I enjoyed this book, but I do think it tried to do too much. There was so much emotion in this book and so many big issues to tackle. I felt like I floated through it when what I really wanted to do was sink into it, drag my hands through the mire, and really sift through the emotional muck. I wanted Blade to feel more, or perhaps express more. Perhaps it felt rushed to me. I'm not sure. The poetry is lovely and there are some moments where the emotion does pull toward the surface and make itself known. I simply wanted more of those moments.

My students will love this book, just like all of Kwame Alexander's masterpieces. So, I'm going to booktalk it and rave about it, because that's the beauty of books. What I get out of it is not what you may get out of it. So don't let my review bring you down or stop you from reading this book. It could be just what you're looking for.