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Oct 21, 2020ArapahoeAnnaL rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
The political and the personal share center stage in this timely story of teenage social consciousness and personal connections. Told in the first person by the two main characters in alternating chapters, this novel explores issues affecting our society as it portrays the growing relationship between two Black 18-year olds. Set during a single day the characters Marva and Duke struggle to find the correct polling site, wait in line, share life stories, meet each other's parents, and take a break from serious issues with a visit to the beach and a search for Marva’s lost cat. Racism, voter suppression, Black on Black crime, abortion rights, police brutality, healthcare, if something is causing human suffering Marva is passionate about it. I found the characters more sympathetic in the text version. In the audio version at times the dialog/narration struck me as cliched or as the characters playing their parts too perfectly, e.g. the perfect serious teenage girl, the perfect mom admonishing her kids not to be late.