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Dreamland Burning
Some bodies won’t stay buried. Some stories need to be told.
When seventeen-year-old Rowan Chase finds a skeleton on her family’s property, she has no idea that investigating the brutal century-old murder will lead to a summer of painful discoveries about the past, the present, and herself.
One hundred years earlier, a single violent encounter propels seventeen-year-old Will Tillman into a racial firestorm. In a country rife with violence against blacks and a hometown segregated by Jim Crow, Will must make hard choices on a painful journey towards self discovery and face his inner demons in order to do what’s right the night Tulsa burns.
When seventeen-year-old Rowan Chase finds a skeleton on her family’s property, she has no idea that investigating the brutal century-old murder will lead to a summer of painful discoveries about the past, the present, and herself.
One hundred years earlier, a single violent encounter propels seventeen-year-old Will Tillman into a racial firestorm. In a country rife with violence against blacks and a hometown segregated by Jim Crow, Will must make hard choices on a painful journey towards self discovery and face his inner demons in order to do what’s right the night Tulsa burns.
365 pages, Hardcover
First published February 21, 2017
About the author
Jennifer Latham
7 books242 followers"I'm a grown-up army brat with two kids, two dogs, and a husband. After working in a morgue, a maximum-security prison, a heroin detox, and assorted middle and high schools, I decided to try may hand at writing. Happily, it stuck.
I love watching people.
And I love writing about the characters who live inside my head—even when they don’t play nice."
I love watching people.
And I love writing about the characters who live inside my head—even when they don’t play nice."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,009 reviews
July 1, 2017
Biased? Yes. But in all honesty, this book changed my life :)
April 6, 2017
I have to admit I'm ashamed that I'd never heard of what took place in Tulsa in 1921. Call it what you will a massacre, riot, or a holocaust it was awful and still being pushed under the rug all these years later. Dreamland Burning is part murder mystery part historical fiction and all great. Dreamland Burning is powerful story that will keep you thinking long after you've finished reading. Dreamland Burning is well written and thoroughly researched.
Popsugar 2017 Reading Challenge: Book Set in Two Different Time Periods.
Popsugar 2017 Reading Challenge: Book Set in Two Different Time Periods.
August 12, 2016
I am not sure I can put into coherent words how madly in love I am with this book. I was really fortunate to receive an advanced reader copy of it. Never in my life have I identified with a main character like this. I usually gravitate away from a lot of the popular YA novels because let's be real, I'm a biracial black woman--I can't see myself in a lot of the white dude protagonists.
Jennifer Latham is the type of author I hope to be someday.
She seamlessly wove together the stories of a modern day, biracial black teen who discovers a buried body on her family's property with the story of a white and Native American teen in 1920s Tulsa, which was home to Greenwood, the most prosperous African-American neighborhood in the country before the KKK started growing in the area.
I read it in less than 24 hours. I stayed up all night (it's been such a long time since I've found a book I could not put down) and as much as I quickly read it and got to the end, I kind of wish I savored it more haha.
The research, respect, and heart that went into crafting these characters who realistically struggle and learn from the way racism affects who we are and forces them to decide who they're going to be is really admirable. They felt like real human beings, not caricatures (two of the modern day black characters had an argument stemming from their perception of their own blackness and how they're treated by the world and it was so damn important and beautiful and rare and satisfying to see), framed around the Tulsa Riots--which is a forever relevant story that needs to be told. I was upset I hadn't heard about it sooner.
This book made me livid, it made me rant about the state of the world and the necessity of the #blacklivesmatter movement, it made me cry, it made me scared and happy and validated and motivated and both satisfied and dissatisfied (I have a lot of feelings okay). From the social commentary to the friendships to the wonderfully skillful and fast-paced, addicting way it's written and the relatable coming-of-age stories in this book...I'm just really happy and thankful this book exists. I hope when it releases in 2017, it gets the readership and praise it truly deserves.
Jennifer Latham is the type of author I hope to be someday.
She seamlessly wove together the stories of a modern day, biracial black teen who discovers a buried body on her family's property with the story of a white and Native American teen in 1920s Tulsa, which was home to Greenwood, the most prosperous African-American neighborhood in the country before the KKK started growing in the area.
I read it in less than 24 hours. I stayed up all night (it's been such a long time since I've found a book I could not put down) and as much as I quickly read it and got to the end, I kind of wish I savored it more haha.
The research, respect, and heart that went into crafting these characters who realistically struggle and learn from the way racism affects who we are and forces them to decide who they're going to be is really admirable. They felt like real human beings, not caricatures (two of the modern day black characters had an argument stemming from their perception of their own blackness and how they're treated by the world and it was so damn important and beautiful and rare and satisfying to see), framed around the Tulsa Riots--which is a forever relevant story that needs to be told. I was upset I hadn't heard about it sooner.
This book made me livid, it made me rant about the state of the world and the necessity of the #blacklivesmatter movement, it made me cry, it made me scared and happy and validated and motivated and both satisfied and dissatisfied (I have a lot of feelings okay). From the social commentary to the friendships to the wonderfully skillful and fast-paced, addicting way it's written and the relatable coming-of-age stories in this book...I'm just really happy and thankful this book exists. I hope when it releases in 2017, it gets the readership and praise it truly deserves.
July 3, 2018
3.5 Stars
An historical fiction /mystery story loosely based on on the time of The Tulsa Rasce Riots of 1921. At the heart of this novel is a mystery and it was interesting and entertaining reading.
Seventeen year old Ronan Chase finds a skeleton on her family property and has no idea that investigating the brutal century old murder will lead to a summer of painful discoveries about the past, the present and herself.
A fast paced read where two stories are told in two different time frames which worked really well for me. I didn't know anything about this time in history and while I leaned only a little in this novel it has sparked my interest to read more and I think that is why I enjoy historical fiction books.
I probably would have rated this one a little higher but some of the story and the characters felt just a little contrived. However an enjoyable and entertaining read and a book that informed me of an event in history that I knew nothing about.
An historical fiction /mystery story loosely based on on the time of The Tulsa Rasce Riots of 1921. At the heart of this novel is a mystery and it was interesting and entertaining reading.
Seventeen year old Ronan Chase finds a skeleton on her family property and has no idea that investigating the brutal century old murder will lead to a summer of painful discoveries about the past, the present and herself.
A fast paced read where two stories are told in two different time frames which worked really well for me. I didn't know anything about this time in history and while I leaned only a little in this novel it has sparked my interest to read more and I think that is why I enjoy historical fiction books.
I probably would have rated this one a little higher but some of the story and the characters felt just a little contrived. However an enjoyable and entertaining read and a book that informed me of an event in history that I knew nothing about.
