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Brooklyn, Burning
When you're sixteen and no one understands who you are, sometimes the only choice left is to run. If you're lucky, you find a place that accepts you, no questions asked. And if you're really lucky, that place has a drum set, a place to practice, and a place to sleep. For Kid, the streets of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, are that place. Over the course of two scorching summers, Kid falls hopelessly in love and then loses nearly everything and everyone worth caring about. But as summer draws to a close, Kid finally finds someone who can last beyond the sunset.
Brooklyn, Burning is a fearless and unconventional love story. Brezenoff never identifies the gender of his two main characters, and readers will draw their own conclusions about Kid and Scout. Whatever they decide, Brooklyn, Burning is not a book any teen reader will soon forget.
Brooklyn, Burning is the story of two summers in Brooklyn, two summers of fires, music, loss, and ultimately, love.
Brooklyn, Burning is a fearless and unconventional love story. Brezenoff never identifies the gender of his two main characters, and readers will draw their own conclusions about Kid and Scout. Whatever they decide, Brooklyn, Burning is not a book any teen reader will soon forget.
Brooklyn, Burning is the story of two summers in Brooklyn, two summers of fires, music, loss, and ultimately, love.
202 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2011
34 people are currently reading
3724 people want to read
About the author
Steve Brezenoff
104 books125 followersSteve Brezenoff is the author of the young adult novels The Absolute Value of -1 and Brooklyn, Burning, and his third, Guy In Real Life, will be released in 2014. He has also written dozens of chapter books for younger readers. Though Steve grew up in a suburb on Long Island, he now lives with his wife and their son in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
June 21, 2011
There is a certain rough beauty which can be found in urban environments. Anyone who has stood on a rooftop at sundown or noticed a patch of wildflowers poking out of a concrete sidewalk will appreciate the strange duality of natural and manmade aesthetics, as well as the occasional difficulty of finding security and happiness in such surroundings.
For Kid, who has been living on the streets for over a year, the city of Brooklyn offers both strength and sadness and love and loss. Kid's parents can't seem to accept a lifestyle that doesn't fit neatly into a box, and Kid turns to one person after another looking for fulfillment that can't be found at home. This is a slow, gritty coming of age story that deals with painful family relationships, small but impossible dreams, unexpected kindness, hopeful love, and the hard truth that sometimes friends can understand you better than the people you've known your entire life.
Written in matter-of-fact prose that is ever more affecting because of its lack of sentimentality, Brooklyn, Burning offers a troubling look at what many kids go through when their families can't or won't accept their fundamental sexual identities. The author pulls off the incredible trick of never revealing Kid's gender to the reader, and it's clear that Kid's father's refusal to open his heart to his son/daughter is the direct cause of Kid's desperate struggle to find some measure of peace and happiness outside of self and outside of home.
Despite its pragmatic style, there is incredible beauty and a great deal of latent emotion in this moving book. Kid's longing for human connection lingers over every conversation and every thought, and the author's descriptions of love and music leave a lovely ache.
*******************************************************
Excerpts:
I just stood, watching him, listening to the melody he hummed. Even without words, it haunted me--filled the room and everything in it. The visions it gave me: they were dark, but beautiful. They took me out of the cellar, up to the rooftops at night on the lower East side, down into the subway, onto the tracks, and into the tunnels. They brought me deep into the city, deeper than anyone can ever really go: into its heart.
Can you miss someone before they're gone, when they're still smiling up at you with closed eyes, and their beautiful face, with its deep-set eyes and two days of beard, is rolling slowly between your knees?
*******************************************************
I was drawn in by Brooklyn, Burning in ways that I never expected, but was so touched to find. This is a brave and unique story, and as unlikely as it might seem, I know I'd be hard pressed to find a book written this year that has more toughness and heart and spirit and beauty than this one.
This review also appears in The Midnight Garden. An advance copy was provided by the publisher.
Please note that there may be some mild spoilers in the discussion below!
For Kid, who has been living on the streets for over a year, the city of Brooklyn offers both strength and sadness and love and loss. Kid's parents can't seem to accept a lifestyle that doesn't fit neatly into a box, and Kid turns to one person after another looking for fulfillment that can't be found at home. This is a slow, gritty coming of age story that deals with painful family relationships, small but impossible dreams, unexpected kindness, hopeful love, and the hard truth that sometimes friends can understand you better than the people you've known your entire life.
Written in matter-of-fact prose that is ever more affecting because of its lack of sentimentality, Brooklyn, Burning offers a troubling look at what many kids go through when their families can't or won't accept their fundamental sexual identities. The author pulls off the incredible trick of never revealing Kid's gender to the reader, and it's clear that Kid's father's refusal to open his heart to his son/daughter is the direct cause of Kid's desperate struggle to find some measure of peace and happiness outside of self and outside of home.
Despite its pragmatic style, there is incredible beauty and a great deal of latent emotion in this moving book. Kid's longing for human connection lingers over every conversation and every thought, and the author's descriptions of love and music leave a lovely ache.
*******************************************************
Excerpts:
I just stood, watching him, listening to the melody he hummed. Even without words, it haunted me--filled the room and everything in it. The visions it gave me: they were dark, but beautiful. They took me out of the cellar, up to the rooftops at night on the lower East side, down into the subway, onto the tracks, and into the tunnels. They brought me deep into the city, deeper than anyone can ever really go: into its heart.
Can you miss someone before they're gone, when they're still smiling up at you with closed eyes, and their beautiful face, with its deep-set eyes and two days of beard, is rolling slowly between your knees?
*******************************************************
I was drawn in by Brooklyn, Burning in ways that I never expected, but was so touched to find. This is a brave and unique story, and as unlikely as it might seem, I know I'd be hard pressed to find a book written this year that has more toughness and heart and spirit and beauty than this one.
This review also appears in The Midnight Garden. An advance copy was provided by the publisher.
Please note that there may be some mild spoilers in the discussion below!
August 21, 2011
Good writing and a story that didn't really affect me.
A homeless teen narrator whose gender and sexuality are never defined, kicked out of home for being "undecided" - certainly a very interesting perspective from which to write a teen novel. The message is clear - labels mean nothing, only love matters.
I wanted to like Brooklyn, Burning more. But it is hard to like a book which has romance at its core but whose characters you have no connection with. Kid and Scout never came alive for me, they remained only ciphers, some abstract lovers whose attraction to each other is based on music that I can not hear or appreciate.
Homelessness is a scary thing, especially for children, but the details of Kid's and Scout's struggle of being on the streets are glossed over. How does one become comfortable with living with a junkie or sleeping in an abandoned warehouse for months? How does a child manage to go to school when he/she has no place to live? What about the predators and criminals? Money? Food? We never know.
If ugly realism is not of importance to you, Brooklyn, Burning might win you over with its lyrical prose, images of summer Brooklyn and music-fueled young love.
A homeless teen narrator whose gender and sexuality are never defined, kicked out of home for being "undecided" - certainly a very interesting perspective from which to write a teen novel. The message is clear - labels mean nothing, only love matters.
I wanted to like Brooklyn, Burning more. But it is hard to like a book which has romance at its core but whose characters you have no connection with. Kid and Scout never came alive for me, they remained only ciphers, some abstract lovers whose attraction to each other is based on music that I can not hear or appreciate.
