American Street

I just fell in love with this novel! I felt like I clicked with this novel from the beginning. It wasn’t slow for me to get into, I was immediately engaged. Fabiola is such a compelling MC and narrator and I was so intrigued by what she would do next and by what the other characters would do. There are just so many things about this story that I loved. I loved that although Fabiola has newly immigrated to the US from Haiti she still remains firmly connected to her roots. She’s still spiritually connected to Haiti and her ancestors. The story contains magical realism that is described through Fabiola’s spiritual connection to the gods. Her lwas, spiritual songs, and stories play a prominent role in the story and we see how they guide Fabiola in the decisions she makes. I like that she remained steadfast in her spiritual devotion and her love for Haiti because of that added dimension to her American experience. The American story is one of assimilation so I loved that Fabiola rejected that and remained true to her origins.I also loved almost all of the characters in the book (Dray is extremely problematic, to say the least). All of the characters in this story are so dynamic and they have so much dimension and complexity. Even Dray, who’s a clear antagonist, is written with depth and dimension. Fabiola’s relationships with the characters are complicated and nuanced and you just want to keep learning more about them. I liked that the author portrayed the complex relationship Fabiola has with her family. She loved them and they love her but they frequently have this conflict or friction that they have to work through. But despite the conflict within their family, they still ride or die for each other. I also loved Kasim’s character (sigh😔). He respected Fabiola and you could tell that he genuinely cared about her. I felt like their relationship just conveyed the innocence and beauty that comes with experiencing your first love. Even writing about him and their relationship makes me emotional. The formation of the relationship felt so organic and genuine, so I just really loved him as a character.I really enjoyed Ibi Zoboi’s writing. Her writing kept me intrigued and in suspense. There’s one part where Fabiola is learning about the character Bad Leg, and I thought that part was so mind-blowing and cleverly written. The story also contained dramatic irony so that contributed to the suspense I felt. I also loved the magical realism in the book. It was used to cleverly and also felt organic because it was tied to Fabiola’s spirituality.Lastly, I want to explain why I appreciate this book. I just felt so touched by this book because it felt like it was written as an ode to black girls. This book was written for all black girls across the diaspora and socioeconomic lines. Even though Fabiola and her cousins' experience wasn’t a direct reflection of my own, I still felt so connected to them and I related to them. I feel like this story is the definition of Black Girl Magic. It’s for all black girls; the rich girls, the poor girls, the girls with the hoop earrings, the girls with fresh Jordan’s, the nerdy girls, the anime girls, and more. This story just did such a good job showing that black girls are multi-dimensional and we have so much range and diversity. I feel like this story was written with so much love and appreciation for black girls everywhere in the world, I just loved it. Another important message the novel had was that black girls are resilient. We are emotional and complicated but we are also resilient and we make beauty out of the limited options we are given. This is the very essence of Black Girl Magic. The novel also makes exemplifies how the immigrant experience is the American experience. America is a country of many cultures and traditions existing at once. It’s how people navigate the balance of their origins with their new environment that defines their American experience.I just loved this book! It made me happy, it made me emotional, it made me cry. Not very often to do books elicit an emotional response from me but this one did. I highly recommend this book, especially to fellow black girls. This book also contains themes that are really relevant to the events that happening today concerning BLM protests. I will add a trigger warning that the book describes police brutality and gun violence so this may be triggering for some readers. Otherwise, I encourage everyone to read this book and to get into the feels!

Verdict: a must-add for high school libraries and a heartbreaking account of immigration and the pursuit of the American dream from a rare cultural perspective. I will be shouting this book from the rooftops. Due to language and drug references, I concur with the grades 9-12 recommendation from Booklist and School Library Journal.Ibi Zoboi’s new novel, “American Street” is a gritty and haunting tale of a Haitian teenage immigrant, Fabiola Toussaint, who is separated from her mother when her mother is detained by immigration officials at the airport upon reaching America. Fabiola is then left alone to travel to meet her aunt and cousins in Detroit, where she is met with a harsh and unexpected view of the Unites States on the corner of American Street and Joy Road. In the family’s house on Detroit’s west side, Fabiola struggles to maintain her connection to the Haitian vodou of her heritage while striving to fit in and make a life of her own. Fabiola’s relationships with her cousins, new friends and love interest are strikingly poignant and raw, leaving her vulnerable to heartbreak and pain while she attempts to reunite with her mother.I read this book at full speed, not wanting to miss a single word while simultaneously racing to discover the conclusion to the story. I highlighted about 50 different selections that I wanted to return to and ponder, and was struck at how timely this novel is at this time of political strife regarding immigration and racial tensions. Zoboi herself is a Haitian immigrant, although she came to America when she was four years old rather than a teen as Fabiola did. A wonderful author’s note in the book shares her motivation for writing this story and the connection with the shooting of Trayvon Martin in 2012, along with a rich backstory on the cultural Haitian heritage woven throughout the book.Review published originally on my Goodreads and Instagram (@theloudlibrarylady)(Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy of this book through Edelweiss ~ all opinions are my own)

Whoa....I resumed this book today and literally finished it today. So fast paced, so much action!I truly enjoyed this novel considering I did not expect this book to do well.American Street is about Fabiola Toussaint who immigrates to America with her mother from Haiti, but upon arrival, her mother is detained at customs, leaving Fabiola to navigate a new country and culture on her own with some help from her cousins and aunt.The theme of this story is based on Fabiola trying to make sense of what happened to her mom and then trying to find a way for her mother to join her. As she begins to settle into her new environment, she meets and falls in love with a young guy named Kasim Anderson. Anderson will teach her about her new world and also serve to temporarily fill the void that Fabiola only desires for her mother.So many events occur that keep the storyline interesting and moving, but I must say, it is also sad. Honestly, I experienced many emotions while reading this book, and when I finished it, I still had all the characters I met in my mind. I finished this book in two sittings, though I did take a break because of work.I gave this book 4 stars on GoodReads, but it is technically 4.5 out of 5.0. Zoboi did a great job writing this book. Our main character, Fabiola Toussaint, is well developed and the theme is real and will resonate with many readers who have foreign blood in them. I enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it.

I loved reading this story. This was my first time reading Ibi Zoboi's work and I am now a fan for life. Loved this! Very heart-warming, funny and eye opening. A story that needed to be told.

Someone else mentioned that this story ends where "The Hate U Give" picks up, and I honestly think that's the best way to describe it. It's a great story. I still think about it sometimes. Really powerful.