March 13, 2017
Rowan's mother is Black. Her father is White. They're wealthy. He's a doctor; she's a lawyer. Rowan goes to a private school. Her sidekick is James. He's "part-Kiowa, part-black" (Kindle location 308). The house Rowan lives in (where the skeleton was found) was commissioned (to be built) by Will's parents, back in 1921. It, as Will describes it, is "more mansion than house" (Kindle location 363). The money to build it is not from his father, who owns a Victrola store, but from his mother. She's Osage. Here's some of what Will says (Kindle location 361-363):
When I first heard that Will was Osage, I wondered if the story would have anything in it about the Reign of Terror. The answer is no, because Dreamland Burning takes place just before the Reign of Terror. Here's the first two paragraphs about it, from the National Museum of the American Indian's page about it:
As Dreamland Burning begins, we're with Rowan (remember--she's in present day Tulsa). She is at the courthouse. She's thinking about how history "loops past the same mistakes over and over again." She hopes to stop one of those loops, by meeting with the district attorney.
See, a few days prior to this opening scene, she had been rear-ended by a white man named Jerry Randall. She was stunned by the impact. As she tries to make sense of what happened to her, the man who hit her is snapping his fingers in her face. He says "you people" to her. Arvin, a homeless Black man she knows from the clinic she works at, saw the accident and walks toward her car. She sees the white man shove Arvin and hears him call Arvin "Goddamned nigger" (Kindle location 2061). That shove sends Arvin into the other lane of traffic, where he is struck and killed. The next day, major media is covering the story. There is fear that Tulsa will be Ferguson, all over again. Though she told the police what Randall said, he wasn't charged with a hate crime. So, she's meeting the DA to talk with him about that. She's trying to interrupt that loop of white people getting away with racist acts.
Admirable, yes. Plausible, maybe. But! To me, though, this reeks of white saviorism. Not from Rowan, but from the author. With her book, Latham is attempting to create awareness of the riots that happened in Tulsa in 1921. She's using present-day racism to do it. She's created a Black/White character as the device to accomplish her goal. In several places, however, things Rowan says or thinks sound way more White than Black. She's growing up privileged, and there's a part where her mom tells her that her father (remember, he's White) will never understand their lives, but none of the places where Rowan experiences racism ring true. And, the idea that Rowan can pull off something that thousands of African Americans have tried to do in recent years... strikes me as arrogant. It strikes me that way because Latham isn't African American. Overall, Rowan's identity and actions as a Black teen feel superficial.
That's a problem with Will, too, in 1921. He's supposed to be Osage, but as I read about him, he doesn't sound Osage, at all. He sounds White. When he experiences racism (he is called a half breed), or when he thinks about how his dad's friends call his mom a squaw, it feels superficial. It is just a thing that happens. There's no real reaction in him to any of that. And when he and his parents go visit his mother's grave at Pawhuska, and then his mother's cousins.... That, too, feels like a nothing. There's nothing Osage about any of it.
That's the case, too, with James (Rowan's friend). He's part Black and part Kiowa, and there's one part where Rowan remembers him going to powwows with his dad, where they'd drum together. That ends (not in the story itself) when James told his dad he's asexual. His dad, apparently, wants nothing to do with him after that. We come away from that part of the story thinking this Kiowa dad is not an okay dad. Plausible, I suppose, and handy, too, because it means there's no need to do anything with that Kiowa identity. It doesn't matter to the story. It isn't necessary to the story. So... why is it here?
That, ultimately, is my big question about Dreamland Burning. Why do these characters have these identities? As-is, they feel like tokens in this time of diversity in children's and young adult literature.
Rowan is a savior in present day Tulsa, and so is Will, in 1921. In her review, Pamela Penza noted that Will's actions start the riot that takes place a few days later. Early on in the story, Will has gone to a speakeasy. He's drinking. The girl he is sweet on is there. She's White. He gets up to talk to her, but before he does, Clarence, a Black man whose skin is "browner than boot leather" comes in and sits with her (Kindle locations 156-159):
That is one passage (of many) that makes him seem White. An Osage might think that way, too, so I don't mean to suggest Whites own all racism. They don't. But within a few days, Will goes from wanting Clarence dead to being fearful about the well-being of a little girl named Ruby. She's Black. The night of the riot, he plays a key role in getting the family of their Black maid to safety, and then he sets out to help other Black people, too, including Ruby. Saving them. It doesn't work. One day his Whiteness makes him racist; the next day he's saving Black people.
There's more. A lot more. Like, the near rape of Ruby. And, the undocumented workers. And, the references to Choctaw beer and Muscogee land. Go read Pamela's review (https://pamelibrarian.blogspot.com/20...). It is more comprehensive than what I've shared here in my focus on Will. I might be back to say more at some point.
For now, though, I'll ask (again), that writers not use Native characters as decoration in their stories. Native readers deserve more than that. In Dreamland Burning, it feels like an index card with some notes on it was dropped into the story. The Osage parts of this story are a convenience.
As such, I do not recommend Jennifer Latham's Dreamland Burning.
Mama, you see, was a full-blood Osage Indian, and as such had been allotted one headright—one equal share—of all profits earned from oil pumped out of tribal land. She’d also inherited her brother’s headright after he died in the Great War, and her own mother’s not long after that. Mama was a woman of substantial means.
When I first heard that Will was Osage, I wondered if the story would have anything in it about the Reign of Terror. The answer is no, because Dreamland Burning takes place just before the Reign of Terror. Here's the first two paragraphs about it, from the National Museum of the American Indian's page about it:
One of the most dangerous places in the United States in the early 1920s was the Osage Indian Reservation in eastern north-central Oklahoma. During a two-year stretch beginning in 1921, at least two-dozen Osage Indians died in increasingly peculiar ways, from suspicious suicides to explosions. Among the Osage, it came to be known as the “Reign of Terror.”
This black chapter in U.S. history is an incredible story of oil, greed and murder. The Osage Indians went from poverty to prosperity when huge petroleum reserves were discovered on a corner of their reservation. But the sudden wealth also brought great misery. Perhaps the most gruesome was the crime spree known as the Reign of Terror – one of the first homicide cases for the fledgling Federal Bureau of Investigation. By the Bureau’s own account, the investigation into the Osage Indian murders remains one of the agency’s most complicated cases.
As Dreamland Burning begins, we're with Rowan (remember--she's in present day Tulsa). She is at the courthouse. She's thinking about how history "loops past the same mistakes over and over again." She hopes to stop one of those loops, by meeting with the district attorney.
See, a few days prior to this opening scene, she had been rear-ended by a white man named Jerry Randall. She was stunned by the impact. As she tries to make sense of what happened to her, the man who hit her is snapping his fingers in her face. He says "you people" to her. Arvin, a homeless Black man she knows from the clinic she works at, saw the accident and walks toward her car. She sees the white man shove Arvin and hears him call Arvin "Goddamned nigger" (Kindle location 2061). That shove sends Arvin into the other lane of traffic, where he is struck and killed. The next day, major media is covering the story. There is fear that Tulsa will be Ferguson, all over again. Though she told the police what Randall said, he wasn't charged with a hate crime. So, she's meeting the DA to talk with him about that. She's trying to interrupt that loop of white people getting away with racist acts.