Homelessness is a scary thing, especially for children, but the details of Kid's and Scout's struggle of being on the streets are glossed over. How does one become comfortable with living with a junkie or sleeping in an abandoned warehouse for months? How does a child manage to go to school when he/she has no place to live? What about the predators and criminals? Money? Food? We never know.
If ugly realism is not of importance to you, Brooklyn, Burning might win you over with its lyrical prose, images of summer Brooklyn and music-fueled young love.
June 21, 2011
4.5 stars
**Minor spoilers ahead.**
If we only look at the surface, it’s pretty clear that Brooklyn, Burning is about gender identity and sexual orientation issues. But looking at the surface is not nearly enough. By concentrating too much on things like gender identity, we fail to see what’s underneath, and we miss everything that’s beautiful. Now, I know that sounds like a terrible cliché, but it’s a lesson that can’t be repeated enough.
This book, much like its main character, refuses to be categorized. It’s really about many things: loneliness, feeling of not belonging, honesty, big dreams, love and acceptance. It contains some of the most beautiful passages I’ve read recently, comparable only to Ultraviolet.
No more – no more love, no more songwriters, no more long and gorgeous fingers in my hair. Purity of voice and purity of heart doesn’t mean purity of soul, and certainly not purity of body. You’d be gone in weeks, I knew, and I wasn’t going to let you into my heart before then.
I have zero tolerance for bad parenting. If you aren’t ready to deal with every possible outcome, you shouldn’t be a parent at all. Sure, unpredictable things can happen, but even if they do, you’re still a parent. Quitting that particular job is simply not an option. But a father did give up in Brooklyn, Burning, and I’ll spend the rest of my life hating him for it. I would have loved to hurt him, but all I could do was grit my teeth.
Kid has gender identity and sexual orientation issues – or more precisely, other people have issues with Kid’s gender identity and sexual orientation. Kid is also very lost, lonely and unhappy. Kid’s father threw Kid out of the house because he refused to accept that Kid is different. So instead of living in a house like a normal teenager, Kid was forced to live in an abandoned warehouse, with a junkie musician Kid couldn’t help but fall in love with. You may have noticed how I’ve been avoiding the use of personal pronouns here - that’s because I don’t know which pronoun to use. I don’t know, and I certainly don’t care.
There’s not much I can say about Brooklyn, Burning without spoiling it. I highly recommend it to anyone who cares about the quality of prose. The story is touching and Kid is one of those characters you don’t easily forget. My maternal instincts are still screaming from the need to hug and protect that child!
Favorite quote
I don’t remember what he sang about; I’m not sure I ever knew. It was his voice, gritty but gentle, like my father’s hands when I was too small to see past them, and the slow way his melody moved along its path, not in any hurry but enjoying every note for itself, rather than looking forward to the next note, and the next, until the song’s end. This song would have no end; it couldn’t possibly. This song was forever.
I recieved a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
Oh, and thanks, Wendy! You are one great fairy godmother.
**Minor spoilers ahead.**
If we only look at the surface, it’s pretty clear that Brooklyn, Burning is about gender identity and sexual orientation issues. But looking at the surface is not nearly enough. By concentrating too much on things like gender identity, we fail to see what’s underneath, and we miss everything that’s beautiful. Now, I know that sounds like a terrible cliché, but it’s a lesson that can’t be repeated enough.
This book, much like its main character, refuses to be categorized. It’s really about many things: loneliness, feeling of not belonging, honesty, big dreams, love and acceptance. It contains some of the most beautiful passages I’ve read recently, comparable only to Ultraviolet.
No more – no more love, no more songwriters, no more long and gorgeous fingers in my hair. Purity of voice and purity of heart doesn’t mean purity of soul, and certainly not purity of body. You’d be gone in weeks, I knew, and I wasn’t going to let you into my heart before then.
I have zero tolerance for bad parenting. If you aren’t ready to deal with every possible outcome, you shouldn’t be a parent at all. Sure, unpredictable things can happen, but even if they do, you’re still a parent. Quitting that particular job is simply not an option. But a father did give up in Brooklyn, Burning, and I’ll spend the rest of my life hating him for it. I would have loved to hurt him, but all I could do was grit my teeth.
Kid has gender identity and sexual orientation issues – or more precisely, other people have issues with Kid’s gender identity and sexual orientation. Kid is also very lost, lonely and unhappy. Kid’s father threw Kid out of the house because he refused to accept that Kid is different. So instead of living in a house like a normal teenager, Kid was forced to live in an abandoned warehouse, with a junkie musician Kid couldn’t help but fall in love with. You may have noticed how I’ve been avoiding the use of personal pronouns here - that’s because I don’t know which pronoun to use. I don’t know, and I certainly don’t care.
There’s not much I can say about Brooklyn, Burning without spoiling it. I highly recommend it to anyone who cares about the quality of prose. The story is touching and Kid is one of those characters you don’t easily forget. My maternal instincts are still screaming from the need to hug and protect that child!
Favorite quote
I don’t remember what he sang about; I’m not sure I ever knew. It was his voice, gritty but gentle, like my father’s hands when I was too small to see past them, and the slow way his melody moved along its path, not in any hurry but enjoying every note for itself, rather than looking forward to the next note, and the next, until the song’s end. This song would have no end; it couldn’t possibly. This song was forever.
I recieved a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
Oh, and thanks, Wendy! You are one great fairy godmother.
July 7, 2011
“I squeezed your hand and looked at your face. It was lit up, not from the rising sun, but from within, and I knew mine must have been too.”
High points.
Questions the restrictions and preconceptions of gender. Brooklyn. Music. Love with no limits. Sunsets. No inhibitions. The dark side of growing up. The complex relationship between kids and parents who could never/refuse to understand. Summer. Basements. Sex. Dealing with loss. Looking to the future. Happy ending…thank god.
Low Points.
When I love a book, I always want it to be longer. I want to spend more time with the characters that I have come to know and love and their friends and experience the world they see…. But, maybe with less junkies.
So I’m stamping my foot and moaning because this book wasn’t long enough.
Also... I want to add another Low Point.
Not for the book… but for me.
Even though the two main characters had no gender, I couldn’t help but assign them one anyway. Throughout the book I kept looking for clues to see if Brezenoff gave anything away (“She must be a girl because boys don’t drink Vodka and Cranberry, do they?” “OK, he must be a boy because they wouldn’t assume a girl set fire to the warehouse, would they?”) But in doing that I realised I was just highlighting my own ridiculous and unfounded preconceptions about gender. (I have a male friend who could drink me under the table with fruit-based drinks… but I guess that wouldn’t take much for I am an absolute lightweight). Why can’t a boy drink vodka and cranberry? Why can’t a girl set fire to a warehouse? Absolutely no reason. After about three chapters I gave up because I realised I didn’t want to know what gender they were. It didn’t matter in the slightest. Gender identities are drummed into us from birth but this book effectively shows us they are futile and restricting. Love is love… it doesn’t need a definition or a label.
Hero, um… no, Heroine… I mean Hero. No, it’s definitely Heroine. Or are they…..a….?
