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Review: Malcolm and Me by Robin Farmer

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Malcolm and Me by Robin Farmer

Malcolm and Me
Robin Farmer
SparkPress
Published November 17, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Malcolm and Me

Philly native Roberta Forest is a precocious rebel with the soul of a poet. The thirteen-year-old is young, gifted, black, and Catholic—although she’s uncertain about the Catholic part after she calls Thomas Jefferson a hypocrite for enslaving people and her nun responds with a racist insult. Their ensuing fight makes Roberta question God and the important adults in her life, all of whom seem to see truth as gray when Roberta believes it’s black or white.

An upcoming essay contest, writing poetry, and reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X all help Roberta cope with the various difficulties she’s experiencing in her life, including her parent’s troubled marriage. But when she’s told she’s ineligible to compete in the school’s essay contest, her explosive reaction to the news leads to a confrontation with her mother, who shares some family truths Roberta isn’t ready for.

Set against the backdrop of Watergate and the post-civil rights movement era, Angel Dressed in Black is a gritty yet graceful examination of the anguish teens experience when their growing awareness of themselves and the world around them unravels their sense of security—a coming-of-age tale of truth-telling, faith, family, forgiveness, and social activism.

My Review

I keep writing sentences that start with, “My favorite thing about this book…” and then I remember something else equally as awesome as the thing I was originally going to call my favorite.

I loved a LOT about this book. The characters are complex. Roberta, at fourteen, is just beginning to discover that she can admire and despise things about the same person. I loved that that lesson was repeated in her relationships with multiple characters in the story.

MALCOLM AND ME definitely challenged me. I feel like, at the beginning of the story, I wanted to doubt Roberta’s perceptions of things sometimes. Or offer more benefit of the doubt than she was comfortable offering. A couple of times I paused in my reading to think that through and made a conscious decision to listen to her story and see where it all went before making any judgments.

I feel like I grew as a reader, but I also think Roberta’s story was so rich and compelling that she would have pulled me along with her no matter what. But I know I really deeply loved the way MALCOLM AND ME explored relationships, particularly her relationship with the nun who used racist insults to humiliate her and with her father, who she learns has some troubling secrets.

Through all this, she continues to evaluate her faith in God– sometimes rejecting belief out of anger, other times being swallowed by her guilt, and still other times leaning into prayer and faith as a means of bringing her through dark moments.

She also connects things that happen to her to the life of Malcolm X, whose autobiography she has been reading. I thought it was really cool the way the story showed a progression in her thinking there, too. Sometimes she was drawn to the hardness of some of this words. At other times, she was drawn to the things he said later in his life, more about peace and treating white people as brothers.

Roberta’s confidence can’t help but be inspiring. Her commitment to think deeply and explore issues and her leadership definitely moved me. I loved this book. I want to see it in classrooms and community libraries, and I hope it inspires many conversations about race and history and faith. I absolutely recommend MALCOLM AND ME.

If you missed it yesterday, please check out my Q&A with author Robin Farmer for lots more insight on this fantastic book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Roberta is Black and attends a mostly white Catholic school.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently. Some racial slurs, including use of the N-word.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some vague references to men having affairs. Several times Roberta comments on curvy women and the men around them eyeballing those curves.

Spiritual Content
Roberta attends Mass and confession. She and other characters pray sometimes. Sometimes she doubts her faith.

Violent Content
A woman slaps a girl multiple times. The girl hits her back in the chest. A woman punches a wall in the midst of an argument. Two boys get into a fistfight.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of MALCOLM AND ME in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog.

Review: The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White

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The Guinevere Deception (Camelot Rising #1)
Kiersten White
Delacorte Press
Published November 5, 2019

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About The Guinevere Deception

From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes a new fantasy series reimagining the Arthurian legend, set in the magical world of Camelot.

There was nothing in the world as magical and terrifying as a girl.

Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom’s borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution–send in Guinevere to be Arthur’s wife . . . and his protector from those who want to see the young king’s idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere’s real name–and her true identity–is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.

To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old–including Arthur’s own family–demand things continue as they have been, and the new–those drawn by the dream of Camelot–fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land. Arthur’s knights believe they are strong enough to face any threat, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free.

Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?

My Review

THIS is the female-centered Arthur retelling that I’ve been waiting for. I remember loving the idea of taking the legend of King Arthur and retelling it from a female point-of-view when I first heard about the book CURSED by Thomas Wheeler. CURSED tells the story of Arthur’s rise from the point-of-view of a Druid woman who becomes the Lady of the Lake. It was a cool book, cool idea, but the level of violence and focus on battles were a struggle for me.

So I left that book feeling like I still hadn’t seen a female-centered retelling that appealed to me. And then I found this book. Oh. My. Gosh.

I feel like one thing the book does really well is to deliver the sense of magic and honor and awe that other tales of Camelot and King Arthur inspire. King Arthur, though he’s not the main character, retains that visionary, every-man’s-king-ness that I think of as really essential to his character. Camelot also has this shiny, fairy-tale quality to it that I didn’t realize I hoped for.

By far the most amazing thing about this book, to me, is the way the female characters own the story. It’s wholly Guinevere’s tale. She’s the hero, the one piecing things together to uncover threats to the kingdom. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that eventually, there will be a face-off between Guinevere and a Dark Queen, a force of evil magic. I loved that even in this, the story focuses on its ladies.

There are a couple of female side characters who added a lot to the story, too, but I don’t want to say too much about them, because I don’t want to give any spoilers. Just know that there is a lot to look forward to in the cast of this book.

This is the first book by Kiersten White that I’ve read, and I loved the storytelling and the writing enough that now I want to read everything she has ever written. I think this is going to be a series you need to read in order, so I do recommend starting with this book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Characters are mainly white/English. One side character is a lesbian. Another side character says that when she dresses as a woman, it feels like a lie, so she dresses as a man.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Brief strong profanity and crude language. Mainly it’s used to describe what Camelot was when Arthur became king. Sewage flowed in the streets and some of the street names reflected this fact. Then Arthur arranged for a group of kids to collect everyone’s chamber pots and empty them away from the streets.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Reference to a girl in love with another girl. Some vague reference to sex/pregnancy and how quickly Guinevere will provide Arthur an heir.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to do magic. Guinevere mainly uses what she calls knot magic, where she literally ties knots for protection and other purposes. She can also touch things and have a sense of their identity and where they’ve come from. A Dark Queen intends to use magic to destroy civilization. Magic is chaos. Arthur’s rule is order. The two cannot exist together.

Violent Content
Some battle violence. Guinevere meets a man who was accused of raping more than one woman. He suggests that he would like to do the same to her.

Drug Content
Social drinking at dinner and parties.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog.

Review: Into the Silent Land by Martin Laird

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Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplative Prayer
Martin Laird
Oxford University Press
Published July 1, 2006

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Into the Silent Land

Sitting in stillness, the practice of meditation, and the cultivation of awareness are commonly thought to be the preserves of Hindus and Buddhists. Martin Laird shows that the Christian tradition of contemplation has its own refined teachings on using a prayer word to focus the mind, working with the breath to cultivate stillness, and the practice of inner vigilance or awareness. But this book is not a mere historical survey of these teachings. In Into the Silent Land, we see the ancient wisdom of both the Christian East and West brought sharply to bear on the modern-day longing for radical openness to God in the depths of the heart.

Laird’s book is not like the many presentations for beginners. While useful for those just starting out, this book serves especially as a guide for those who desire to journey yet deeper into the silence of God. The heart of the book focuses on negotiating key moments of struggle on the contemplative path, when the whirlwind of distractions or the brick wall of boredom makes it difficult to continue. Laird shows that these inner struggles, even wounds, that any person of prayer must face, are like riddles, trying to draw out of us our own inner silence. Ultimately Laird shows how the wounds we loathe become vehicles of the healing silence we seek, beyond technique and achievement.

Throughout the language is fresh, direct, and focused on real-life examples of people whose lives are incomparably enriched by the practice of contemplation.

My Review

If I had to name the one book that’s changed my life most this year, INTO THE SILENT LAND has to be it. More than any year before, I’ve struggled with anxiety. Sometimes I get amped up with worry or anger or fear and I can feel my body reacting– heart racing, head pounding, my breathing coming rapidly– and I feel stuck, like I can’t back myself down to a calmer state.