Admirable, yes. Plausible, maybe. But! To me, though, this reeks of white saviorism. Not from Rowan, but from the author. With her book, Latham is attempting to create awareness of the riots that happened in Tulsa in 1921. She's using present-day racism to do it. She's created a Black/White character as the device to accomplish her goal. In several places, however, things Rowan says or thinks sound way more White than Black. She's growing up privileged, and there's a part where her mom tells her that her father (remember, he's White) will never understand their lives, but none of the places where Rowan experiences racism ring true. And, the idea that Rowan can pull off something that thousands of African Americans have tried to do in recent years... strikes me as arrogant. It strikes me that way because Latham isn't African American. Overall, Rowan's identity and actions as a Black teen feel superficial.
That's a problem with Will, too, in 1921. He's supposed to be Osage, but as I read about him, he doesn't sound Osage, at all. He sounds White. When he experiences racism (he is called a half breed), or when he thinks about how his dad's friends call his mom a squaw, it feels superficial. It is just a thing that happens. There's no real reaction in him to any of that. And when he and his parents go visit his mother's grave at Pawhuska, and then his mother's cousins.... That, too, feels like a nothing. There's nothing Osage about any of it.
That's the case, too, with James (Rowan's friend). He's part Black and part Kiowa, and there's one part where Rowan remembers him going to powwows with his dad, where they'd drum together. That ends (not in the story itself) when James told his dad he's asexual. His dad, apparently, wants nothing to do with him after that. We come away from that part of the story thinking this Kiowa dad is not an okay dad. Plausible, I suppose, and handy, too, because it means there's no need to do anything with that Kiowa identity. It doesn't matter to the story. It isn't necessary to the story. So... why is it here?
That, ultimately, is my big question about Dreamland Burning. Why do these characters have these identities? As-is, they feel like tokens in this time of diversity in children's and young adult literature.
Rowan is a savior in present day Tulsa, and so is Will, in 1921. In her review, Pamela Penza noted that Will's actions start the riot that takes place a few days later. Early on in the story, Will has gone to a speakeasy. He's drinking. The girl he is sweet on is there. She's White. He gets up to talk to her, but before he does, Clarence, a Black man whose skin is "browner than boot leather" comes in and sits with her (Kindle locations 156-159):
Hate balled up inside me like a brass-knuckled fist. And when he slowly, slowly ran his fingertip across her skin, every foul emotion in the world churned deep down in the depths of my belly. Glancing sideways at a white woman was near enough to get Negroes lynched in Tulsa. Shot, even, in the middle of Main Street at noon, and with no more consequence than a wink and a nudge and a slap on the back. And God help me, that’s exactly what I wanted for the man touching my Addie. I wanted him dead.
That is one passage (of many) that makes him seem White. An Osage might think that way, too, so I don't mean to suggest Whites own all racism. They don't. But within a few days, Will goes from wanting Clarence dead to being fearful about the well-being of a little girl named Ruby. She's Black. The night of the riot, he plays a key role in getting the family of their Black maid to safety, and then he sets out to help other Black people, too, including Ruby. Saving them. It doesn't work. One day his Whiteness makes him racist; the next day he's saving Black people.
There's more. A lot more. Like, the near rape of Ruby. And, the undocumented workers. And, the references to Choctaw beer and Muscogee land. Go read Pamela's review (https://pamelibrarian.blogspot.com/20...). It is more comprehensive than what I've shared here in my focus on Will. I might be back to say more at some point.
For now, though, I'll ask (again), that writers not use Native characters as decoration in their stories. Native readers deserve more than that. In Dreamland Burning, it feels like an index card with some notes on it was dropped into the story. The Osage parts of this story are a convenience.
As such, I do not recommend Jennifer Latham's Dreamland Burning.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2017
The dead always have stories to tell. They just need the living to listen.
Some bodies won’t stay buried. Some stories need to be told.
"The lives that ended that night mattered. It was a mistake for this city to try to forget, and it's an even bigger one to pretend everything's fine now. Black men and women are dying today for the same reasons they did in 1921. And we have to call that out Rowan. Every single time.
I thought about Clarence and what I'd done to him. About Joseph and how I'd come to know him through Ruby's stories. And I thought about Ruby, too. For I truly did care about her, pest and bother though she was. Put together, it all added up to a revelation of sorts--big enough to bust through my thick skull, sharp enough to stay there. And maybe all that pondering I did on the things that happened since the Two-Knock would have been enough to make a righteous man out of me after all. But in the end, I never did have a chance to find out.
The air had a hushed feel to it, like the city was holding its breath.
Some bodies won’t stay buried. Some stories need to be told.
"The lives that ended that night mattered. It was a mistake for this city to try to forget, and it's an even bigger one to pretend everything's fine now. Black men and women are dying today for the same reasons they did in 1921. And we have to call that out Rowan. Every single time.
I thought about Clarence and what I'd done to him. About Joseph and how I'd come to know him through Ruby's stories. And I thought about Ruby, too. For I truly did care about her, pest and bother though she was. Put together, it all added up to a revelation of sorts--big enough to bust through my thick skull, sharp enough to stay there. And maybe all that pondering I did on the things that happened since the Two-Knock would have been enough to make a righteous man out of me after all. But in the end, I never did have a chance to find out.
The air had a hushed feel to it, like the city was holding its breath.
March 3, 2023
Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham is a book about the Tulsa Race Riots. Written on a dual timeline. Author writes as the riots go on and present day of a skeleton found on a family homeland, the mystery behind it. Good book which was well written during a tragic time, not only in Tulsa history, but American history as well. It is hard to write a review about such a horrible time based off of ones skin color. It deeply grieves me that history continues to repeat itself over and over again
October 5, 2020
I didn't think this would be a very significant read just judging by the cover even though it's definitely pretty. I honestly thought this was going to be a romance involving time travel of some sort making it historical fiction. In truth, there's barely any romance. Definitely my bad.
The writing is amazing, a blend of classic and contemporary with heart and humor despite the heavy themes of the story. Mystery (mainly triggered by the skeleton found at Rowan Chase's property) is also a huge element of the story and it's the main thing that connects the past to the present. There are some parts that are a bit unbelievable or maybe a bit exaggerated and that's the only thing keeping me from giving it five stars.
But what I love best about the book is its straightforward and yet still humble depiction of racial discrimination especially in that part of Tulsa, US where the race riot (and by riot, it meant white folks rioting in the Greenwood district, destroying black folks' homes, businesses, and lives just because their skin is brown) took place in 1921 and how even almost 80 years later, it's still a sad reality that racism is still very much happening in many parts of the US, in fact even amidst the ongoing pandemic.