Kid has quickly become one of my favourite narrators in any book. They have such a positive outlook on life and they remain hopeful, no matter how much crap is thrown at them. I don’t want to say anything more for fear I will spoil anything…. But it was a pleasure going on Kid’s journey with them.
Love Interest.
With Kid referring to Scout, who I like to call ‘the enigma’, as only ‘You’ it felt like I was being let in on a glorious and intimate secret, like I was reading a one-sided love letters and I was desperate to see the replies. As I read this book, I couldn’t help but think of those times on the bus where you eavesdrop overhear someone’s conversation and it sounds so fascinating and captivating and for the briefest of moments you feel part of it.
This book is written for just the two of them and that this is just the first chapter.
Theme Tune
Girl and Boy Song - Blur.
It’s pretty self-explanatory.
(Random aside: Look at those tracksuits! I wish it was still the 90s…. and that I didn't Damon Albarn so oddly attractive with his eyeliner and the aforementioned tracksuit.)
Angst Level.
10/10. This book made my blood boil so this section is going to turn into a massive, incoherent rant on behalf of Kid, who isn’t given the chance to speak for themself because they are written off by the people who are supposed to protect them from narrow-minded people as soon as times get hard.
Unfortunately I am not mild-mannered and my soapbox is prepped and ready.
It’s hard enough being a kid. It’s even harder to be a kid growing up with feelings that society has deemed ‘abnormal’ and ‘wrong’. And it’s impossible to grow up knowing your parents hate you because of something that is completely out of your control and one of the things that makes you who you are.
With the exception of Fish and, eventually Kid’s mum, all of the adults in this book were so intolerant and despicable. The police assume the worst, don’t care about the truth and dismiss them as sexual deviants. Konny’s parents didn’t care where she was and what she was doing… as long as it wasn’t under their roof.
And don’t even get me started on Kid’s dad.
This book covers the dark side of growing up in the urban jungle: runaways, teenage prostitutes, drugs, problems with parents, corruption.
But it also covers hope, friendship, understanding, solidarity, and above all, love without restrictions and labels.
Even though it may not seem it from the above rant (I did warn you!), ‘Brooklyn, Burning’ is one of the most positive novels I have ever read and the ending is so beautiful that it washes away all the intolerance and shows that love will conquer all. No matter how hard they try to quash it.
*deep breath*
Recommended For.
Everyone. People who have ever felt at odds with society. People who believe in unconditional love. People who appreciate beautiful, thought-provoking prose. People who don’t mind their preconceptions being challenged and then being unequivocally dashed. People who appreciate the raw urban beauty of the city. People who have always wanted to be in a band, even if they’re pretty sure a drum kit would implode as soon as you looked at it. People who like fruit-based alcholic drinks. People who have always thought that the sunrise is better than the sunset.
I received a copy from the publishers via Netgalley.
You can also read the review for this book and others and a whole lot of other exciting stuff on my blog here.
High points.
Questions the restrictions and preconceptions of gender. Brooklyn. Music. Love with no limits. Sunsets. No inhibitions. The dark side of growing up. The complex relationship between kids and parents who could never/refuse to understand. Summer. Basements. Sex. Dealing with loss. Looking to the future. Happy ending…thank god.
Low Points.
When I love a book, I always want it to be longer. I want to spend more time with the characters that I have come to know and love and their friends and experience the world they see…. But, maybe with less junkies.
So I’m stamping my foot and moaning because this book wasn’t long enough.
Also... I want to add another Low Point.
Not for the book… but for me.
Even though the two main characters had no gender, I couldn’t help but assign them one anyway. Throughout the book I kept looking for clues to see if Brezenoff gave anything away (“She must be a girl because boys don’t drink Vodka and Cranberry, do they?” “OK, he must be a boy because they wouldn’t assume a girl set fire to the warehouse, would they?”) But in doing that I realised I was just highlighting my own ridiculous and unfounded preconceptions about gender. (I have a male friend who could drink me under the table with fruit-based drinks… but I guess that wouldn’t take much for I am an absolute lightweight). Why can’t a boy drink vodka and cranberry? Why can’t a girl set fire to a warehouse? Absolutely no reason. After about three chapters I gave up because I realised I didn’t want to know what gender they were. It didn’t matter in the slightest. Gender identities are drummed into us from birth but this book effectively shows us they are futile and restricting. Love is love… it doesn’t need a definition or a label.
Hero, um… no, Heroine… I mean Hero. No, it’s definitely Heroine. Or are they…..a….?
Kid has quickly become one of my favourite narrators in any book. They have such a positive outlook on life and they remain hopeful, no matter how much crap is thrown at them. I don’t want to say anything more for fear I will spoil anything…. But it was a pleasure going on Kid’s journey with them.
Love Interest.
With Kid referring to Scout, who I like to call ‘the enigma’, as only ‘You’ it felt like I was being let in on a glorious and intimate secret, like I was reading a one-sided love letters and I was desperate to see the replies. As I read this book, I couldn’t help but think of those times on the bus where you eavesdrop overhear someone’s conversation and it sounds so fascinating and captivating and for the briefest of moments you feel part of it.
This book is written for just the two of them and that this is just the first chapter.
Theme Tune
Girl and Boy Song - Blur.
It’s pretty self-explanatory.
(Random aside: Look at those tracksuits! I wish it was still the 90s…. and that I didn't Damon Albarn so oddly attractive with his eyeliner and the aforementioned tracksuit.)
Angst Level.
10/10. This book made my blood boil so this section is going to turn into a massive, incoherent rant on behalf of Kid, who isn’t given the chance to speak for themself because they are written off by the people who are supposed to protect them from narrow-minded people as soon as times get hard.
Unfortunately I am not mild-mannered and my soapbox is prepped and ready.
It’s hard enough being a kid. It’s even harder to be a kid growing up with feelings that society has deemed ‘abnormal’ and ‘wrong’. And it’s impossible to grow up knowing your parents hate you because of something that is completely out of your control and one of the things that makes you who you are.
With the exception of Fish and, eventually Kid’s mum, all of the adults in this book were so intolerant and despicable. The police assume the worst, don’t care about the truth and dismiss them as sexual deviants. Konny’s parents didn’t care where she was and what she was doing… as long as it wasn’t under their roof.
And don’t even get me started on Kid’s dad.
This book covers the dark side of growing up in the urban jungle: runaways, teenage prostitutes, drugs, problems with parents, corruption.
But it also covers hope, friendship, understanding, solidarity, and above all, love without restrictions and labels.
Even though it may not seem it from the above rant (I did warn you!), ‘Brooklyn, Burning’ is one of the most positive novels I have ever read and the ending is so beautiful that it washes away all the intolerance and shows that love will conquer all. No matter how hard they try to quash it.
*deep breath*
Recommended For.
Everyone. People who have ever felt at odds with society. People who believe in unconditional love. People who appreciate beautiful, thought-provoking prose. People who don’t mind their preconceptions being challenged and then being unequivocally dashed. People who appreciate the raw urban beauty of the city. People who have always wanted to be in a band, even if they’re pretty sure a drum kit would implode as soon as you looked at it. People who like fruit-based alcholic drinks. People who have always thought that the sunrise is better than the sunset.
