#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • WILLIAM C. MORRIS AWARD FINALIST • ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE’S 100 BEST YA BOOKS OF ALL TIME
After a traffic stop turns violent at the hands of the police, a young Black teen grapples with racism—and what it means for his future. Critically acclaimed author Nic Stone boldly tackles America’s troubled history with race relations in her gripping debut novel.
"Raw and gripping." –JASON REYNOLDS,#1 New York Times bestselling co-author of Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You
Justyce is a good kid, an honor student, and always there to help a friend—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs without cause.
When faced with injustice, Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.
Then comes the day Justyce and a friend spark the fury of an off-duty cop. Words fly, shots are fired, and the boys get caught in the crosshairs. But in the media fallout, it's Justyce who is under attack.
"A must-read!” –ANGIE THOMAS, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hate U Give
"Powerful, wrenching.” –JOHN GREEN, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Turtles All the Way Down
Initial thoughts: The first time round I listened to the audiobook, my mind was kinda hazy. Truth be told, it's one of the few books that I couldn't even remember the plot of weeks after I was done. That's how I ended up rereading it over the past couple of days. I think that's because the characters beyond Justyce aren't as deeply developed as I would've liked. Plus my head just wasn't in it, so that's on me, not the book.
Dear Martin is such an important read that takes racism and the American criminal system under much needed scrutiny. It considers the disparities across race (and skin colour), and social class. While this is a work of fiction, it's based on the lives of many African American guys whose lives are on the line daily and who are falsely of crimes they didn't commit. From the current affairs standpoint, Dear Martin should be on your radar.