I didn't expect this to be a very relevant, informative, and eye-opening read. Even sadder that people were successful in trying to erase this awful historical event from books and it's only just recently that this important truth is being brought out to the world. It is truly very angering and saddening at the same time that there were and still are white people who uphold the ideology that the white race is the superior race. I hate that hate crime happened then and still happens all the time. I now understand why the black community needs to be always on guard every time a black person is killed because it is more often truer than not that it's a product of a hate crime.
I highly recommend everyone to read this book in hopes to create more Williams, Rubys, Josephs, Rowans, and Jameses in the world.
The writing is amazing, a blend of classic and contemporary with heart and humor despite the heavy themes of the story. Mystery (mainly triggered by the skeleton found at Rowan Chase's property) is also a huge element of the story and it's the main thing that connects the past to the present. There are some parts that are a bit unbelievable or maybe a bit exaggerated and that's the only thing keeping me from giving it five stars.
But what I love best about the book is its straightforward and yet still humble depiction of racial discrimination especially in that part of Tulsa, US where the race riot (and by riot, it meant white folks rioting in the Greenwood district, destroying black folks' homes, businesses, and lives just because their skin is brown) took place in 1921 and how even almost 80 years later, it's still a sad reality that racism is still very much happening in many parts of the US, in fact even amidst the ongoing pandemic.
I didn't expect this to be a very relevant, informative, and eye-opening read. Even sadder that people were successful in trying to erase this awful historical event from books and it's only just recently that this important truth is being brought out to the world. It is truly very angering and saddening at the same time that there were and still are white people who uphold the ideology that the white race is the superior race. I hate that hate crime happened then and still happens all the time. I now understand why the black community needs to be always on guard every time a black person is killed because it is more often truer than not that it's a product of a hate crime.
I highly recommend everyone to read this book in hopes to create more Williams, Rubys, Josephs, Rowans, and Jameses in the world.
May 29, 2020
The timeliness of Dreamland Burning is eerie. The events feel like they come straight from the nightly news or the daily newspaper.
Dreamland Burning alternates between Rowan Chase in present day Tulsa and William Tillman in 1921 Tulsa. Their lives become enmeshed for the reader when a skeleton is found on the Chase property during renovations. Rowan and her friend James begin to investigate.
Will's Tulsa is ruled by Jim Crow laws and the impending arrival of the KKK. The chapters from 1921 lead up to and include the Tulsa race riot of May 31-June 1 when mobs of white citizens attacked black residents and businesses of the Greenwood District in Tulsa, killing around 300 people, and not a single white man or woman faced charges. Will finds himself in the midst of the racial unrest as he tries to help his black friends Joseph and Ruby as well as others. Many times I found myself holding my breath because of the uncertainty and suspense during some very scary scenes.
Will's 1921 chapters helped to shed light on the mystery on the Chase property; however, the chapters with Rowan show all too well that the racial disparity of Jim Crow is all too prevalent today also. While Rowan is biracial, her family is wealthy, she is cared for and protected, and her needs are easily met. Discrimination is not something she's had much experience with until this particular summer. In addition to the discovery of the skeleton, Rowan begins an internship at a medical clinic that serves underprivileged citizens and is involved in an accident that ends in tragedy. Her eyes are opened to the racial inequalities that exist around her. I am certain that her future will involve making a difference.
Dreamland Burning alternates between Rowan Chase in present day Tulsa and William Tillman in 1921 Tulsa. Their lives become enmeshed for the reader when a skeleton is found on the Chase property during renovations. Rowan and her friend James begin to investigate.
Will's Tulsa is ruled by Jim Crow laws and the impending arrival of the KKK. The chapters from 1921 lead up to and include the Tulsa race riot of May 31-June 1 when mobs of white citizens attacked black residents and businesses of the Greenwood District in Tulsa, killing around 300 people, and not a single white man or woman faced charges. Will finds himself in the midst of the racial unrest as he tries to help his black friends Joseph and Ruby as well as others. Many times I found myself holding my breath because of the uncertainty and suspense during some very scary scenes.
Will's 1921 chapters helped to shed light on the mystery on the Chase property; however, the chapters with Rowan show all too well that the racial disparity of Jim Crow is all too prevalent today also. While Rowan is biracial, her family is wealthy, she is cared for and protected, and her needs are easily met. Discrimination is not something she's had much experience with until this particular summer. In addition to the discovery of the skeleton, Rowan begins an internship at a medical clinic that serves underprivileged citizens and is involved in an accident that ends in tragedy. Her eyes are opened to the racial inequalities that exist around her. I am certain that her future will involve making a difference.
March 31, 2017
Oh my GOD this book. I need time to process before I can fully review.
October 22, 2017
Mini review:
DNF
I was really looking forward to reading this! I had been hearing a lot of good things about it. When I saw it in my library I didn't hesitate to pick it up. Unfortunately it wasn't for me.
The story had a lot going for it. But what really dragged it down where the odd (and not well done) point of view changes. The minute I started to care about Roman's chapter, we're taken to Will's chapter. I personally found this choppy. I didn't care for either Rowan or Will. They were annoying. So the story didn't have any impact on me. I tried sticking it out for about 80 pages. But found the story going nowhere.
I do still recommend it.
DNF
I was really looking forward to reading this! I had been hearing a lot of good things about it. When I saw it in my library I didn't hesitate to pick it up. Unfortunately it wasn't for me.
The story had a lot going for it. But what really dragged it down where the odd (and not well done) point of view changes. The minute I started to care about Roman's chapter, we're taken to Will's chapter. I personally found this choppy. I didn't care for either Rowan or Will. They were annoying. So the story didn't have any impact on me. I tried sticking it out for about 80 pages. But found the story going nowhere.
I do still recommend it.
August 5, 2017
I enjoyed this intriguing book, full of suspense, murder + centuries old Jim Crow. The storyline flashes between it's two main characters flowing easily;
Will Tillman, 17y--Tulsa race riots of 1921
Rowan Chase, 17y--present day, finder of skeletal remains on her families property.
Rowan digs in to solve the mystery of her new discovery while her own life is uncertain. Reading along, I love how the plot asks more questions than provides answers making it hard to put down until it's end. A wonderful intensive read.
Will Tillman, 17y--Tulsa race riots of 1921
Rowan Chase, 17y--present day, finder of skeletal remains on her families property.
Rowan digs in to solve the mystery of her new discovery while her own life is uncertain. Reading along, I love how the plot asks more questions than provides answers making it hard to put down until it's end. A wonderful intensive read.
May 31, 2017
Hands down one of the best books I've ever read.
Shelved as 'unable-to-finish'
June 21, 2020A novel about the Tulsa race riots interests me but I couldn't get past the first few chapters. Young adult novels are not for me.
