From the Bookshelf of Diversity in All Forms!…

Pride

Ibi Zoboi

Start date: July 1, 2019

Finish date: July 30, 2019

Discussion: Monthly Group Reads

Why we're reading this: Our diversity topic we will cover in July is Classism.

Pride by Ibi Zoboi
[close] Our diversity topic we will cover in July is Classism.

Pride by Ibi Zoboi

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What Members Thought

Sep 16, 2018 Nikki rated it really liked it

Shelves: racial-ethnic-diversity

I had some issues, but for the most part, it was really good. Makes me want to read the original now. Real review to come.

**EDIT 01/05/19**

You can find more of my reviews here at my blog: Take Me Away...

I am not a classics kind of person, so when this book's title and synopsis was released, I wasn't chomping at the bit to get to it. Until I saw it was by Ibi Zoboi. And now after reading this, I can honestly say that I can see myself giving the original classic a chance. That's how much I enjoy I had some issues, but for the most part, it was really good. Makes me want to read the original now. Real review to come.

**EDIT 01/05/19**

You can find more of my reviews here at my blog: Take Me Away...

I am not a classics kind of person, so when this book's title and synopsis was released, I wasn't chomping at the bit to get to it. Until I saw it was by Ibi Zoboi. And now after reading this, I can honestly say that I can see myself giving the original classic a chance. That's how much I enjoyed this.

Zuri and her family have lived in their own corner of Brooklyn their entire life. They know everyone and everything that happens in their hood. And then something she doesn't expect happens. A wealthy family moves in across the street and they go against everything that the hood Zuri knows stands for. But as their story unfolds, Zuri realizes she doesn't know as much as she thought she did.

The ONLY reason I didn't give this 5 stars was Zuri and her attitude. I'm not sure if that's how the characters in the original story is, but she was a little too prideful for me. I hated that because that was once me, except I was the Darius character. We don't act as if we're better than anyone, its just the way we were raised. I got in many a fight over that when I was in middle school because people said that. It hurt just as much reading it as it did when I went through it back then. I just really wanted Zuri to realize she was doing the very thing she was accusing him of doing.

As for the re-telling, I read the Sparknotes (don't judge me) and from what I can tell it was a solid re-telling. All the biggest events from it were in the book, but with its own spin and I loved that. Even though it was telling a different story, it still was able to tell its own.

As for the romance, I wasn't really convinced with it. I'm not sure if the abrupt change from hating each other to being in love was the same in the original, but it didn't work for me here. I couldn't really define the place where she really began falling for him. It just seemed forced and not natural.

As for the plot, I really did like the spin of gentrification. As much as I want to read a rom com with black leads, I love contemporary romances with heavy, hard hitting issues too. And this was one of them. It wasn't something I knew I needed until I read it. And sometimes, those are the best reads.

After missing American Street when it released last year, I wasn't missing Ibi Zoboi's sophomore book for anything. And I'm so glad I didn't. Although this wasn't something I was expecting to like, it surprised me and got me interested in the story by Jane Austen. I'm hoping to try my luck with that one soon too! ...more

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