Take a photo of a barcode or cover
svmreads's Reviews (412)
Absolutely incredible!!! I could not put it down for the last one hundred pages. So smart. So masterful. Angie Thomas is a genius at character development and world building. Seriously, her characters are so believable. She also writes about systemic racism, socioeconomic status, community, and bravery exquisitely.
Cannot wait to read On the Come Up and watch The Hate U Give movie!!
Cannot wait to read On the Come Up and watch The Hate U Give movie!!
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
WOW I have so many questions and thoughts about this book but for the sake of brevity I will write down my main takeaways.
Thank you S&S for the ARC!
First off, I did predict the main twist at the end (Roux getting offed on the hike) but it was still chilling when it happened.
Secondly, there were some brilliant moments in this book. I loved the first eighty pages where Ivy's childhood and character was developed. The fact that Ivy got scurvy near the end?? Genius! I am really excited for Susie Yang's future work.
Third, I enjoyed Yang's examination on class and socioeconomic status, particularly in her comparisons of old wealth (the Speyers, Tom and Marybeth) and new wealth (the Lins, Roux).
Fourth, I really am having trouble deciding whether or not I liked these characters, as they all were very flawed. However, I really enjoyed making comparisons between them.
My one complaint with the book was that some parts in the middle were pretty slow plot-wise. Overall, my emotions are a bit all over the place with White Ivy and especially the ending! I'm excited to ruminate on this book more and discuss it with others.
Thank you S&S for the ARC!
First off, I did predict the main twist at the end (Roux getting offed on the hike) but it was still chilling when it happened.
Secondly, there were some brilliant moments in this book. I loved the first eighty pages where Ivy's childhood and character was developed. The fact that Ivy got scurvy near the end?? Genius! I am really excited for Susie Yang's future work.
Third, I enjoyed Yang's examination on class and socioeconomic status, particularly in her comparisons of old wealth (the Speyers, Tom and Marybeth) and new wealth (the Lins, Roux).
Fourth, I really am having trouble deciding whether or not I liked these characters, as they all were very flawed. However, I really enjoyed making comparisons between them.
My one complaint with the book was that some parts in the middle were pretty slow plot-wise. Overall, my emotions are a bit all over the place with White Ivy and especially the ending! I'm excited to ruminate on this book more and discuss it with others.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this collection - the stories had quick pacing and I kept wanting to come back for more.
The stories alternated between good and great. There were some real standouts in here (“Bad Boy,” “Look at Your Game, Girl,” “Cat Person,” and “The Matchbox Sign” come to mind). Roupenian really is in her element when she talks about the realest, most unsettling aspects of the human experience: dating, sex, the underbelly of human desire, parasites. My only critique is that some of the stories that had fantastical elements didn’t give me that visceral reaction that some (like “Cat Person”) gave me.
The stories alternated between good and great. There were some real standouts in here (“Bad Boy,” “Look at Your Game, Girl,” “Cat Person,” and “The Matchbox Sign” come to mind). Roupenian really is in her element when she talks about the realest, most unsettling aspects of the human experience: dating, sex, the underbelly of human desire, parasites. My only critique is that some of the stories that had fantastical elements didn’t give me that visceral reaction that some (like “Cat Person”) gave me.
Did Not Finish.
I’m disappointed in this book because the premise sounded very interesting.
There were two things that discouraged me from continuing to read this book. One was that I didn’t particularly care for the author’s voice. I found the intro to be written in a rather cavalier manner, and I thought it would get better, but I felt like his voice was too casual for me. I think this is due in part to the author being a journalist writing a popular history book, rather than a historian writing a serious history text, which is more of what I’m used to.
I also wish the author went more in depth to explain some of the phenomena he discussed which were super interesting. For instance, he talked about pamphlets that falsely advertised the US as a haven of gold and silver in order to try and convince people to settle and participate in British colonialism. However, he then would quickly move on to the next topic. The book suffered from too much breadth and not enough depth.
I’m disappointed in this book because the premise sounded very interesting.
There were two things that discouraged me from continuing to read this book. One was that I didn’t particularly care for the author’s voice. I found the intro to be written in a rather cavalier manner, and I thought it would get better, but I felt like his voice was too casual for me. I think this is due in part to the author being a journalist writing a popular history book, rather than a historian writing a serious history text, which is more of what I’m used to.
I also wish the author went more in depth to explain some of the phenomena he discussed which were super interesting. For instance, he talked about pamphlets that falsely advertised the US as a haven of gold and silver in order to try and convince people to settle and participate in British colonialism. However, he then would quickly move on to the next topic. The book suffered from too much breadth and not enough depth.
I want to be Chasten's best friend! His voice is so honest and he recounts life events - growing up closeted in northern Michigan, doing an exchange year in Germany, struggling with college and student loan debt, and meeting Pete and campaigning - so candidly. And he’s hilarious! I was dying reading his experiences about working as a barista at Starbucks.
If you’re in the mood for a political memoir, pick up this one - you won’t regret it!
If you’re in the mood for a political memoir, pick up this one - you won’t regret it!
