I saw everyone posting about this book, but it just didn't seem like something I would like. BOY was I wrong. This had me hooked from the introduction. Imagine Wolf of Wall Street, but minus the white privilege.
Buck, our protagonist, is hilarious and so smart you can not help but want him to succeed. I loved the idea of Buck starting out content with life and not wanting much, but ending up with huge success. Most stories like this tend to have a lead that has been dying to be rich since the age of 3, and I loved the simplicity of Buck. This book was the perfect read for Black History Month because it spoke so much about casual (& not so causal) racism. It was so eye opening for me, a white girl, to see how even people that loved and respected him were being so clearly racist, or seeing something racist take place towards him, and do nothing about it. *(It was a constant theme in the book that anytime he would meet a new white character they would comment on how he looked like a celebrity, "Has anyone ever told you that you look like Martin Luther King?"
There are many points throughout the book where the author speaks to the reader directly. Imagine the times in Wolf of Wall Street where Leo looked directly into the camera to explain something. This side notes always made me feel like I was in on the joke with him, and always made me laugh out loud, or ended up getting great life advice.
I had such a book hangover from this, this is seriously unmatched. So original and witty, I can’t wait to see what Mateo does next!
Buck, our protagonist, is hilarious and so smart you can not help but want him to succeed. I loved the idea of Buck starting out content with life and not wanting much, but ending up with huge success. Most stories like this tend to have a lead that has been dying to be rich since the age of 3, and I loved the simplicity of Buck. This book was the perfect read for Black History Month because it spoke so much about casual (& not so causal) racism. It was so eye opening for me, a white girl, to see how even people that loved and respected him were being so clearly racist, or seeing something racist take place towards him, and do nothing about it. *(It was a constant theme in the book that anytime he would meet a new white character they would comment on how he looked like a celebrity, "Has anyone ever told you that you look like Martin Luther King?"
There are many points throughout the book where the author speaks to the reader directly. Imagine the times in Wolf of Wall Street where Leo looked directly into the camera to explain something. This side notes always made me feel like I was in on the joke with him, and always made me laugh out loud, or ended up getting great life advice.
I had such a book hangover from this, this is seriously unmatched. So original and witty, I can’t wait to see what Mateo does next!