April 10, 2018
4.5 stars
Superbly written, fast paced, tense and a great look at race, class, privilege and violence. All centered around the Tulsa race riot of 1921. I loved how flawed and at times unlikeable both characters were, I think it’s cool how these two individuals from two wildly different times are unlearning their privilege and making strides to be much better people. Dynamic characters indeed. Also don’t expect a good mystery out of this because it’s not really..that amazing, but the story is good nonetheless.
January 11, 2022
C/W:
Dreamland Burning is a challenging book to review in a lot of ways. The prose was propulsive from the first page but couldn't quite distract from the number of large problems I had with the story and its execution.
After reading about a 100 pages, I looked up the author in the hopes that knowing the perspective the book was written from could clarify some of the issues I was beginning to have with the story. As someone who shares the same background as the author -- white and a women -- I'm hesitant to say that certain people shouldn't write certain stories as it's really not my position to weigh in on that. I did notice repeatedly throughout the book that race and racism were positioned in ways that indicated a surface-level acknowledgement of racism but an unwillingness to really interrogate the roles that systemic racism plays in all of our lives. Failing to do the deeper work of unpacking systemic racism is something I notice white people, myself included at times, can be hesitant to do as it's impossible not to also grapple with how white people benefit from systemic racism even if they oppose it. The handling of racism in this book happened at a very surface level, which did the story it was trying to tell a true disservice.
A key example of this involves the main character of the 1920s narrative, Will.
The characterization of the side characters who are people of color was incredibly flat. It was very clear to me that these characters were tokens for the story, rather than real people. Characters who appear a lot on the page, like Ruby, are defined by one or two attributes -- Ruby likes to cause trouble and enjoys pinching boys she likes -- that are just an outline of a personality but not a fully-fleshed character. An instance of this that made me particularly irate was the character of Arvind, a Black man who is implied to be unhoused, that Rowan meets at her job at the clinic. Arvind doesn't get much page time and is only given the briefest outline as a character but Arvind is perhaps the defining example in Dreamland Burning of how the author used people of color within the story as tokens rather than portraying them as real people.
I also had some serious issues with the racial slurs used in this novel. The author's note says
There were certainly more issues in Dreamland Burning that I didn't touch on here. I'll definitely be searching out other critical reviews of this book that look at this concepts with more depth. Overall, I would definitely not recommend reading this novel.
Dreamland Burning is a challenging book to review in a lot of ways. The prose was propulsive from the first page but couldn't quite distract from the number of large problems I had with the story and its execution.
After reading about a 100 pages, I looked up the author in the hopes that knowing the perspective the book was written from could clarify some of the issues I was beginning to have with the story. As someone who shares the same background as the author -- white and a women -- I'm hesitant to say that certain people shouldn't write certain stories as it's really not my position to weigh in on that. I did notice repeatedly throughout the book that race and racism were positioned in ways that indicated a surface-level acknowledgement of racism but an unwillingness to really interrogate the roles that systemic racism plays in all of our lives. Failing to do the deeper work of unpacking systemic racism is something I notice white people, myself included at times, can be hesitant to do as it's impossible not to also grapple with how white people benefit from systemic racism even if they oppose it. The handling of racism in this book happened at a very surface level, which did the story it was trying to tell a true disservice.
A key example of this involves the main character of the 1920s narrative, Will.
The characterization of the side characters who are people of color was incredibly flat. It was very clear to me that these characters were tokens for the story, rather than real people. Characters who appear a lot on the page, like Ruby, are defined by one or two attributes -- Ruby likes to cause trouble and enjoys pinching boys she likes -- that are just an outline of a personality but not a fully-fleshed character. An instance of this that made me particularly irate was the character of Arvind, a Black man who is implied to be unhoused, that Rowan meets at her job at the clinic. Arvind doesn't get much page time and is only given the briefest outline as a character but Arvind is perhaps the defining example in Dreamland Burning of how the author used people of color within the story as tokens rather than portraying them as real people.
I also had some serious issues with the racial slurs used in this novel. The author's note says
"Some characters in the book use derogatory terms for African Americans and Native Americans, though not as freely as they would have in 1921. These words are ugly, offensive, and hateful, but I chose to include them because I felt that blunting the sharp edges of racism in a book about genocide would be a mistake."Besides the fact that these slurs seem to mainly be used for shock value and to be a lazy way of characterizing some characters as racists, it felt wrong to see a member of an oppressing group use words with incredible historical + emotional baggage that have been used to strip away others' humanity. There are plenty of ways to convey the insidious horrors of racism without seeing these words over and over on the page in a book written by a white woman and published in 2017.
There were certainly more issues in Dreamland Burning that I didn't touch on here. I'll definitely be searching out other critical reviews of this book that look at this concepts with more depth. Overall, I would definitely not recommend reading this novel.
July 12, 2017
You know it's a good book when I skip fireworks to finish.
I resisted liking this book, primarily because I thought it was YA, and I don't generally enjoy YA books. This is YA only because the protagonists--it's a story told in two parts, present and past--are both 17. The situations they face are adult-not sexual, but definitely grown-up.
The story opens with Rowan, the 17-yo daughter of two busy professional parents living in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It's summer vacation, and mom has set her up with a summer internship. Lucky her. The family of three live in a large home--one inherited by her father--so it comes as a shock to everyone when, during a home renovation, bones are discovered buried underneath what were the servant's quarters. Cue story one.
The second story opens in 1921 with young William, also 17, in a Tulsa, Oklahoma speakeasy upset by seeing the white girl he fancies alone with a black man. Cue story two.
The author does a fantastic job building tension. I held my breath, exhaled, and held it, again, as each section revealed bits and pieces of this historical fiction. What the author fictionalizes are the two main characters. What she uses as a backdrop is one of the deadliest race riots in US history, one that historians believe left around 300 Tulsans dead--shot, lynched, burned and dragged through the streets behind carts—between May 31st and June 1st, 1921, who were guilty of being black.
I'm tempted to say this book is too gruesome for the younger 'young adults', but then I turn on the TV, or listen to the radio, and recognize this is not any more gruesome than what they see and hear in 2016. Both sections of the story deal with prejudice and racism, and while neither of the main characters is without fault in this story, the author steers her characters to make moral and ethical decisions that most people would agree are appropriate.
Highly recommend to YA and adults interested in historical fiction, US racial history, and gripping stories well spun.
I resisted liking this book, primarily because I thought it was YA, and I don't generally enjoy YA books. This is YA only because the protagonists--it's a story told in two parts, present and past--are both 17. The situations they face are adult-not sexual, but definitely grown-up.
The story opens with Rowan, the 17-yo daughter of two busy professional parents living in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It's summer vacation, and mom has set her up with a summer internship. Lucky her. The family of three live in a large home--one inherited by her father--so it comes as a shock to everyone when, during a home renovation, bones are discovered buried underneath what were the servant's quarters. Cue story one.
