Summary
Blade is a young man anticipating his future. Graduation is right around the corner, and college is approaching quickly. He has his music and the girl of his dreams. These should be his best days.
But he’s also
- grieving the loss of his mother,
- dodging paparazzi trying to catch a glimpse of the famous Morrison family going down in flames,
- hiding from his girlfriend’s father who forbade her from dating him, and
- disgusted by his father’s empty promises of staying sober “this time”
And when all of those things collide along with new challenges, Blade is off. Not to college, but to Ghanna Africa, in search of answers and in search of himself.
Review
Like other books by Alexander, this book is written in verse, along with song lyrics and other creative forms and references. I liked the unusual format. It’s amazing that he can tell terrific, effective stories with such sparse, carefully chosen words!
I had a hard time connecting with the characters in this one. I completely understood Blade’s emotional states, but I didn’t click with him like I had hoped to, or like I did with the twins in his book, The Crossover. Blade wasn’t the heart of the story for me. I did enjoy a couple other characters – like Joy and Sia, but not the others.
This book has been wildly popular with other early readers. If the story sounds interesting to you, I encourage you to give it a try. I usually enjoy Alexander’s work. I may just not be the right reader for this one.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, Blink, for providing an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. [Some sources show this book releasing this week, and some say it will release on August 1.]