I received a copy from the publishers via Netgalley.
You can also read the review for this book and others and a whole lot of other exciting stuff on my blog here.
October 6, 2014
Brooklyn, Burning was quite a surprise for me. I think I expected something hard-edged and bitter, the way I imagine the streets of Brooklyn might be. What I got was something altogether different.
Brooklyn, Burning is the story of Kid (as in Billy, the), a teenager living on the streets of Brooklyn. Kid is an unlabeled entity; we're never gives any indication of either Kid's gender or sexual orientation, simply because Kid doesn't know the answer to either question. I found myself trying to read between the lines to find some indication of what Kid was, waiting for the moment it would be revealed. It never was. And I realized that this was not a story about finding what Kid was--or even who, as s/he seemed pretty comfortable in his/her own skin--rather, it was a story about Kid finding his/her place in the world.
Kid's simultaneous self-awareness and refusal of conventional identity was refreshing and added an intriguing under layer to the storyline.
Though the story itself was engaging, the real winner was Brezenoff's style. The nearly stream-of-consciousness style prose was mostly matter-of-fact, but would sometimes swell until it bordered on the poetic when talking about the way music made Kid feel.
To be honest, I'm not quite sure I know what story this book tried to tell, only that I enjoyed the telling of it. And that's worth at least four stars in my book.
Brooklyn, Burning is the story of Kid (as in Billy, the), a teenager living on the streets of Brooklyn. Kid is an unlabeled entity; we're never gives any indication of either Kid's gender or sexual orientation, simply because Kid doesn't know the answer to either question. I found myself trying to read between the lines to find some indication of what Kid was, waiting for the moment it would be revealed. It never was. And I realized that this was not a story about finding what Kid was--or even who, as s/he seemed pretty comfortable in his/her own skin--rather, it was a story about Kid finding his/her place in the world.
Kid's simultaneous self-awareness and refusal of conventional identity was refreshing and added an intriguing under layer to the storyline.
Though the story itself was engaging, the real winner was Brezenoff's style. The nearly stream-of-consciousness style prose was mostly matter-of-fact, but would sometimes swell until it bordered on the poetic when talking about the way music made Kid feel.
To be honest, I'm not quite sure I know what story this book tried to tell, only that I enjoyed the telling of it. And that's worth at least four stars in my book.
March 1, 2012
I've been thinking about this for awhile. What can I say that will do this book justice and won't sound like a bunch of gushing? Truth? All I can do is rave about it.
This isn't a boy meets girl story. Or a boy meets boy. Or a girl meets girl. Or maybe it is... That's the beauty of it. This story is about two teenagers in a bad situation who fall in love. It's about two human beings connecting through music and shared experiences. And it's done beautifully. All of the characters are REAL and nuanced, but Kid's voice is pitch-perfect. Poetic and gritty at the same time. Kid had my sympathy right from the start. I knew a lot of 'Kids' as a teen. I hung out with them, let them crash in my room, talked all night in the park with them, and stuck up for them when they were misjudged. It didn't matter where they came from or if they were a boy or a girl. I connected with them because we had parents who didn't get us or who weren't around. We didn't fit in with most people our age. And...we were obsessed with music. Steve NAILED this experience.
In short, I LOVE this book. And I don't love many books. It's my favorite so far this year, no contest.
This isn't a boy meets girl story. Or a boy meets boy. Or a girl meets girl. Or maybe it is... That's the beauty of it. This story is about two teenagers in a bad situation who fall in love. It's about two human beings connecting through music and shared experiences. And it's done beautifully. All of the characters are REAL and nuanced, but Kid's voice is pitch-perfect. Poetic and gritty at the same time. Kid had my sympathy right from the start. I knew a lot of 'Kids' as a teen. I hung out with them, let them crash in my room, talked all night in the park with them, and stuck up for them when they were misjudged. It didn't matter where they came from or if they were a boy or a girl. I connected with them because we had parents who didn't get us or who weren't around. We didn't fit in with most people our age. And...we were obsessed with music. Steve NAILED this experience.
In short, I LOVE this book. And I don't love many books. It's my favorite so far this year, no contest.
June 30, 2011
4.5
Surface: it's about kids who are unsatisfied and (feel) unaccepted; they're lost and maybe confused about who they are and what they want.
Closer: (and you don't really have to look that close with Kid telling the story,) you get one that's just of People; of being found, then lost, then found again.
There's plenty appealing in this:
It's real. With a narrator like Kid, I could feel his anger, sadness... I could feel as he did. He doesn't sugar coat. What he did, where he lived and those he knew all lived not so perfect lives. But at least there were others. What's so great about this was the space for hope, that despite the situation he/they found himself in, there were people willing to helpthere were those who knew him better than those who should have, people like Fish, Konny, Felix, Jonny and Scout.
And his is a lovestory that read real, authentic: unsure at first, developing slowly, with him finally feeling a bit comfortable yet insecure in what they were. This book would have been perfect if not for the hokey badguy. Still...
It's WONDERFUL! It’s rough, it’s sad, but there's hope, there's affection, love and a surprising happy ending too.
*Much thanks, NetGalley!
Surface: it's about kids who are unsatisfied and (feel) unaccepted; they're lost and maybe confused about who they are and what they want.
Closer: (and you don't really have to look that close with Kid telling the story,) you get one that's just of People; of being found, then lost, then found again.
There's plenty appealing in this:
It's real. With a narrator like Kid, I could feel his anger, sadness... I could feel as he did. He doesn't sugar coat. What he did, where he lived and those he knew all lived not so perfect lives. But at least there were others. What's so great about this was the space for hope, that despite the situation he/they found himself in, there were people willing to helpthere were those who knew him better than those who should have, people like Fish, Konny, Felix, Jonny and Scout.
And his is a lovestory that read real, authentic: unsure at first, developing slowly, with him finally feeling a bit comfortable yet insecure in what they were. This book would have been perfect if not for the hokey badguy. Still...
It's WONDERFUL! It’s rough, it’s sad, but there's hope, there's affection, love and a surprising happy ending too.
*Much thanks, NetGalley!
August 27, 2017
Fast read and the writing is really beautiful. Parts of it are written in a 2nd person pov and while I normally don't like that, I loved it in this. This book deals with important subjects but sadly in a very quick way and the warehouse plot didn't really pull me in. I liked it and I do recommend it, but I did hope that it would be a five star read so it was a bit disappointing :(
EDIT: I've changed from a 3 star to a 4 star rating what feels like a gazillion times now, but I'm settling on 4! The more I think about this book, the more I love it (and the more I start to wonder why it's not wildly popular). Still wish it was longer and that it explored some of the topics a lot more though!
EDIT: I've changed from a 3 star to a 4 star rating what feels like a gazillion times now, but I'm settling on 4! The more I think about this book, the more I love it (and the more I start to wonder why it's not wildly popular). Still wish it was longer and that it explored some of the topics a lot more though!
July 12, 2024
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I've had Brooklyn Burning on my shelf for over a year, and the whole reason I even bought this was because a friend was gushing about it on Twitter two years ago. But honestly, they're the only person I've ever heard talking about it, so I suppose that's the reason why I hesitated on starting this. But I started a TBR Jar to get me to read some books that I own and have had for-literally-ever, and this was the second pick from it!