The second story opens in 1921 with young William, also 17, in a Tulsa, Oklahoma speakeasy upset by seeing the white girl he fancies alone with a black man. Cue story two.
The author does a fantastic job building tension. I held my breath, exhaled, and held it, again, as each section revealed bits and pieces of this historical fiction. What the author fictionalizes are the two main characters. What she uses as a backdrop is one of the deadliest race riots in US history, one that historians believe left around 300 Tulsans dead--shot, lynched, burned and dragged through the streets behind carts—between May 31st and June 1st, 1921, who were guilty of being black.
I'm tempted to say this book is too gruesome for the younger 'young adults', but then I turn on the TV, or listen to the radio, and recognize this is not any more gruesome than what they see and hear in 2016. Both sections of the story deal with prejudice and racism, and while neither of the main characters is without fault in this story, the author steers her characters to make moral and ethical decisions that most people would agree are appropriate.
Highly recommend to YA and adults interested in historical fiction, US racial history, and gripping stories well spun.
October 27, 2017
In short, I loved this book and thought that it did a fantastic job of bringing attention to race relations--both how far we've come and how far we still have to go.
You can check out the full dual review that I posted (along with AJ from Read All the Things) on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via BEA 2016 in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
You can check out the full dual review that I posted (along with AJ from Read All the Things) on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via BEA 2016 in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
October 22, 2017
It was probably quieter a hundred years ago, but that doesn’t necessarily mean better. I understand now that history only moves forward in a straight line when we learn from it. Otherwise it loops past the same mistakes over and over again.
review: Dreamland Burning is a vibrant, modern told story about the Tulsa race riot.
I steer away from historical fiction because history bores me. The historical story needs to POP at me or I don't see it. But Dreamland Burning accomplished that for me. I was immediately attached to the cover and the synopsis. So, lo and behold, I enjoyed this book very much! I'm still super giddy about it haha.
Dreamland Burning is dual narrative by two teens living in Tulsa Oklahoma, but in different time periods. We get Will's perspective, a caucasian boy living in the 1920's and dealing with the Tulsa race riot. And we have Rowan, a biracial black girl who found a skeleton in her backyard. This skeleton connects their lives together. I liked the dual narrative! But I prefered Rowan's perspective rather than Will's. Rowan had a clear, determined voice while Will's voice was messy and confused. Although .. both had good character growth and were (somwhat) family orientated. Families play a big part with the plot!
I had lots of feelings with the plot. I felt angry and awful for Will's side but more hopeful for Rowan's side. And the mystery of the skeleton really tied everything together. Everything will click at one point! I didn't expect that ending. Nothing was rushed, it felt natural and was so riveting. I was impressed with the plot .. and the writing. The writing was spot on. It flowed perfectly with the story. It changed completely in different perspectives - I wouldn't have been surprised if Dreamland Burning was written by two authors. But I am because it's written by one author!
Going into this, I knew nothing about the Tulsa race riot and I'm upset that I didn't know about it sooner. But I feel so much better informed. This story will make you mad, especially Will's side. It's heartbreaking and brutal but I'm so glad I read it.
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
- Violence
- Death
- Corpses
- Medical procedures
- Slurs
- Racism
OVERALL
Dreamland Burning left me curious and informed. It's an important read and recommended!
CHECK OUT MY BOOK BLOG FOR MORE REVIEWS!
review: Dreamland Burning is a vibrant, modern told story about the Tulsa race riot.
I steer away from historical fiction because history bores me. The historical story needs to POP at me or I don't see it. But Dreamland Burning accomplished that for me. I was immediately attached to the cover and the synopsis. So, lo and behold, I enjoyed this book very much! I'm still super giddy about it haha.
Dreamland Burning is dual narrative by two teens living in Tulsa Oklahoma, but in different time periods. We get Will's perspective, a caucasian boy living in the 1920's and dealing with the Tulsa race riot. And we have Rowan, a biracial black girl who found a skeleton in her backyard. This skeleton connects their lives together. I liked the dual narrative! But I prefered Rowan's perspective rather than Will's. Rowan had a clear, determined voice while Will's voice was messy and confused. Although .. both had good character growth and were (somwhat) family orientated. Families play a big part with the plot!
I had lots of feelings with the plot. I felt angry and awful for Will's side but more hopeful for Rowan's side. And the mystery of the skeleton really tied everything together. Everything will click at one point! I didn't expect that ending. Nothing was rushed, it felt natural and was so riveting. I was impressed with the plot .. and the writing. The writing was spot on. It flowed perfectly with the story. It changed completely in different perspectives - I wouldn't have been surprised if Dreamland Burning was written by two authors. But I am because it's written by one author!
Going into this, I knew nothing about the Tulsa race riot and I'm upset that I didn't know about it sooner. But I feel so much better informed. This story will make you mad, especially Will's side. It's heartbreaking and brutal but I'm so glad I read it.
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
- Violence
- Death
- Corpses
- Medical procedures
- Slurs
- Racism
OVERALL
Dreamland Burning left me curious and informed. It's an important read and recommended!
CHECK OUT MY BOOK BLOG FOR MORE REVIEWS!
March 15, 2018
3.5 stars --- A solid story with some flaws in execution. I enjoyed it once I allowed myself to focus more on the story and overlook some stylistic choices that irked me. The second half was MUCH stronger than the first half. Full review coming soon!
March 14, 2017
Guys. Guys I NEED to talk to you about this amazing book by a local Tulsa author. It's so good, with twists and turns and an ending that kept me guessing until right before the end. I LOVED how little pieces were tied together. The writing style was different and I loved the very distinct voices of the two narrators. I'm so glad that this subject and unfortunate part of Tulsa's history is getting more attention.
February 6, 2017
THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING! RECOMMEND TO EVERYONE!
I read this book in less than 2 days, it was that good! I was pretty surprised since it had been such a long time I'd found a book I could not put down.
So let's get started as to why this book is amazing, firstly it has so many diverse characters, which is very important to me personally.
The book has 2 POVs and the first is of a biracial 17-y/o girl (dad is white and mom is african-american). The second is only a biracial 17-y/o boy (dad is white and mom is native american).
Oh and there's an asexual character as well because why not!
The research for literally everything (from the history to exploring sexuality) was done with such respect and heart. The main characters (even many side ones) felt like real human beings. The plot was framed around the Tulsa Riots, something as a Canadian I hadn’t heard about but is a relevant story that needs to be told because many ppl in America don’t know much about it either.
This was one book made me agree even more about the need of the #blacklivesmatter movement. It made me tear up a lot, it made me afraid about what’s happening right now in the States but also happy and inspired because this book is a clear message that there’s still hope and we can get through it together.
