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destdest 's review for:
Standing Against the Wind
by Traci L. Jones
[11/29/24
Yeah, some of the stereotypes feel very in your face. But sweet Monty and his friendship with Patrice will always win. Also, Monty said STREET JUSTICE!]
[8/8/23 Read this again after so long.
I can acknowledge it’s not flawless as it has some stereotypes and stilted dialogue, but it still holds so much charm. Spirited Away meets The Proud Family. Monty is literally the best, and I still love sweet, little Patrice. One of my favorite books.]
I have read this book exactly 12 times (it will probably be 13 soon). I didn't know I could fall in love with a book. I connected so much with Patrice's personality as if she were a mirror image of me (minus the shy part). Patrice was an adorable character (soft-spoken, intelligent, and sweet), but Monty was a gem or better said—a guardian angel. I often joke that everyone in life needs a Monty. Someone that unconditionally supports you and wants the best for you!
Yeah, some of the stereotypes feel very in your face. But sweet Monty and his friendship with Patrice will always win. Also, Monty said STREET JUSTICE!]
[8/8/23 Read this again after so long.
I can acknowledge it’s not flawless as it has some stereotypes and stilted dialogue, but it still holds so much charm. Spirited Away meets The Proud Family. Monty is literally the best, and I still love sweet, little Patrice. One of my favorite books.]
I have read this book exactly 12 times (it will probably be 13 soon). I didn't know I could fall in love with a book. I connected so much with Patrice's personality as if she were a mirror image of me (minus the shy part). Patrice was an adorable character (soft-spoken, intelligent, and sweet), but Monty was a gem or better said—a guardian angel. I often joke that everyone in life needs a Monty. Someone that unconditionally supports you and wants the best for you!
"I told myself that the next time I saw something beautiful trying to survive in the middle of trash I'd do what I could to protect it, to make sure it grew and that nobody messed it up. So, I guess you're my flower."—Monty (pg 129)
I bought Standing Against the Wind a few years ago, so I could reread it at my leisure, and though I know how the story ends I still have the same heartwarming feelings every time I read it. The innocent preteen romance, Monty, and Patrice's development keep me coming back for more. Yes, in the background, Patrice lives in a rough neighborhood, has absentee parents (dad's a deadbeat; mom's in jail), feels so grateful to her aunt that she takes cares of the whole family on her shoulders and narrowly escapes a sexual assault.
But even with all those realistic and heavy things, the story is light-hearted. It's not one of those all-consuming, depressing "get out the hood stories". Yes, Patrice does want to leave but the focus is on her intelligence and resourcefulness to win a scholarship to a black academy.
Overall, it's a bit hard for me to express why I enjoyed this book so much without just gushing out rainbows. I really need this to be made into a live-action movie or better yet an animated movie ( I always get a Ghibli vibe from this).