The thing that stuck out to me most about the book is that it's told in first and second person. Essentially, the main character, Kid, is telling the story through their eyes to the love interest, Scout. It's such an interesting way to read a story because it felt like I was overhearing someone's conversation. It didn't feel like Kid was talking to me, because "you" is a character in the story. I'm obviously not. This is definitely a trend that books about non-binary characters in like 2015 and before have used to avoid pronouns, but this was well-done. It didn't feel like that's what he was trying to do.
Like me go back to the whole "non-binary characters" thing. So this certainly isn't the most explicit rep, and it's not Own Voices either. Brooklyn Burning was published in 2011, which was such a different world than the one we live in now when it comes to queer rights and their progress. So neither Kid nor Scout is non-binary on the page. Still, you can tell because pronouns are never used for either of them and there are no gendered descriptions. They're just people.
Most of the named characters in the story have no problem with either of them being who they are. Kid has problems with their parents, but they have
So what is Brooklyn Burning about? It's about A LOT. There is so much going on in these 200 pages, because they take place over the course of two consecutive summers.
It's about social class! The main characters are all working class people. A bigger plot point is a gross millionaire looking to get richer by taking over an abandoned building where a ton of homeless people live and turning it into a business.
It's about falling in love! As I mentioned in the content warnings, Kid has a relationship at sixteen(?) with someone who is WAY older than them and is super bad for them. But then they fall in love with Scout. This is such a sweet love story that ties in so well with the other sub-plot of self-acceptance and self-confidence.
It's about growing up! This part of the story is done in a great way that I don't see so much of in books, especially YA. Brooklyn Burning switches between two summers—I want to say it's the summers of 2009 and 2010?—and this is an interesting way to show character growth, especially for Kid. I really enjoyed the way that the past and present were shown in such a contrast of each other, and it made me realize that this is an aspect I'd love to see in more stories.
Final Thought
I'm finished rambling now! This is a really raw, beautiful, and underrated book. I'm so glad I stumbled across this because I feel like it's always going to hold a special place in my heart. If you're a fan of complex coming of age stories with casual (albeit possibly too casual) queer rep, definitely pick up a copy of this.
Support Me Elsewhere!
I've had Brooklyn Burning on my shelf for over a year, and the whole reason I even bought this was because a friend was gushing about it on Twitter two years ago. But honestly, they're the only person I've ever heard talking about it, so I suppose that's the reason why I hesitated on starting this. But I started a TBR Jar to get me to read some books that I own and have had for-literally-ever, and this was the second pick from it!
The thing that stuck out to me most about the book is that it's told in first and second person. Essentially, the main character, Kid, is telling the story through their eyes to the love interest, Scout. It's such an interesting way to read a story because it felt like I was overhearing someone's conversation. It didn't feel like Kid was talking to me, because "you" is a character in the story. I'm obviously not. This is definitely a trend that books about non-binary characters in like 2015 and before have used to avoid pronouns, but this was well-done. It didn't feel like that's what he was trying to do.
Like me go back to the whole "non-binary characters" thing. So this certainly isn't the most explicit rep, and it's not Own Voices either. Brooklyn Burning was published in 2011, which was such a different world than the one we live in now when it comes to queer rights and their progress. So neither Kid nor Scout is non-binary on the page. Still, you can tell because pronouns are never used for either of them and there are no gendered descriptions. They're just people.
Most of the named characters in the story have no problem with either of them being who they are. Kid has problems with their parents, but they have
So what is Brooklyn Burning about? It's about A LOT. There is so much going on in these 200 pages, because they take place over the course of two consecutive summers.
It's about social class! The main characters are all working class people. A bigger plot point is a gross millionaire looking to get richer by taking over an abandoned building where a ton of homeless people live and turning it into a business.
It's about falling in love! As I mentioned in the content warnings, Kid has a relationship at sixteen(?) with someone who is WAY older than them and is super bad for them. But then they fall in love with Scout. This is such a sweet love story that ties in so well with the other sub-plot of self-acceptance and self-confidence.
It's about growing up! This part of the story is done in a great way that I don't see so much of in books, especially YA. Brooklyn Burning switches between two summers—I want to say it's the summers of 2009 and 2010?—and this is an interesting way to show character growth, especially for Kid. I really enjoyed the way that the past and present were shown in such a contrast of each other, and it made me realize that this is an aspect I'd love to see in more stories.
Final Thought
I'm finished rambling now! This is a really raw, beautiful, and underrated book. I'm so glad I stumbled across this because I feel like it's always going to hold a special place in my heart. If you're a fan of complex coming of age stories with casual (albeit possibly too casual) queer rep, definitely pick up a copy of this.
Support Me Elsewhere!
February 11, 2024
this book claims it is “not a book any teen reader will soon forget” and i’d like to say that’s true.
i first read this almost exactly 9 (!!!!) years ago in 8th grade. i gave it 3 stars back then too so clearly it never was my favorite book, but certainly one that stuck with me. it’s such a clear example of what queer teen literature was like back then—covert, angsty, often ambiguous, and always vulnerable to a higher level of criticism. of course many of the negative reviews from a decade ago complain about the ambiguity when it comes to kid and scout’s genders, as if that wasn’t the whole point of this, but that + the second person point of you was what stuck with me throughout all these years. like yes, ambiguous narrator, when you address “you”, you mean ME, an equally ambiguous being!! i think this book was meant to cater to a small, specific demographic in a very small, specific span of years, and i’m happy this book found its way to me.
now that i somewhat work in publishing, it’s almost bittersweet to see how far books have come. there’s a long way to go but there are so many more lgbtq+ teen and middle grade (!!) books lately, including multiple nonbinary middle grade books which absolutely did not exist a decade ago, and i think that’s amazing. but i was a little sad to see that brooklyn, burning has left my library’s shelves. i still remember picking it up just because it was tiny and the cover was shiny. there’s probably not really a huge need/demand for books like this one anymore, but they’ll always have a place in my heart.
i first read this almost exactly 9 (!!!!) years ago in 8th grade. i gave it 3 stars back then too so clearly it never was my favorite book, but certainly one that stuck with me. it’s such a clear example of what queer teen literature was like back then—covert, angsty, often ambiguous, and always vulnerable to a higher level of criticism. of course many of the negative reviews from a decade ago complain about the ambiguity when it comes to kid and scout’s genders, as if that wasn’t the whole point of this, but that + the second person point of you was what stuck with me throughout all these years. like yes, ambiguous narrator, when you address “you”, you mean ME, an equally ambiguous being!! i think this book was meant to cater to a small, specific demographic in a very small, specific span of years, and i’m happy this book found its way to me.
now that i somewhat work in publishing, it’s almost bittersweet to see how far books have come. there’s a long way to go but there are so many more lgbtq+ teen and middle grade (!!) books lately, including multiple nonbinary middle grade books which absolutely did not exist a decade ago, and i think that’s amazing. but i was a little sad to see that brooklyn, burning has left my library’s shelves. i still remember picking it up just because it was tiny and the cover was shiny. there’s probably not really a huge need/demand for books like this one anymore, but they’ll always have a place in my heart.