*Received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I read this book in less than 2 days, it was that good! I was pretty surprised since it had been such a long time I'd found a book I could not put down.
So let's get started as to why this book is amazing, firstly it has so many diverse characters, which is very important to me personally.
The book has 2 POVs and the first is of a biracial 17-y/o girl (dad is white and mom is african-american). The second is only a biracial 17-y/o boy (dad is white and mom is native american).
Oh and there's an asexual character as well because why not!
The research for literally everything (from the history to exploring sexuality) was done with such respect and heart. The main characters (even many side ones) felt like real human beings. The plot was framed around the Tulsa Riots, something as a Canadian I hadn’t heard about but is a relevant story that needs to be told because many ppl in America don’t know much about it either.
This was one book made me agree even more about the need of the #blacklivesmatter movement. It made me tear up a lot, it made me afraid about what’s happening right now in the States but also happy and inspired because this book is a clear message that there’s still hope and we can get through it together.
*Received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 24, 2020
This has been on my TBR for so long and then my eyes caught sight of it on my bookshelf and told me it was time. I didn’t know anything about the events that took place in Tulsa in 1921 so I am so thankful that this book is out in the world to educate everyone. Highly recommend.
June 8, 2017
I thought I'd like this book but I completely fell in love the further I got into it.
The writing is really solid and the two POVs balance out really nicely. I wasn't thinking too deeply about the mystery aspect at first, but as things heated up in William's story I was practically reading the book through my fingers, I was so anxious!
This isn't a typical YA novel - that genre label doesn't really mean much anymore, I don't think, but I was really happy there wasn't any romance, love triangles, or unnecessary drama. It was completely believable and I'm simultaneously impressed and horrified that this is the first time I've ever heard of the Tulsa riots. The mystery is really intricately built and I just loved the back and forth of the two perspectives, even as I was pulling my hair out to find out what happened. There were so many twists!
Anyway, I definitely recommend this. It's such a timely and well-thought out historical mystery that really stands out from any other, YA or just plain fiction.
The writing is really solid and the two POVs balance out really nicely. I wasn't thinking too deeply about the mystery aspect at first, but as things heated up in William's story I was practically reading the book through my fingers, I was so anxious!
This isn't a typical YA novel - that genre label doesn't really mean much anymore, I don't think, but I was really happy there wasn't any romance, love triangles, or unnecessary drama. It was completely believable and I'm simultaneously impressed and horrified that this is the first time I've ever heard of the Tulsa riots. The mystery is really intricately built and I just loved the back and forth of the two perspectives, even as I was pulling my hair out to find out what happened. There were so many twists!
Anyway, I definitely recommend this. It's such a timely and well-thought out historical mystery that really stands out from any other, YA or just plain fiction.
March 24, 2017
"The lives that ended that night mattered. It was a mistake for this city to try to forget, and it's an even bigger one to pretend everything's fine now. Black men and women are dying today for the same reasons they did in 1921. And we have to call that out, Rowan. Every single time."
Dreamland Burning is a historical fiction novel that follows Rowan, a girl who finds a century-old skeleton in her back yard, and Will, a boy who lives in the segregated town of Tulsa in 1921. In Rowan's chapters, you see Rowan try to find out who the skeleton is and how they died. In Will's chapters, you read about the days leading up the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 and what happened during that night of the riots.
THIS.BOOK.WAS.INCREDIBLE. This is a book that everyone should read. Not just because it's good, but because it doesn't stray away from the truth. Jennifer Latham doesn't stray away from what happened during that night in Tulsa (and during that time period) and what still occurs today. Dreamland Burning is a thought-provoking, eye-opening novel about discrimination and racism back then, and discrimination and racism today.
There were many things I loved about this book. One of them being the character development for both characters throughout this story. Character development is something extremely important, especially in a book like this. I also loved how both perspectives balanced each others. The author didn't heavily rely on one perspective.
Though there were a few things I wanted more in this book, they were small things that didn't take away from the story and my rating. This a well-written, astonishing novel about the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 that everyone should read.
Dreamland Burning is a historical fiction novel that follows Rowan, a girl who finds a century-old skeleton in her back yard, and Will, a boy who lives in the segregated town of Tulsa in 1921. In Rowan's chapters, you see Rowan try to find out who the skeleton is and how they died. In Will's chapters, you read about the days leading up the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 and what happened during that night of the riots.
THIS.BOOK.WAS.INCREDIBLE. This is a book that everyone should read. Not just because it's good, but because it doesn't stray away from the truth. Jennifer Latham doesn't stray away from what happened during that night in Tulsa (and during that time period) and what still occurs today. Dreamland Burning is a thought-provoking, eye-opening novel about discrimination and racism back then, and discrimination and racism today.
There were many things I loved about this book. One of them being the character development for both characters throughout this story. Character development is something extremely important, especially in a book like this. I also loved how both perspectives balanced each others. The author didn't heavily rely on one perspective.
Though there were a few things I wanted more in this book, they were small things that didn't take away from the story and my rating. This a well-written, astonishing novel about the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 that everyone should read.
July 4, 2018
This is as hard to review as it was to finish. A fine story, engaging, highlighting important history.
Not sure if this is categorized as YA or not. It doesn’t have the genre feel of YA, but the language, the simplicity of writing and slipping around quickly from one scene to another, feeling like it’s trying to hold on to short attention spans, makes me think this is book meant for younger readers.
This made it hard for me to stick with it, not for lack of interest in the story but because it felt a bit like a rock skipping on a lake rather than the deeper and more complex and nuanced dive into this story a mature reader would take.
It’s not a superficial story. As a younger reader I expect I would have loved this book. As a mature reader, I’m just not quite on the right wavelength to lose myself in it. That’s not to say other past-young adult readers wouldn’t appreciate it much more than I did. This is some part just-me and some part better-for-younger. Not sure how big the respective parts are. But it shouldn’t take away from the value of the book.
Not sure if this is categorized as YA or not. It doesn’t have the genre feel of YA, but the language, the simplicity of writing and slipping around quickly from one scene to another, feeling like it’s trying to hold on to short attention spans, makes me think this is book meant for younger readers.
This made it hard for me to stick with it, not for lack of interest in the story but because it felt a bit like a rock skipping on a lake rather than the deeper and more complex and nuanced dive into this story a mature reader would take.
It’s not a superficial story. As a younger reader I expect I would have loved this book. As a mature reader, I’m just not quite on the right wavelength to lose myself in it. That’s not to say other past-young adult readers wouldn’t appreciate it much more than I did. This is some part just-me and some part better-for-younger. Not sure how big the respective parts are. But it shouldn’t take away from the value of the book.
June 29, 2017
If I hadn't been told that this was a YA book, I would have sworn that it was an adult historical novel. This book is well written and makes me want to learn more about the era about which it was written. If you like to read books based on actual events, this one qualifies and then some. I really liked the back and forth between the present and the past and the intertwine of the two narrators stories. A really good book that grabs your attention throughout.