Which is why I looked into this book. I’ve read about and briefly practiced meditation before, but this time I wanted something that integrated with my faith beliefs and practice as well.

The book description says that the writing is fresh and direct. I’d add that it’s also a bit of a difficult read. Like, have your dictionary handy, o ye mortals. Ha. No, seriously, it’s not impossible to read, but you’re not going to skim through this text in an afternoon.

It’s so worth reading, though. I feel like this is a practice that’s made a huge amount of difference in my life. It’s been super helpful in terms of managing stress and anxiety and helping remind me that my faith is a source of comfort.

At any rate, if you’re looking for a Christian meditation practice, I highly recommend this book. It’s a bit structured, but that’s one of the things I really like about it. It feels like cutting away the frills of some religious practice and just going back to a very simple thing. I found that to be really beautiful and helpful, but as faith is a super personal experience, I’m sure it’s not going to be a good fit for everyone.

Please let me know if you’ve read this book or others on meditative prayer. (It looks like Martin Laird has two other books on the subject.) I’d love to read more or talk to someone else who’s read INTO THE SILENT LAND.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Written by an Augustinian friar (a mendicant order of the Catholic church).

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Discusses bible and historical references to the Christian practice of meditative prayer.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note:  This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: Aster’s Good, Right Things by Kate Gordon

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Aster’s Good, Right Things
Kate Gordon
Riveted Press
Published November 1, 2020

Book Depository | Goodreads

About Aster’s Good, Right Things

“I can’t let go of them – the good, right things—because if I do I’ll turn into a cloud and I’ll float away, and a storm will come and blow me to nothing.”

Eleven-year-old Aster attends a school for gifted kids, but she doesn’t think she’s special at all. If she was, her mother wouldn’t have left. Each day Aster must do a good, right thing—a challenge she sets herself, to make someone else’s life better. Nobody can know about her ‘things’, because then they won’t count. And if she doesn’t do them, she’s sure everything will go wrong. Then she meets Xavier. He has his own kind of special missions to make life better. When they do these missions together, Aster feels free, but if she stops doing her good, right things will everything fall apart?

My Review

The writing in this book is so, so amazing. Like, I felt like it just blew me away in some moments. It’s the perfect blend of poetic and frank and achingly good.

This is one of those stories that breaks your heart and fills you with hope. The fallout of Aster’s relationship with her mom– the hurtful words that cut Aster so deeply– was heartbreaking. Watching Aster navigate her hurt and learn how to reach out in spite of it, and because of it, was such a powerful thing to read, though. I loved the way she developed a community of friends around her. It was like watching a flower come into bloom.

I loved Aster’s relationship with the rabbit and its owner, Xavier. I loved the way she showed kindness to Indigo even when she didn’t deserve it, because she could see beneath her prickly, angry exterior.

It’s possible that this is one of those books that wraps things up a bit too neatly for some people to believe, but I felt like the ending was perfect for me at this moment. I needed hope. I need to believe that sometimes, even against the odds, things just come out right.

I totally recommend this book. I think readers who enjoyed CATERPILLAR SUMMER by Gillian McDunn or HURRICANE SEASON by Nicole Melleby will love this story.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Major characters are white. Aster’s mother might be bipolar? It’s not diagnosed, but she appears to have depressive and manic periods. Aster and her friend have symptoms of depression. Aster’s aunt is a lesbian.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Aster’s mom says some really hurtful things to her.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of ASTER’S GOOD, RIGHT THINGS in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: Mary Underwater by Shannon Doleski

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , ,

Mary Underwater
Shannon Doleski
Amulet
Published April 7, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Mary Underwater

Mary Murphy feels like she’s drowning. Her violent father is home from prison, and the social worker is suspicious of her new bruises. An aunt she’s never met keeps calling. And if she can’t get a good grade on her science project, she’ll fail her favorite class.

But Mary doesn’t want to be a victim anymore. She has a plan: build a real submarine, like the model she’s been making with Kip Dwyer, the secretly sweet class clown.

Gaining courage from her heroine, Joan of Arc, Mary vows to pilot a sub across the Chesapeake Bay, risking her life in a modern crusade to save herself.

