I feel about this the same way I feel about I Am Alfonso Jones - the story is going to resonate with some readers, they will feel Marvin's anger, confusion, and despair, they will understand the rage and loss he feels at finding his brother was another unarmed black youth killed by a white police officer. Share your opinion of this book. Tyler Johnson has a powerful and distinct narrative voice. But what starts as harmless fun turns into a shooting, followed by a police raid. Alyssa L, Bookseller. Use the links below to add this book on Goodreads or purchase it from Amazon or Book Depository. I do think you'd like them both equally, and seriously don't make THUG the only BLM book you read. The cops in this story were just painted as racist, there's no subtlety at all with the writing. On reread, I'm bumping this down to 4 stars. That aspect alone is reason enough to read this novel at least once. I didn't get much of a sense of who Tyler was, whereas the main character in THUG all but leaped from the pages.
I just think the story, at its core will hit very close to home. My only negatives are that the book takes a while to pick up, it starts off with a bang but then it slows down for a while. As authors continue to approach this subject both cautiously, and incautiously, readers will be changed. It was great to see his development throughout the story and see him stand up for what he believes in. Tyler Johnson was a kid like a lot of kids who just want to rebel a little. This family's struggle to find resolve, peace, and even a twinge of justice is full of life lessons, including this gem inspired by Auntie Nicola, a former cop: "Life is about wading in the rain, in all the storm's fury…becoming one and the same with the storm—getting angry, getting heated, and being the change you want. " Especially after this is the same person that beat up Marvin, took his chain, and also beat his brother up too. I mention that because what's reiterated over and over in the novel (both actually said and via subtext) is that what matters about Tyler's life is his life and not his death. I love Marvin's best friends. But if brief slice-of-life type books are your thing, and even if they're not? Summary: When Marvin Johnson's twin, Tyler, goes to a party, Marvin decides to tag along to keep an eye on his brother.
This story emphasizes the importance of remembering the victims as humans, not martyrs or thugs. They are very similar stories: two high school kids of color who feel a lot of pressure to "act white" in order to be successful, who live in a low-income/racially diverse area with lots of criminal/gang activity, whose lives are torn apart by police brutality spurred on by racial discrimination that ends up starting a local movement. Yes, I'm willing to die for this cause, but the fact that there's even a chance that I'll die, become a hashtag, be remembered briefly, and then be completely forgotten and marked as a statistic fucking terrifies me. I love, love, love that Marvin Johnson is a teenage boy who is allowed to feel and express emotions like grief, anger, despair, fear, and first love. Date Read: May 22nd, 2018 – May 30th, 2018. There are a couple of instances where a parent threatens physical punishment toward their child. The writing in this novel was pretty surface level. Tyler Johnson Was Here is moving and very relevant. Overall score: 4/5 stars. Christine N, Reviewer. Now after all this, you may be wondering "if this seemed like a 4-star-read based on how you described it, why did you give this book 5 stars? Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher. Marvin is our narrator and he tells the story with an emotional connection that keeps you invested once the story really picks up.
"Gripping from the very first scene, Tyler Johnson Was Here is a powerful and vulnerable immersion into the lives of people who are too rarely given a voice. His choices, particularly the one at the end involving his future, didn't make sense and seemed to be fueled for the sake of keeping the story moving. That they're worthy.
"— Scott Reintgen, author of Nyxia. Black Lives Matter is an important topic and I hope this reaches the audience it's intended for, I hope it changes minds and brings a sense of solidarity as needed. There is the 'mystery' of whether or not Tyler will get justice, and I think Coles has created the perfect ending. Marvin and his best friends G-mo and Ivy start looking for him. Through language that honors the enraging aspects of life in the inner city, readers meet Marvin and Tyler Johnson, twin high school seniors at a crossroads. While I thought that Marvin was a likable and relatable MC, I never really got emotional over the book like I expected to. Anytime Marvin called them and needed them, they answered and came.
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