you to read reviews by black readers.
I picked Black Enough on a whim for a Year of Epic Reads challenge, and although some stories didn’t click for me, for the most part, I enjoyed this anthology.
Please note that I read this and am reviewing this as a white teen. I cannot comment on the representation in or nuance of these stories. My thoughts and ratings are based on enjoyment and other basic critical aspects.
——
Half a Moon by Renée Watson — 3.5 stars. A good, sweet story, about a girl and her younger half-sister at a girls wilderness camp. It was a bit too short, in my opinion.
Representation: a fat side character
CW: fatphobia
Black Enough by Varian Johnson — 2 stars. I feel that this story was too short to truly be enjoyable. Admittedly, I’m not sure what the point of it was.
CW: mention of police brutality, death
Warning: Color May Fade by Leah Henderson — 4 stars. One of my top five stories. I liked the focus on art and, as the story phrased it, telling your truth. I just wish the end had been a bit more detailed.
Black. Nerd. Problems. by Lamar Giles — 3 stars. While entertaining, the characters in this story felt stereotypical to me. I did like many elements of the ending, though.
Out of the Silence by Kekla Magoon — 3.5 stars. This story was very powerful, and I believe it would’ve had a stronger impact if it had been a bit longer. I also would’ve liked to know the protagonist’s connection to the dead girl, in a bit more detail.
CW: car accident, death
The Ingredients by Jason Reynolds — 2.5 stars. One of my least favorite stories. I appreciated the banter between the boys, but there was no plot.
Oreo by Brandy Colbert — 4 stars. Another story in my top five. I really liked the dynamics of such a large family, and the way Junior’s demeanor changed as the story progressed.
Samson and the Delilahs by Tochi Onyebuchi — 3.5 stars. This story was entertaining, but ultimately nothing special. I liked Desirée and Dominique more than Sobechi, the protagonist. However, the music aspect stood out to me, as I don’t recall any stories I’ve read involving music focusing on metal.
Stop Playing by Liara Tamani — 3 stars. I think Tish and Brandon were better characters than the protagonist, Keri, though I did like the growth of her friendship with Dara. Lucas annoyed me, as did the various clichés used. Also, Brandon deserved better.
Wild Horses, Wild Hearts by Jay Coles — 3.5 stars. I liked the two protagonists and their budding romance, but it would’ve been nice if the horses and horse racing played a slightly bigger part in the story. I also would’ve liked more details about the ending.
Representation: gay protagonist and love interest
CW: racism, homophobia
Whoa! by Rita Williams-Garcia — 2 stars. I think this would have to be my other least favorite story. I didn’t understand it whatsoever, and spent much of my time reading confused. If there was a deeper meaning between the lines, I didn’t catch it.
Representation: queer protagonist
Gravity by Tracey Baptiste — 2.5 stars. My biggest issue was the second person narration. Had it been told in first or third person, I believe it would’ve been more enjoyable and had a bigger impact.
CW: sexual harassment and assault
The Trouble with Drowning by Dhonielle Clayton — 3 stars. Although this story intrigued me, the timeline confused me. It switched between past and present with little indication.
CW: death, self-harm
Kissing Sarah Smart by Justina Ireland — 5 stars. Not only is this one of my top five stories, it’s also one of two that received five stars. Is anyone surprised that I love the sapphic story most? The protagonist and love interest were great, together and separate. Also, the scene with the old lady at the very end made me laugh.
Representation: sapphic protagonist, lesbian love interest, biracial relationship [black girl + white girl]
Hackathon Summers by Coe Booth — 4 stars. I can’t put my finger on why, but I consistently seem to enjoy stories that involve coding. This one was no exception. I liked that the story was told chronologically, from the first summer to the fourth, current summer. My only issue was the ending; if it were different, this might have been a five star story.
Representation: Muslim side character
CW: emotional abuse
Into the Starlight by Nic Stone — 5 stars. Although this story wasn’t what I expected, I honestly believe it was better than what I expected. I liked Makenzie and Kamari as individuals, as well as the implications of where their relationship was headed. To be honest, I also gave this story an additional star because Kamari is an avid Rick Riordan fan.
The (R)Evolution of Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi— 3 stars. I can’t put my finger on why, but I just didn’t care for this story. I don’t know that this was the best story to wrap up the anthology, though that’s likely personal preference. That aside, I wish the end had been more detailed.
Representation: gay side character
——
Although this anthology definitely had its ups and downs, all in all, I enjoyed it. I’m interested in reading more by a few of these authors. However, allow me to end this review by reminding you to take this review with a grain of salt, as I’m white, and urging you to read reviews by black readers.