Two reviews in a row, who am I? Today I am sharing my review of Dear Martin by Nic Stone. I read this book a few months ago I just hadn’t had a chance to put my thoughts together. I adored this book!
Synopsis
Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can’t escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.
Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it’s Justyce who is under attack.
Why I Decided to Read this Book
This was my book club pick for October. We had heard amazing things about this book and the author Nic Stone is from Atlanta and the book is set here.
Rating
5 Stars (An absolutely amazing book!)
My Thoughts
I LOVED this book! It is described on Goodreads as raw, captivating, and undeniably real and I completely agree. While in the past I probably wouldn’t have picked it up because it is categorized as Young Adult, I am glad I did because I devoured this book. It is short and you can probably read it in a day. Some other words I’d use to describe this book is powerful and emotional.
I loved that the book is set in Atlanta and I recognized some of the places mentioned (some are made up). I fell in love with the characters and it left me wanting more. My only critique is that the book is super short and I think it could have been longer and go deeper into some of the plot lines/issues discussed.
This was a great book to read with a book club. There are so many things to discuss and we had a great conversation about it. I recommend it for a book club discussion. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time. After I finished the book I immediately ordered the sequel Dear Justyce, I can’t wait to read it!
Content Warnings
Death, racism, exism/misogyny, police brutality, violence, graphic language
Who I Recommend this Book to
This is a book that I think everyone would enjoy and find captivating. While it’s target audience is young adults and some members of our book club found the writing to be too simplistic I think adults would find it powerful. A must read for teenagers for sure!
Get the Book!
Did this review of Dear Martin convince you to read it? You can get the book from Bookshop.org here. Please consider ordering it from a Black owned independent bookstore. This list of Black owned independent bookstores accepts online ordering. If you’ve read this book let me know your thoughts in the comments!
This is a book that I think will stay with all of us for a long time. Definitely agree that teens and adults alike should read it!