Mary Underwater is an empowering tale of persistence, heroism, and hope from a luminous new voice in middle-grade fiction.

My Review

Special thanks to Dahlia Adler from LGBTQReads for inviting authors to list their debut novels in a thread on her Twitter account, which I think is how I learned about this book.

The cover and description of MARY UNDERWATER totally had me hooked. I am super interested in stories that show young women and STEM, and a girl building a submarine seemed too cool to pass up.

This book has so many things I love. I love Mary’s character. The way her timidity blossoms into confidence. The celebration of St. Joan of Arc both in her narrative and in biographical snippets between chapters. I love the relationships between Mary and her teachers, Sister Eu and Mr. Fen, and her mentor, Ford. I love the way her aunt steps into her life, building a safe relationship, and encouraging Mary, but also talking straight.

I read MARY UNDERWATER in one sitting because I couldn’t stop. Without meaning to, I pretty much one-more-chaptered myself all the way to the end and I have zero regrets about that. It’s a heartwarming, inspiring story, with a strong, positive representation of both women and faith. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that combination done so well before, and I really, truly loved it.

I think readers who enjoyed THE QUEEN BEE AND ME by Gillian McDunn or CHIRP by Kate Messner absolutely need to read this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Mary’s aunt has a female partner.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
References to cursing.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Mary attends a Catholic school and makes lots of references to the nuns praying. She also takes courage from the story of St. Joan of Arc and imagines herself being brave as she was. Mary prays the Hail Mary prayer while distressed.

Violent Content – Possible trigger warning for domestic violence
Mary and her mother have bruises from her father abusing them. The abuse happens off-scene. Her father also breaks something important to Mary and attacks one of her friends. (Both these incidents happen off-scene.)

Drug Content
Mary’s dad drinks a lot of alcohol.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog.

Review: Fallen Hero by Katie Zhao

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Fallen Hero (Dragon Warrior #2)
Katie Zhao
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published October 6, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Fallen Hero

Faryn Liu thought she was the Heaven Breaker, a warrior destined to wield the all-powerful spear Fenghuang, command dragons, and defeat demons. But a conniving goddess was manipulating her all along…and her beloved younger brother, Alex, has betrayed her and taken over as the Heaven Breaker instead. Alex never forgave the people who treated him and Faryn like outcasts, and now he wants to wipe out both the demons and most of humanity.

Determined to prevent a war and bring Alex back to her side, Faryn and her half-dragon friend Ren join the New Order, a group of warriors based out of Manhattan’s Chinatown. She learns that one weapon can stand against Fenghuang–the Ruyi Jingu Bang. Only problem? It belongs to an infamous trickster, the Monkey King.

Faryn sets off on a daring quest to convince the Monkey King to join forces with her, one that will take her to new places–including Diyu, otherwise known as the Underworld–where she’ll run into new dangers and more than one familiar face. Can she complete her mission and save the brother she loves, no matter the cost?

My Review

Faryn is every bit as funny and full of heart in FALLEN HERO as she was in THE DRAGON WARRIOR. I loved her relationships with the other characters, especially her relationship with Ren, which is so sweet.

I think I read this book faster than the first one, too. The quest to find the Ruyi Jingu Bang takes Faryn and her allies all over the place. Again the story leads her to lean on her connection to her family and her ancestors. I love that it celebrates the bond between generations.

I know almost nothing about Chinese mythology, so I enjoyed learning a bit and seeing the different gods and goddesses portrayed in the story. It reminded me a bit of the Percy Jackson books in that it has gods and goddesses in a contemporary world. These books might be best read by readers a little younger, but I think they’re every bit as entertaining and fun.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Most Characters are Chinese American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
A boy and girl hold hands for a moment.

Spiritual Content
Gods and goddesses from Chinese mythology battle one another, care for Diyu (the Underworld) and rule from Heaven. Some have powerful weapons. A boy can transform into a dragon. Two children learn that their father is a Demon King in Diyu. The spirits of the dead offer aid and are more powerful than usual because of the Hungry Ghost Festival.

Violent Content
Some situations of peril and battle violence (no gory details).

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of FALLEN HERO in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.