Destiny

I had to read this for my sociology assignment, but I actually enjoyed it. It kinda got me out of my reading slump lol.

AHHH THE PUB DATE WAS MOVED SHES ARRIVING A WEEK EARLY

literally all I could do each chapter was shake my head disappointedly and sigh out “men.” 🤦🏾‍♀️

👉🏾 “And that is why I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere.”

~

“Never shall I forget those flames that consumed my faith forever...Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes.” 🥲

This is my third reread of this book, each in different stages of life, and every single time, I can't help leaving with both new understanding and deeper heartbreak.

I have not come by an absolute 5-star mystery in months, but this had EVERYTHING I wanted and more. Black mcs, no token blk-to-white characters, no stereotyping or micro aggressions, and very realistic representation of the traumatic effects of SA. Another major part of my rating stems from the fact that the story accurately captures how harmful small-town conservative culture can be, and how it can translate into trauma. The characters personalities were such a special part of this story as well, and I was cheering the MC on from the first five pages. I also loved how Pryce's POV provided readers w/ what life is realistically like for gay men in the black community, which really opened my eyes to their distinct experiences and broadened my perspective on their struggles, as well. I have learned loving new things from this novel and will continue to do independent research, because of it. Pryce's family relationships were also beautifully and distinctly represented, which I barely ever see in media. I love the fact that, again, we were given an imperfect, healthy, black family unit that are willing to adapt in order to learn and better support their children. The writing also added to my rating, since it was so well written. Although the novel was longer than traditional mysteries, the plot did not stretch or make the story fall flat. The author made perfect use of those pages. I genuinely believe that this should be a trilogy!!! I would love to be carried along w/ Pryce as he solves more cases throughout college, and I would also love the opportunity to view life through his lens as he embraces hisself. 6 ⭐️s. I kept putting my ereader down in order to make the story last longer lol. The author def. has a new fan, and I cannot wait for future releases!!