An all-new edition of the tragicomic smash hit which stormed the New York Times bestseller charts, now featuring an introduction from Markus Zusak.
In his first book for young adults, Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist who leaves his school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white high school. This heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written tale, featuring poignant drawings that reflect the character's art, is based on the author's own experiences. It chronicles contemporary adolescence as seen through the eyes of one Native American boy.
'Excellent in every way' Neil Gaiman
Illustrated in a contemporary cartoon style by Ellen Forney.
While I was a little hesitant at first (especially considering Alexie's history), THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN is a compelling book and I appreciated reading it. Arnold Spirit Jr. (Junior) wants a better life for himself and so he asks his parents if he can go to the white school on the edge of the reservation. This choice leads to a lot of disgruntlement from his fellow Spokane, but eventually, some respect, too. Junior's composure and determination to give himself better opportunities makes an interesting read on the surface.
Beneath that, though, Alexie explores themes of life, death, racism, relationships, friendships, poverty, and identity. Unlike many "issue" books, all these themes arrive easily, not forcing themselves upon the reader, but sneaking up and settling in, like a pebble in one's shoe that you must confront. It's cleverly written and left me thinking about it after I finished reading. It's such an approachable YA book with so much to say. I'm really glad I read this one.
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11 August, 2020:
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