March 11, 2015
When I started reading Brooklyn, Burning I was really excited for it, because of the wonderful reviews it has received but at the same time I tried to keep my expectations low. With hype you always have to expect something not to live up to it.
Brooklyn, Burning didn't live up to my expectations. It is not a bad book. The writing is alright and I can appreciate how the Brezenoff never slipped in not revealing the gender of the main character. At the same time I found not knowing very frustrating and it makes it very hard to write a review and talk about Kid.
I couldn't connect with Kid which may be due to the writing style. Not my cup of tea. Kid's expectations on Fish's help struck me as odd that Kid would expect her to put herself on the line for a person she doesn't really know. And then Kid really gets her in trouble. I understand that Kid had a troubled life and still continues to do so but that doesn't make it any more okay and was one of the main reasons why I didn't like Kid.
The story centers around music and while I can appreciate music I've never felt a deep connection with it and all the main characters have a deep love for music. Which is why I found it even harder to connect with the book.
If you are a lover of music and don't mind the ambiguity of the main character then this book might be for you.
Disclaimer: An ARC has been provided by Netgalley and the publisher for reviewing purposes.
Brooklyn, Burning didn't live up to my expectations. It is not a bad book. The writing is alright and I can appreciate how the Brezenoff never slipped in not revealing the gender of the main character. At the same time I found not knowing very frustrating and it makes it very hard to write a review and talk about Kid.
I couldn't connect with Kid which may be due to the writing style. Not my cup of tea. Kid's expectations on Fish's help struck me as odd that Kid would expect her to put herself on the line for a person she doesn't really know. And then Kid really gets her in trouble. I understand that Kid had a troubled life and still continues to do so but that doesn't make it any more okay and was one of the main reasons why I didn't like Kid.
The story centers around music and while I can appreciate music I've never felt a deep connection with it and all the main characters have a deep love for music. Which is why I found it even harder to connect with the book.
If you are a lover of music and don't mind the ambiguity of the main character then this book might be for you.
Disclaimer: An ARC has been provided by Netgalley and the publisher for reviewing purposes.
December 22, 2016
It's closer to a 1.5.
I'll get this out of the way first. I think it's lazy, and dare I say gimmicky, to use the genderless card without developing any of the struggles. It just feels like you want a "hey, look at me!" card but outside of one line by Kid's dad, that's just kind of glossed over. I know straight love stories get treated normally, so LGBT love stories should be treated the same, but if you're writing about LGBT homeless youth, then that doesn't really sit well with me.
I didn't like the second person style, or how the narration jumped back and forth for Kid's backstory. The only redeeming part was that wild plot twist about who really caused the fire and how the cops automatically were in the know about what really happened. But why did it take for the story so long to get to that point?
Read Almost Home by Jessica Blank if you'd like a better interpretation for homeless youth.
I'll get this out of the way first. I think it's lazy, and dare I say gimmicky, to use the genderless card without developing any of the struggles. It just feels like you want a "hey, look at me!" card but outside of one line by Kid's dad, that's just kind of glossed over. I know straight love stories get treated normally, so LGBT love stories should be treated the same, but if you're writing about LGBT homeless youth, then that doesn't really sit well with me.
I didn't like the second person style, or how the narration jumped back and forth for Kid's backstory. The only redeeming part was that wild plot twist about who really caused the fire and how the cops automatically were in the know about what really happened. But why did it take for the story so long to get to that point?
Read Almost Home by Jessica Blank if you'd like a better interpretation for homeless youth.
October 2, 2011
3.5 stars. I am really stuck between 3 and 4 stars on this one. Overall I really enjoyed it and think it is most definitely worth the read. My only hesitancy/issue is with the overall character development. I feel like I merely got a glimpse of Kid's world when I wanted an entire view. In defense of the author this is most likely a defect on my part as I am not usually one of those readers who can be thrown into a time and place and just go with it. A lot of other readers are good with this type of situation and will likely fall in love with this book. In the end I truly appreciated the messages of tolerance, love, and finding your own family, and for those reasons alone I think this is a great read.
December 8, 2017
LGBT YA often leaves out those who are non-binary or genderqueer so it was nice to read a young adult story with a character who isn't gendered either in reference to themselves or by others in the book. Also, it's just a darn good book. 10/10 would recommend.
January 31, 2018
A soulful ballad to young love, lost queer lives, musical awakening, and Brooklyn. This is a classic work that reveals, subtly at first, then all at once, how gentrification and its attendant forces (exploitation, exclusion, eviction) impact the lives of immigrants and the homeless.
July 24, 2011
My true rating for this book is 3.5 stars. It falls short of 4 because I feel as though the story is written with a building momentum that is never fulfilled. I kept waiting for something, what I'm not sure, but whatever it was, it never came. Or maybe it was the transient nature of the gender neutral-no last name characters that didn't fully ground me. Now that I'm finished, I don't feel sated. However, it tasted good as I went through each chapter.
While the transient nature of the characters was a little off putting, anything more would not have worked for this story. It's about the nature of summer, that unpredictable time of transition where anything goes and usually does, and it's rarely the same from one to the next. School age kids live for summer, so telling the story from Kid's perspective is perfect. At that tender age of 15 to 16 he's trying to figure out who he is, and even though it would be easier if an adult would just tell him he'll be wondering that for the rest of his life, they let him think he's on his own. Except he's not.
I liked how Steve Brezenoff shows you both Kid's love of Felix and his for Scout, because it allows you to see the difference from his own mind as he remembers it. He was enamored with Felix, his talent, what he represented, this "thing" that Felix had. Superficial, transient, like Summer. With Scout, it meant more. Kid loved Scout and she loved him in return. A mutual love that grew out of the nestled haze of Summer, that will linger long after the sun sets. To me, it was more evident in the way they shared the music together than anything. They flowed so perfectly without effort, like a natural team. No shyness or hesitation. It could be no other way.
I'm willing to admit that my expectation of something more probably comes from years of reading over-dramatic fiction, because I have no other valid reason for giving this book less than 4 stars. I liked that there was no pretty epilogue tying it all up in a nice bow, I didn't need to see them as college sweethearts or doing a Eurotour. I appreciate that things were left chaste between them, it was sweet and respectful, because it's never been about that. And I'm glad Kid can walk away with a clear conscience about the fire at the warehouse.
While the transient nature of the characters was a little off putting, anything more would not have worked for this story. It's about the nature of summer, that unpredictable time of transition where anything goes and usually does, and it's rarely the same from one to the next. School age kids live for summer, so telling the story from Kid's perspective is perfect. At that tender age of 15 to 16 he's trying to figure out who he is, and even though it would be easier if an adult would just tell him he'll be wondering that for the rest of his life, they let him think he's on his own. Except he's not.
I liked how Steve Brezenoff shows you both Kid's love of Felix and his for Scout, because it allows you to see the difference from his own mind as he remembers it. He was enamored with Felix, his talent, what he represented, this "thing" that Felix had. Superficial, transient, like Summer. With Scout, it meant more. Kid loved Scout and she loved him in return. A mutual love that grew out of the nestled haze of Summer, that will linger long after the sun sets. To me, it was more evident in the way they shared the music together than anything. They flowed so perfectly without effort, like a natural team. No shyness or hesitation. It could be no other way.
