I'm glad that Macmillan Audio approved my request for the audio arc because wow! The ensemble cast was amazing! Each narrator brought so much life into the character that they portrayed. Even the short sections with interviews and news reports felt authentic.
I see other reviews mention that the setup took a while, but I actually really liked knowing each character, their backgrounds, and the intertwining relationships between them, their families and friends, and their neighborhood. And not to mention, how their complicated relationships with the school, Urban Promise Prep, and its staff members affect everyone on varying levels. This is more of a character study and an examination of how inner city boys and their problems (whether real or perceived through a racialized lens) can be fixed through harsh rules and strict discipline.
While I was hooked on the whodunnit in the second half of the book, it turned out to be secondary to the character study aspect of the story. And tbh, I was disappointed that it ended so abruptly, hence the 4 star rating. There were still so many loose ends. I wanted a character study AND a mystery, but we can't all get what we want. Sigh...
Despite that, I'd still highly recommend the audiobook. It was very well produced and edited. One of the best full cast audiobooks I've listened to, and I'm someone who's listened to a ton of audiobooks.
I'd love to read more by Nick Brooks. What a great storyteller and promising writer!
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this audio arc.
I see other reviews mention that the setup took a while, but I actually really liked knowing each character, their backgrounds, and the intertwining relationships between them, their families and friends, and their neighborhood. And not to mention, how their complicated relationships with the school, Urban Promise Prep, and its staff members affect everyone on varying levels. This is more of a character study and an examination of how inner city boys and their problems (whether real or perceived through a racialized lens) can be fixed through harsh rules and strict discipline.
While I was hooked on the whodunnit in the second half of the book, it turned out to be secondary to the character study aspect of the story. And tbh, I was disappointed that it ended so abruptly, hence the 4 star rating. There were still so many loose ends. I wanted a character study AND a mystery, but we can't all get what we want. Sigh...
Despite that, I'd still highly recommend the audiobook. It was very well produced and edited. One of the best full cast audiobooks I've listened to, and I'm someone who's listened to a ton of audiobooks.
I'd love to read more by Nick Brooks. What a great storyteller and promising writer!
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this audio arc.