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A review by charliauthor
The List by Yomi Adegoke
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was excellent!
Honestly, after so many duds in the Fantasy space, i decided to have a breather/pallet cleanser and it was phenomenal! The added pleasure of this being set in South London with all its accompanying colloquialisms and cultural references, was a pleasure to read.
Ola and Michael are considered InstaFamous and considered the epitome of 'Black Love'. They seem to have it all but when Michael's name is found on a list of men in the media who are predators, the cracks in their relationship begin to show. This book is the realistic fallout of the power of the internet and the Black social scene.
To the untrained eye, this is basically written in an entire other language! Lol. It might even be difficult for non-black South Londoners to understand but for me who grew up around the speech, these types of people, it an exemplary spotlight on our culture, the good and the bad. Saying that, I did read this alongside some international friends and while they did ask me what some terms meant lol, they all agreed that the context allowed them to grasp what was being said and that it didnt take too much away from the experience.
I adore how the author was able to describe certain characters that had similarities to actual Black famous and Insta-famous individuals that made it all the more entertaining. This isn’t to say that those people had done anything like what the book says they’ve done, but they were just wonderful depictions of the type of people found in our communities and it was clear that the author was able to build those visions through a shared social experience.
I laughed. I cried and at some moments, I was genuinely afraid to turn the page because I wasn’t sure what surprises would be revealed. The social commentary throughout out was incredible and i loved how the author was able to navigate the nuances of social injustices, criminal injustices, victim blaming, political and racial movements and a host of other concerns in between. Everything just read and felt so real, and i cant commend it enough for being so genuine.
The ending absolutely blew me away and i implore all of your to go out and read this book. Not only for a great story, an easy read with depth but to get a real depiction of Black British culture at its finest but in some cases, at its worst.
Honestly, after so many duds in the Fantasy space, i decided to have a breather/pallet cleanser and it was phenomenal! The added pleasure of this being set in South London with all its accompanying colloquialisms and cultural references, was a pleasure to read.
Ola and Michael are considered InstaFamous and considered the epitome of 'Black Love'. They seem to have it all but when Michael's name is found on a list of men in the media who are predators, the cracks in their relationship begin to show. This book is the realistic fallout of the power of the internet and the Black social scene.
To the untrained eye, this is basically written in an entire other language! Lol. It might even be difficult for non-black South Londoners to understand but for me who grew up around the speech, these types of people, it an exemplary spotlight on our culture, the good and the bad. Saying that, I did read this alongside some international friends and while they did ask me what some terms meant lol, they all agreed that the context allowed them to grasp what was being said and that it didnt take too much away from the experience.
I adore how the author was able to describe certain characters that had similarities to actual Black famous and Insta-famous individuals that made it all the more entertaining. This isn’t to say that those people had done anything like what the book says they’ve done, but they were just wonderful depictions of the type of people found in our communities and it was clear that the author was able to build those visions through a shared social experience.
I laughed. I cried and at some moments, I was genuinely afraid to turn the page because I wasn’t sure what surprises would be revealed. The social commentary throughout out was incredible and i loved how the author was able to navigate the nuances of social injustices, criminal injustices, victim blaming, political and racial movements and a host of other concerns in between. Everything just read and felt so real, and i cant commend it enough for being so genuine.
The ending absolutely blew me away and i implore all of your to go out and read this book. Not only for a great story, an easy read with depth but to get a real depiction of Black British culture at its finest but in some cases, at its worst.