I'm willing to admit that my expectation of something more probably comes from years of reading over-dramatic fiction, because I have no other valid reason for giving this book less than 4 stars. I liked that there was no pretty epilogue tying it all up in a nice bow, I didn't need to see them as college sweethearts or doing a Eurotour. I appreciate that things were left chaste between them, it was sweet and respectful, because it's never been about that. And I'm glad Kid can walk away with a clear conscience about the fire at the warehouse.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2011
I feel so ashamed. When I got this book I was like, "Wow, this guy is a genius. The whole idea of not knowing the gender of the main characters will be sooo cool." But, then I started reading it and realized that I was so upset. I couldn't get into the book because I DIDN'T KNOW THE GENDER! So upsetting to find that out about myself. But, on the bright side, I did read enough that I can tell you that the writing is phenomenal!
Steve Brezenoff's writing is so detailed, especially for a book where you couldn't tell whether the characters were two guys, two girls, or a guy and a girl. He found a way to describe a character enough where you were satisfied because you have some sort of picture to follow as you read, but kept the mystery of the gender. I personally need the gender (as I just found out :( ) to read a book. I was getting distracted from the characters because I couldn't categorize them, but that just shows how ingenious Steve is :).
I wouldn't tell so one not to read this book, because it is worth it, but if you have to know the gender of the characters to read then it might take you some time to get through this book. I plan on finishing the rest of it eventually, but I might need to skip to the end so that I can cheat a little ;).
Steve Brezenoff's writing is so detailed, especially for a book where you couldn't tell whether the characters were two guys, two girls, or a guy and a girl. He found a way to describe a character enough where you were satisfied because you have some sort of picture to follow as you read, but kept the mystery of the gender. I personally need the gender (as I just found out :( ) to read a book. I was getting distracted from the characters because I couldn't categorize them, but that just shows how ingenious Steve is :).
I wouldn't tell so one not to read this book, because it is worth it, but if you have to know the gender of the characters to read then it might take you some time to get through this book. I plan on finishing the rest of it eventually, but I might need to skip to the end so that I can cheat a little ;).
June 8, 2013
Catcher in the Rye packed, I felt so many times as if I was going to lose my very apartment as I felt I was inside the body of Kid as he wondered from place to place trying to find a place to sleep each night. Steve Brezenoff is able to bring the wandering and restlessness of Kid outside of each page into the inner core of your very being if you let it. Was it ironic that Alicia Keys' "New York" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PHOeX...) came on the radio a few minutes after I finished? The memories of the streets I have walked with my students from Mexico became much more after feeling smelling, and seeing the scenes that Kid, Fish, Scout, and Konny, Jonny, and the martyrdom of Felix saw every day. These wandering souls bring a new look to a city I have come to love with a group of students I have travelled with each year with, and Brezenoff's book brings the reality of a life that often goes often unseen and unnoticed. So many issues packed into this novel about acceptance, homelessness, and in general, belonging. The author's note at the end is so tasteful, it makes worth getting to the end to see how Steve Brezenoff has come full circle to bring so many issues to your fingertips.
August 27, 2011
I cried when I finished reading Brooklyn, Burning by Steve Brezenoff. While I’m generally a crybaby, I wouldn’t need to use my toes to count how many times a novel has made me cry.
But there I was, snuggled into bed turning the last page of this brilliant, profound young adult novel my face wet. They weren’t tears of sadness or regret, it was joy and happiness.
My joy, at first, was for the tender love story between Kid and Scout, two sixteen-year-old runaways who spend the summer in Greenpoint, Brookyln. Kid discovers Scout one morning outside of Fish’s bar, where Kid likes to spend the night whenever Fish allows it. Scout’s clutching a flyer that Kid and Felix made the summer before calling for band members. Oh, before I get too into this I want to say that I love how this books swirls with music, and not just The Replacements’ references. The music writing is beautiful, but this more than a book about teens who like music. Like I said this is a love story, a beautiful love story.
Read More.
But there I was, snuggled into bed turning the last page of this brilliant, profound young adult novel my face wet. They weren’t tears of sadness or regret, it was joy and happiness.
My joy, at first, was for the tender love story between Kid and Scout, two sixteen-year-old runaways who spend the summer in Greenpoint, Brookyln. Kid discovers Scout one morning outside of Fish’s bar, where Kid likes to spend the night whenever Fish allows it. Scout’s clutching a flyer that Kid and Felix made the summer before calling for band members. Oh, before I get too into this I want to say that I love how this books swirls with music, and not just The Replacements’ references. The music writing is beautiful, but this more than a book about teens who like music. Like I said this is a love story, a beautiful love story.
Read More.
August 7, 2013
Steven Brezenoff experiment with a fragmented and gender free romance was more frustrating than refreshing. I know everyone wants to write something unique and push the envelope when it comes to telling a story. However, there is a fine line between something that is well written with the intent to have a story that is so androgynous can be challenging. If the characterization was hard to follow, so was the story. I did not know anything about the music and that was the only thing that was concrete and made sense, if i knew about it that is. Sadly, I did not. It was hard to finish this book and at times I wanted to Burn this book in Brooklyn, frustrated by my inability to relate to any of the characters. I realized that information we take for granted in literature such as identifying genders can be so important to understanding the world in which the characters live in a little better. I do not recommend this title to any of the kids I teach unless they're really into music. Other than that, I was very happy to close the book-- hoping that maybe another author could execute a gender free romance fluently throughout the course of a novel.
March 22, 2012
I have it on good authority that this is an excellent book. Friends, authors, reviewers that I trust and more often than not agree with have all said so. And I know I wasn't in the best mental space as I read this one. So if I was less than impressed, I tend to believe the fault lies in me as a reader and not the book; I don't trust my own opinion on this one. I could see it was a good book, after all, I just never felt emotionally engaged by it, didn't empathize with the characters or feel what the book said they were feeling. But that's just me. You probably shouldn't trust this review. Go find one of those glowing ones, because they're probably more accurate than mine.
September 9, 2012
This is really good...tight plot, interesting weaving of the present and the past, and very strong writing. The reality of these kids' situation is never sugar coated, but it's a good read for someone kind of wimpy and squeamish like me. It is gritty in its subject matter, but lyrical in the writing, so quite beautiful. Highly recommended.
October 9, 2016
I would actually give it a 4.5 but that might be because I'm too emotional about all this ya love stuff right now.
I also loved the fact that 99% of the characters seemed bi to me.
I also loved the fact that 99% of the characters seemed bi to me.
April 7, 2011
I hate Steve Brezenoff in the best possible way.
