How to rate this - when I don't know how I feel about it? I find the premise intriguing - we always say we hear the "heartbeat" of a city but this book takes care to listen to the breath of a city. But there is something about it that has a bitter aftertaste

It's tragedy masquerading as defiance, defense and railing against "the man" (and American Cops sound like the stuff of nightmares I just don't understand) and honestly I did not want to read any tragic stuff this month.

I'm going with a 2.75⭐ not rounded up.

Plot/Storyline/Themes:
Black homelessness seems to have a different existence to general homelessness. There is way more danger to existing on the streets in addition to hunger, shelter and security from others. There's the need for safety and security from people of authority namely police officers. I have half a mind to think that the entire ordeal was a vivid hallucination his mind transplanted onto a real foot chase between him and the cops.

Two Sentences, A Scene or less - Characters:
What I don't warm up to is the voice of the main character - hell let's go with the entire character. Back in my teaching days, he'd be the one making each lesson a scorching trial. But I guess thats why this voice works, you have to listen past that mess and instinct to dismiss what he's saying as garbage and get to the heart of the dying city.

Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Scene: :

Birth of a City - almost Lovecraftian

Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Quotes:
🖤 “What good does it do to be valuable, if nobody values you?” (being relatable in this sentence)
🖤 “I don’t have to believe in something for it to fuck up my life.” (Little gems of hard truths)

Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Concepts:
■ Living Cities
■Harbingers
■ Graffiti for air

StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Short Stories by 2025