Review Detail
Fresh Ink: An Anthology
Featured
Young Adult Fiction
588
A solid hit
Overall rating
4.0
Plot
4.0
Characters
4.0
Writing Style
4.0
Anthologies have such a special place in my heart. The art of the short story is undervalued and it’s just really cool to see a bunch of authors you like sharing space inside the pages of a book. As one of two anthologies put together thus far by We Need Diverse Books, it’s full of #ownvoices stories spanning multiple genres and it might just be my favorite anthology yet.
The unquestionable stand-out is Nicola Yoon’s short story, which is also the last one in the book. A black superhero decides he’s going to destroy the world unless someone convinces him otherwise, so his first rescue–a black girl his age–is chosen and sent in to talk him down. The superpowers don’t make the story feel any less real; the pain in its pages will hit you like a bullet. It’s about disillusionment and how black kids are supposed to have hope for a world that treats them so cruelly.
Sure, I disliked both of Yoon’s novels so far, but this story right here? This story RIGHT HERE? I want to buy a second copy of Fresh Ink, rip the pages holding Yoon’s story out of the book, and pin them to my wall. It got me that good.
That’s not to say her story is the only good one either. As you might expect from such kidlit legends, Gene Luen Yang’s and Walter Dean Myers’ contributions are strong entries as well. The former’s comic sees a few D&D-playing teens wander over to a party; Myers’ posthumous publication is a one-act play starring four ghostly boys who are literally kept alive by graffiti memorializing them. If they can’t replace their tags quickly enough or all of it is erased, they’ll disappear.
And two more excellent stories: Schuyler Bailar’s semi-autobiographical tale of a trans boy showing up transphobia in his first practice with the cis boys and Melissa de la Cruz’s small sequel to her YA novel Something in Between. Naturally, if you haven’t read that novel, her story is gonna spoil some things for you.
Some of the stories left me whelmed, but none of them were bad to any degree. So yeah, it has my worthless seal of approval! If you see this book somewhere, GET IIIIIIT. Too much money for you when it’s at full price? Keep an eye on it to see if it goes on sale for cheap, at which time you should
GET
THIS
BOOK.
The unquestionable stand-out is Nicola Yoon’s short story, which is also the last one in the book. A black superhero decides he’s going to destroy the world unless someone convinces him otherwise, so his first rescue–a black girl his age–is chosen and sent in to talk him down. The superpowers don’t make the story feel any less real; the pain in its pages will hit you like a bullet. It’s about disillusionment and how black kids are supposed to have hope for a world that treats them so cruelly.
Sure, I disliked both of Yoon’s novels so far, but this story right here? This story RIGHT HERE? I want to buy a second copy of Fresh Ink, rip the pages holding Yoon’s story out of the book, and pin them to my wall. It got me that good.
That’s not to say her story is the only good one either. As you might expect from such kidlit legends, Gene Luen Yang’s and Walter Dean Myers’ contributions are strong entries as well. The former’s comic sees a few D&D-playing teens wander over to a party; Myers’ posthumous publication is a one-act play starring four ghostly boys who are literally kept alive by graffiti memorializing them. If they can’t replace their tags quickly enough or all of it is erased, they’ll disappear.
And two more excellent stories: Schuyler Bailar’s semi-autobiographical tale of a trans boy showing up transphobia in his first practice with the cis boys and Melissa de la Cruz’s small sequel to her YA novel Something in Between. Naturally, if you haven’t read that novel, her story is gonna spoil some things for you.
Some of the stories left me whelmed, but none of them were bad to any degree. So yeah, it has my worthless seal of approval! If you see this book somewhere, GET IIIIIIT. Too much money for you when it’s at full price? Keep an eye on it to see if it goes on sale for cheap, at which time you should
GET
THIS
BOOK.
Comments
Already have an account? Log in now or Create an account
Powered by JReviews
FEATURED GIVEAWAYS
Latest Book Listings Added
Fifteen-year-old JL Markham's life used to be filled with carnival...
In a series of interwoven fictionalized stories, Deborah Noyes gives...
Olivia Davenport’s life is finally going smoothly, until if falls...
Will Tavares is the dream summer fling―he's fun, affectionate, kind―but...
Defending everything they know could cost them everything they...
Under pressure. Under fire. Some will rise...and some will...
The action of Hunger Games, the scope of Maze Runner,...
Veronica sees ghosts―more specifically, her mother’s ghost. The afterimages...
Latest Member Reviews
"JACK KEROUAC IS DEAD TO ME is Gae Polisner’s most recent YA Contemporary novel. Like in her other books, she..."
"Woven in Moonlight is a beautiful and lush fantasy, based on the culture and history of Bolivia. It is set..."
"Always fun to follow along with Dr. Julie Winsome Medical Detective! Great stories and I love the writing style..."
"WE ARE ALL HIS CREATURES by Deborah Noyes is a series of eleven short stories about the beloved showman, P.T...."
"JANE ANONYMOUS follows two timelines: one while Jane was captured for 7 months and one after she is back home...."
"FINDING MR. BETTER-THAN-YOU starts off like a cheesy romantic comedy, but ends up being a lot more fulfilling light-hearted YA..."
"FREAKY IN FRESNO is a spin on the old novel, FREAKY FRIDAY. Ricki (nickname for Lyric) had a falling out..."
"ONLY MOSTLY DEVASTATED is a charming YA contemporary romance that follows Ollie. Ollie had lived in California, until this year..."
"The descriptions are very beautiful and you can perceive the feelings of the characters to the point of empathy. ..."
"INK IN THE BLOOD is an engaging and atmospheric YA fantasy. Celia Sand was delighted when she was chosen to..."
"STARFELL is a charming and magic-filled middle grade fantasy that sweeps young readers away into another world. Willow Moss seemed..."
"What an adventure I just had! From the moment, I opened the book, I was transported to the 13th century..."
"'Hey Grandude!' by Paul McCartney, illustrated by Kathryn Durst, is a fun, colorful, and exciting adventure. The illustrations enhance the..."
"WHAT I WANT YOU TO SEE is an interesting book that discusses homelessness, choices and their intersection with privilege, as..."
"'The 47 People You'll Meet in Middle School' by Kristin Mahoney is an endearing look at an often hard time..."
"Jesse and the Ice Princess by Michelle MacQueen is the first book in her new series Gulf City High, and..."
"The insatiable oasis will hunt down the thieves of this book and tear them apart, limb by limb, devouring their..."
"'No Map, Great Trip: A Young Writer's Road to Page One' by Paul Fleischman tells the story of the author..."
"ALL THE STARS AND TEETH is an imaginative and lush YA fantasy that transports the reader to a fascinating new..."
"WARDENS OF ETERNITY follows Ziva, a young woman who was abandoned as a toddler, became a ward of the state,..."
