There was a lot to like about this story. It had some great issues that it took a look at. For instance with Alex and his brother living in a nice neighborhood, a white woman that lived near them would talk about people who she didn’t think belonged in their neighborhood. And when it came to people who were going to be staying there, sounds like Airbnb type of things for a concert, she got really serious about it. Not realizing that the musician playing there was someone that both Alex and his brother were fans of.

Then there was the storyline of Alex deciding to spend more time with his little brother when he saw a vision. But the thing was that Alex knew he couldn’t change what he saw. He’d tried, but it still always happened. So he wondered what the use was in having the vision. Spending time with his brother Isaiah he learns a lot. Things about not only his brother, but even about their family history. And when it seems that maybe, just maybe there is a cure, things still don’t go the way they hope they can change it.

Unfortunately this book wasn’t perfect for me though other than how great the story was. Because it was everything that he touched, and it was every single thing that was going to happen with that thing, the beginning of the story got a little bogged down for me quickly. Yeah, I get that the author was trying to show just how repetitive and annoying the fact that when he picked up his cell phone he immediately saw a vision of himself unlocking it and then dialing the number, etc. But I feel like it went on a little too long and made me zone out. I wonder if that would be the same for a teen who has trouble keeping their attention when reading anyway. So that would be the one thing that I think is a big enough issue to mention.

Other than that, I loved the musician and the concert at the end, and how people don’t listen to what lyrics might mean sometimes. They just assume, hey, he’s rapping, he’s talking about weapons, I’m sure he means literally, not at all figuratively. And the lyrics in this were really so good, when you actually read them and took them for what they were saying. This is still a book I want to get for my students to read though, so I do definitely recommend it.

Review first published on Lisa Loves Literature.