After Tupac & D Foster

Reader reviewed by peacechik

this book from the moment i read it kept me turning the pages. before reading this book i didnt know much about tupac. i mean i knew he was a dead rapper but before reading this book i didnt know how much of an impact he had on people-young and old. this book was unique to me because the narrartors name was never mentioned. and also i liked the fact woodson put everyday issues like gay and lesbians into the book. not many authors do that. i also liked how woodson twisted the narrarators friends leaving in with tupacs "leaving"(dying). this book could very well be classified as a biography. great from woodson:)

Reader reviewed by LaTonya M. Baldwin

I actually read After Tupac & D Foster in April, but after reading the review here, I wanted to share my review of the book.

A generation of young people grew up under the mystique of Tupac Shakur. Shakur represented hope, vision and pride for fans spanning across age groups. For many kids, Tupac made them feel like somebody and that their lives mattered in a way no school or slogans could. His influence culturally and musically is integral to the story. I dont know how another reviewer misses that. True, Tupacs lyrics are not front and center, but choice lines are significant and more importantly, Tupacs music and life is the connecting thread; it is the anchor on which D negotiates and focuses on where she is going. If you want to begin to understand why Tupac held the almost Godlike status, pay close attention to D. If youre ignorant about Hip Hop and rap of Tupacs generation, heres an opening.

And the sub-plots are equally compelling. Neekas brother isnt just jailed for a crime he doesnt commit; he is victimized because he is gay. And this gay man, is compassionate, talented, mentally balanced and a great role model. He cares about his family and he intends to make sure he isnt a victim again. He wont be in jail again. D isnt just in a foster home, she has spent most of her life in a series of foster homes, has never known her father and longs for her mother who struggles with alcohol.

This coming-of-age story isnt just about three girls who could be any girls. It is relevant that they are African-American. Woodson never creates stock characters. And if you read her other works, you know her characters cross class, economic, and a variety of family units. Each girl has experiences and views distinctively different. It is relevant that Woodson examines a variety of social and personal issues through relationships in a way that is intimate and endears the reader to the characters of the story.

Woodson writes with clarity and subtly in this genre of realistic fiction in a manner that commands our admiration and adulation. She is a gifted writer who tackles complex topics with a style that challenges, inspires, informs and educates.