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A review by katsbooks
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi, Yusef Salaam
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“When you find yourself in dark places, there's always a light somewhere in that darkness, and even if that light is inside of you, you can illuminate your own darkness by shedding that light on the world.”
“The only way to survive hell is to walk through”
This novel-in-verse was... I don't even have the right adjectives to describe how great this book was. It was beautifully written. The inclusion of art really added to the ambience. I had never read anything from Ibi Zoboi and her writing style gives me similar vibes to Elizabeth Acevado (an auto-buy author for me).
This novel follows a fictional story inspired by the life of one of the authors, Yusef Salaam, who was one of the Exonerated Five. This definitely centers Black trauma so if you're looking for Black joy, maybe skip this one. It does center Black resilience and perseverance though. Generally, I'm not a poetry fan but I loved this.
“The only way to survive hell is to walk through”
This novel-in-verse was... I don't even have the right adjectives to describe how great this book was. It was beautifully written. The inclusion of art really added to the ambience. I had never read anything from Ibi Zoboi and her writing style gives me similar vibes to Elizabeth Acevado (an auto-buy author for me).
This novel follows a fictional story inspired by the life of one of the authors, Yusef Salaam, who was one of the Exonerated Five. This definitely centers Black trauma so if you're looking for Black joy, maybe skip this one. It does center Black resilience and perseverance though. Generally, I'm not a poetry fan but I loved this.