May 30, 2020
Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham is an absolute must read, especially on audiobook. The production is outstanding and Luke Slattery and Pyeng Threadgill are quite talented narrators. It honestly deserves all of the attention it can get. I can't believe I'm just now learning about the real life history behind this novel. How is this now in every American history textbook? Latham expertly alternates between two mixed race teens living in different eras of Tulsa, Oklahoma and explores difficult and thought-provoking topics. With everything going on right now, the history in the making, this novel should become required reading. It's interesting to see what has thankfully changed and progressed and what unfortunately hasn't come so far over the years. Finally, I just want to say how happy I was to see Rowan's awesome friend James, who is asexual by the way, get to stand in the spotlight with her.
March 10, 2017
This young adult story centered around the burning of a black community in Tulsa, Oklahoma back in 1921 is quite extraordinary. Told from the alternating perspectives of two teenagers living 100 years apart from each other, we learn not only about the event itself but the simmering racial animosity that seemingly hasn't changed much despite the passage of time.
The story starts in the present day with a 17 year old girl named Rowan who discovers a skeleton under the floorboards of the new house her parents are building. How this relates to the parallel story of 17 year old William who lived 100 years earlier is difficult to ascertain at first but as the story progresses, their lives intersect at an alarming rate. The story they tell is as harrowing and gut wrenching as anything I've read in young adult fiction. I'm honestly quite surprised the author was able to find a publisher willing to gamble on such an obscure event in American history considering so much of young adult fiction now is dominated by stories of magic, superheroes, or romance. There is none of that here. Just some courageous (although sadly more than a few not) young people making life and death decisions when adult choices cause their lives to spiral out of control.
At it's heart, this is a story about history. And that no matter how much people may have invested in whitewashing the sins of the past, those sins have a way of finding their way back home.
The story starts in the present day with a 17 year old girl named Rowan who discovers a skeleton under the floorboards of the new house her parents are building. How this relates to the parallel story of 17 year old William who lived 100 years earlier is difficult to ascertain at first but as the story progresses, their lives intersect at an alarming rate. The story they tell is as harrowing and gut wrenching as anything I've read in young adult fiction. I'm honestly quite surprised the author was able to find a publisher willing to gamble on such an obscure event in American history considering so much of young adult fiction now is dominated by stories of magic, superheroes, or romance. There is none of that here. Just some courageous (although sadly more than a few not) young people making life and death decisions when adult choices cause their lives to spiral out of control.
At it's heart, this is a story about history. And that no matter how much people may have invested in whitewashing the sins of the past, those sins have a way of finding their way back home.
August 8, 2017
4.5 STARS
What an amazing, introspective story about a complex issue which never seems to completely go away. A great YA selection for teenagers and adults alike.
SYNOPSIS
No one ever talked about the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot when I was growing up there in the 1980's. There was a brief mention of it in my Oklahoma History class in high school and I'm pretty sure most of my classmates were as surprised as I was to hear about it. It was just never discussed. It's hard to imagine something of that magnitude took place and it was just mentioned as a side note in one class one time.
This extremely well written, sensitive book alternately follows the POV of Rowen Chase, a teenager living in present day Tulsa in a house built in the 1920's and William Tillman, a teenage boy living in Tulsa the summer of 1921.
When Rowen's parents start a remodeling project on their unused 'servants quarters,' a body is discovered under the floors. Rowen and her BFF, James, are determined to find out who is buried in her backyard and how this body ended up in the house her family has owned for generations.
Alternating chapters follow William Tillman through the weeks leading up to the 1921 race riot, laying out the historic background of the events preceding one of the worst riots in U.S. history and it's immediate aftermath.
As William and Rowen learn about both the good and dark side of human nature, they are forced to decide what kind of person they want to be and what how far they will go to stand up for their beliefs.
WHAT I LOVED
Such a timely and yet timeless story. As as we look back through history it seems both nothing has changed and everything has changed. Although now there are laws against discrimination and hate crimes, the last few years have been very tumultuous. One step forward, two steps back.
I loved how Tulsa was so prominently featured in the story. It is really a great city, yet never ends up as a setting in a book.
Author Jennifer Latham did a great job weaving historic facts with fictionalized characters and their stories, making history come alive. It also explores the concept of how social pressure and collective behavior can influence individual behavior.
My nephew is about to start Booker T Washington High School, one of the two high schools discussed in the book which is now a magnet school. After reading this book, I told my sister about it and it turns out it's required summer reading for incoming freshmen. Apparently it's no longer being swept under the rug. I guess that's progresses.
WHAT I DIDN'T LOVE
There were parts of the book that were hard to read, but there was really nothing not to love.
OVERALL
YA, but just as relatable for adults.
What an amazing, introspective story about a complex issue which never seems to completely go away. A great YA selection for teenagers and adults alike.
SYNOPSIS
No one ever talked about the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot when I was growing up there in the 1980's. There was a brief mention of it in my Oklahoma History class in high school and I'm pretty sure most of my classmates were as surprised as I was to hear about it. It was just never discussed. It's hard to imagine something of that magnitude took place and it was just mentioned as a side note in one class one time.
This extremely well written, sensitive book alternately follows the POV of Rowen Chase, a teenager living in present day Tulsa in a house built in the 1920's and William Tillman, a teenage boy living in Tulsa the summer of 1921.
When Rowen's parents start a remodeling project on their unused 'servants quarters,' a body is discovered under the floors. Rowen and her BFF, James, are determined to find out who is buried in her backyard and how this body ended up in the house her family has owned for generations.
Alternating chapters follow William Tillman through the weeks leading up to the 1921 race riot, laying out the historic background of the events preceding one of the worst riots in U.S. history and it's immediate aftermath.
As William and Rowen learn about both the good and dark side of human nature, they are forced to decide what kind of person they want to be and what how far they will go to stand up for their beliefs.
WHAT I LOVED
Such a timely and yet timeless story. As as we look back through history it seems both nothing has changed and everything has changed. Although now there are laws against discrimination and hate crimes, the last few years have been very tumultuous. One step forward, two steps back.
I loved how Tulsa was so prominently featured in the story. It is really a great city, yet never ends up as a setting in a book.
Author Jennifer Latham did a great job weaving historic facts with fictionalized characters and their stories, making history come alive. It also explores the concept of how social pressure and collective behavior can influence individual behavior.
My nephew is about to start Booker T Washington High School, one of the two high schools discussed in the book which is now a magnet school. After reading this book, I told my sister about it and it turns out it's required summer reading for incoming freshmen. Apparently it's no longer being swept under the rug. I guess that's progresses.
WHAT I DIDN'T LOVE
There were parts of the book that were hard to read, but there was really nothing not to love.
OVERALL
YA, but just as relatable for adults.
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