I’ll read anything Amber McBride writes. I actually thought about DNFing this multiple times in the first half because the dystopian elements felt heavy handed and disjointed. Around the midpoint of the novel, there’s a twist and everything makes more sense. After that, we get more of McBride’s signature mix of reflective poetry and dialogue, which I enjoyed much more. I think this book offers a unique entry point for middle grade kids to learn more about Black history from slavery through the Covid-19 pandemic.