April 14, 2021
one of the main reasons i started reading this book was to get a feel for the culture of Brooklyn, and i feel like the author did that here perfectly. i felt completely immersed in this urban world, and while i didn't particularly connect with any of the characters i wouldn't say that that's a flaw on the book's part because it IS hard for me to connect to most characters, especially in books. i did feel for Kid's arc throughout the book, and i was invested in their relationship with scout - i especially enjoyed the sort of 'detached' way, for lack of a better word, that the author wrote the relationships between these characters. you can feel the tenuousness between each character and how their environment is impacting their behaviour and their wellbeing.
the depiction of homelessness and its hardships was also done in a respectful and nuanced way in my opinion - it's never depicted as anything "glamorous" or "enticingly edgy" like some media can do with subjects as heavy as this, but it's also put into the story in a holistic way that doesn't make homelessness Kid's sole problem. sure, they're homeless, and this has an effect on them and how they behave, but there's more to their character than just being Some Homeless Kid. maybe an odd thing to mention, but i've seen a lot of media types make something like this into the sole defining problem for a character, and i'm glad it didn't happen here.
the characters also feel very defined and appropriately used. i was especially fond of Fish, as she felt particularly three-dimensional, and i very much appreciated the attention to the contrast of her wanting to help Kid and their friends, but also wanting to follow the law to keep her business safe. the relationship between Kid & Scout, despite feeling at times rushed and over-the-top, felt perfectly in place in a story about Kid's life-changing summer in Brooklyn. if it were in any other setting then it may not have worked for me, but here it felt like it captured the tone of the book perfectly.
all-in-all, a moving story about healing from pain and opening up. i'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who's looking for some nice prose and some character-driven story arcs. things don't so much happen to the characters in this book as the characters happen to it - you're introduced to this little corner of Brooklyn where the characters reside, and we're very much led to explore the consequences of their actions, and sometimes their inaction.
the depiction of homelessness and its hardships was also done in a respectful and nuanced way in my opinion - it's never depicted as anything "glamorous" or "enticingly edgy" like some media can do with subjects as heavy as this, but it's also put into the story in a holistic way that doesn't make homelessness Kid's sole problem. sure, they're homeless, and this has an effect on them and how they behave, but there's more to their character than just being Some Homeless Kid. maybe an odd thing to mention, but i've seen a lot of media types make something like this into the sole defining problem for a character, and i'm glad it didn't happen here.
the characters also feel very defined and appropriately used. i was especially fond of Fish, as she felt particularly three-dimensional, and i very much appreciated the attention to the contrast of her wanting to help Kid and their friends, but also wanting to follow the law to keep her business safe. the relationship between Kid & Scout, despite feeling at times rushed and over-the-top, felt perfectly in place in a story about Kid's life-changing summer in Brooklyn. if it were in any other setting then it may not have worked for me, but here it felt like it captured the tone of the book perfectly.
all-in-all, a moving story about healing from pain and opening up. i'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who's looking for some nice prose and some character-driven story arcs. things don't so much happen to the characters in this book as the characters happen to it - you're introduced to this little corner of Brooklyn where the characters reside, and we're very much led to explore the consequences of their actions, and sometimes their inaction.
Read
May 1, 2020The summer when Kid is 15 years old is a summer when Kid lives on the streets of Brooklyn. Sometimes Kid can crash in the cellar at Fish's bar, but when the cops come snooping around, then she kicks Kid and the drum set out. The abandoned warehouse is a fallback home for Kid, who meets fellow musician Felix. Kid might love Felix, but it's hard to tell because the only thing they talk about is music, and that's only when Felix isn't getting high.
The summer when Kid is 16 years old is another summer spent on the Brooklyn streets. Felix is gone, along with the warehouse that mysteriously burned down one night. Now the cops come to Fish's bar looking for Kid, whom they accuse of starting the fire. Kid just wants to be left alone to play music with Scout, a new guitarist who experiences lving on the streets of Brooklyn.
Read p. 7-8: "You sat opposite me ... music was a blanket that I could gather around me."
The summer when Kid is 16 years old is another summer spent on the Brooklyn streets. Felix is gone, along with the warehouse that mysteriously burned down one night. Now the cops come to Fish's bar looking for Kid, whom they accuse of starting the fire. Kid just wants to be left alone to play music with Scout, a new guitarist who experiences lving on the streets of Brooklyn.
Read p. 7-8: "You sat opposite me ... music was a blanket that I could gather around me."
May 30, 2018
Brooklyn Burning mostly focused on the narrator, Kid's love life and the issues Kid faced. Kid is a homeless teenager living on the streets of Brooklyn. Kid is accused of burning a warehouse that many homeless people lived in and then is being hounded by the police. Kid soon discovers that he has fell in love and throughout the book his love life is explained.
The book mentions a topic which is much often ignored, gender identity. The author doesn't identify Kid's gender once throughout the story, making it hard for readers to get to know the main character or even connect with Kid. Due to the fact that Kid's gender was never revealed it was hard to understand what the character was going through exactly.
The book mentions a topic which is much often ignored, gender identity. The author doesn't identify Kid's gender once throughout the story, making it hard for readers to get to know the main character or even connect with Kid. Due to the fact that Kid's gender was never revealed it was hard to understand what the character was going through exactly.
May 30, 2018
SPOILER WARNING
This might have been the most confusing book I have ever read. The plot was unclear, and it was hard to find out the roles of each character. There is a kid named Kid that has a crush on a girl named Konny, an "ACE" character and about 2 other people. Kid decides what he identified as and whenever someone called him a certain gender that he wanted to be, than he would take offence. The ages were also unclear, you couldn't really tell when a flash back is occurring because they never act any different. In the beginning of the book Kid doesn't indicate the names of anyone, the ages or the genders. Nothing was clear for me as a reader. It got annoying with all the flash forwards and backs. This is not a book i would read again.
This might have been the most confusing book I have ever read. The plot was unclear, and it was hard to find out the roles of each character. There is a kid named Kid that has a crush on a girl named Konny, an "ACE" character and about 2 other people. Kid decides what he identified as and whenever someone called him a certain gender that he wanted to be, than he would take offence. The ages were also unclear, you couldn't really tell when a flash back is occurring because they never act any different. In the beginning of the book Kid doesn't indicate the names of anyone, the ages or the genders. Nothing was clear for me as a reader. It got annoying with all the flash forwards and backs. This is not a book i would read again.
May 30, 2018
Kid a non gender pronoun deals with oppression during this book because s/he does not know how to identify. Kid as a result wanted to also have a love life with a girl named Konny but also a boy named Ace. But as the summer went by Kid got her/his heart broken by both during this. Instead of kid to morn everyday during this summer he or she decides to to join a band with a future best friend Felix. So after kid met Felix and got s/he's heart broken Konny the love of her life decides to come back to kid and talk about their relationship. As an outcome Kid's heart got restored by Konny; but also had mixed feelings about that summer with up and downs. That later on made the best summer of her life.
May 30, 2018
Brooklyn burning is the story of tow summers in Brooklyn,two summers of fires, music, loss, and ultimately love. The main characters are "you" Fish Felix, johnny, and Scout (the main charecter) . Steve Brushoff's latest novel tells the story of a street-kid in Brooklyn accused of burning down a local warehouse. However, the more interesting story line in Brooklyn, Burning has little to do with the fire, but focuses on the protagonist’s love interests, particularly a newly arrived street-kid who is also a gifted singer. The challenge in reading this novel is sorting out the gender politics the author presents in the love story. The book features a first-person narration by the homeless sixteen-year-old hero.
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