Stories from the Tenants Downstairs
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- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-08-14 02:21:44
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Sidik Fofana
- ISBN：1982145811
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Kathleen Gray
，
A novel in stories。 Eight residents of the Banneker Homes tell their stories， their hopes， and their worries in this set of connected tales that make a tight whole。 Gentrification is out there。 threatening these people， all of whom are striving in one way or another。 The voices are unique， the setting comes through strongly。 While I usually recommend reading short stories one at a time over a period of days， I read this in a gulp because each story contributes wrongly to your understanding。 Than A novel in stories。 Eight residents of the Banneker Homes tell their stories， their hopes， and their worries in this set of connected tales that make a tight whole。 Gentrification is out there。 threatening these people， all of whom are striving in one way or another。 The voices are unique， the setting comes through strongly。 While I usually recommend reading short stories one at a time over a period of days， I read this in a gulp because each story contributes wrongly to your understanding。 Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC。 Great read。 。。。more
Maureen （ NOT RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS）
，
We’re here to meet the residents of Banneker Terrace， a Harlem high rise that is facing gentrification。 This is a community where the people are living on the margins of society， they’re certainly not living ‘The American Dream’。The residents cover a range of age groups， but they all have one thing in common - they’re all just trying to get by。 They have cookout’s with beer and wings， summertime with souped-up cars and bumpin music。 The effects of gentrification， （leading to eviction notices bei We’re here to meet the residents of Banneker Terrace， a Harlem high rise that is facing gentrification。 This is a community where the people are living on the margins of society， they’re certainly not living ‘The American Dream’。The residents cover a range of age groups， but they all have one thing in common - they’re all just trying to get by。 They have cookout’s with beer and wings， summertime with souped-up cars and bumpin music。 The effects of gentrification， （leading to eviction notices being served so that the new owners can hike up the rent）， together with the personal challenges that most of the residents face， makes this is an even more worrying time for those already struggling to pay the rent， to make it through each month， when the month lasts longer than the money。The author gives us great insight into how it feels to live in a community like Banneker Terrace， as he gives each of the residents a voice。 They’re allowed to tell us their personal stories in their own words。 On the face of it， you’d expect this to be a depressing tale as it covers topics such as inequality， poverty， and racism， to mention a few， but in fact there’s an abundance of humour， and most of all there’s hope， because without that there’s nothing。 As a Brit living in the UK， I initially found the localised dialect a bit difficult to understand， but once I became more familiar with it， I enjoyed it。 A great debut novel。*Thank you to Netgalley and John Murray Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review* 。。。more
Jess
，
“The voices of the residents of Banneker Terrace linger and echo long after the last page” was right。 Some stuck with me more than others （Najee， Quanneisha， and Mr。 Murray， to be particular）， but I thoroughly enjoyed each story and was wishing they had gone on longer。 If Sidik puts out another book， I’ll be eagerly waiting to read it！
Rachelle
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Stories from the Tenants Downstairs is a set of interconnected short stories about residents in a low-income high rise in Harlem that's gritty， raw， and packs an emotional punch。Fofana does an amazing job of capturing the different voices of each tenant， and the writing style changes for each， ranging from a story told in second person to a letter written with poor spelling and grammar by a twelve year old。 I have to confess， I liked the first story though it took me a minute to get into the sty Stories from the Tenants Downstairs is a set of interconnected short stories about residents in a low-income high rise in Harlem that's gritty， raw， and packs an emotional punch。Fofana does an amazing job of capturing the different voices of each tenant， and the writing style changes for each， ranging from a story told in second person to a letter written with poor spelling and grammar by a twelve year old。 I have to confess， I liked the first story though it took me a minute to get into the style （it's the one told in second person）。 The second story wasn't for me。 But every one after that hit me in the gut。 Some stories are tragic and some are hopeful。 But in every single one， I felt the residents' struggle and pain， their quest for something more for themselves or their loved ones。 This is one you need to able to focus on and to give your attention， but it is definitely worth the time。 4。5 starsThank you Scribner for my copy of the book！ 。。。more
Lori Tatar
，
Each with a unique voice， a unique story， yet tied to a similar fate， the neighbors at Banneker Terrace are incredibly real。 The aspirations and motivations， and sometimes the futility， pierce the heart。 Moments of bad decisions， moments of selfishness， of survival … you know these people， and if you don’t， you should。 This is a fantastic book written by an author with an uncanny and deep understanding of humanity。 This is one you don’t want to miss。
Rachel
，
This was a beautifully-written collection of connected short stories that follow tenants of a high-rise in Harlem。 Each story is written from the unique perspective of individual tenants and each story had a distinct voice that set it apart。 I felt all the feelings while reading this。 The stories are gritty and raw and I was completely immersed in it from the first word to the last。 I was so impressed with this and I’m shocked that I haven’t heard more buzz about it since the author is clearly s This was a beautifully-written collection of connected short stories that follow tenants of a high-rise in Harlem。 Each story is written from the unique perspective of individual tenants and each story had a distinct voice that set it apart。 I felt all the feelings while reading this。 The stories are gritty and raw and I was completely immersed in it from the first word to the last。 I was so impressed with this and I’m shocked that I haven’t heard more buzz about it since the author is clearly so talented。 Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Angie Bridget
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Stories from the Tenants Downstairs by Sidik Fofana is a series of short stories about men and women living in an apartment in NYC struggling to make rent， stay safe and survive。 The stories are interconnected since all of the characters live in the same building but each story offers different perspectives on the challenges they face。 Unfortunately， the writing style really bothered me。 First， there was a significant number of spelling and grammar errors due to colloquialism。 There were a lot o Stories from the Tenants Downstairs by Sidik Fofana is a series of short stories about men and women living in an apartment in NYC struggling to make rent， stay safe and survive。 The stories are interconnected since all of the characters live in the same building but each story offers different perspectives on the challenges they face。 Unfortunately， the writing style really bothered me。 First， there was a significant number of spelling and grammar errors due to colloquialism。 There were a lot of words spelt incorrectly or substituted with another word that sounds similar but does not have the same meaning。 I get what the author was trying to do， but it made it challenging to read and comprehend。 Additionally， there was no proper formatting for dialogue， and a lot of 1 sentence paragraphs。 It was at times hard to know if the main characters were describing a situation or actually having a conversation with someone else。 It just took a lot of details away from the story and I think some of the ideas were lost due to my concentration being focused on deciphering what the author was trying to say。 I think that the themes and storylines are really interesting and that many people will really enjoy this book when it is published。 If you enjoy interconnected short stories， fictional stories about low income areas and don't mind some grammar issues， I think this is definitely a great book for you！ Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review an advance copy of this novel！ 。。。more
Jurga
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I like books about the people living in the same building。。。 Usually， they are not just neighbours but also related， connected in one way or another， even though it doesn't look that way at the first glance。 I like the feeling of a puzzle in these types of books。 You read each chapter about each flat or person， or family。。 and slowly put the pieces together。 This book is realistic， and believable and makes readers think and rethink about people of Harlem， the stereotypes and what is beneath the I like books about the people living in the same building。。。 Usually， they are not just neighbours but also related， connected in one way or another， even though it doesn't look that way at the first glance。 I like the feeling of a puzzle in these types of books。 You read each chapter about each flat or person， or family。。 and slowly put the pieces together。 This book is realistic， and believable and makes readers think and rethink about people of Harlem， the stereotypes and what is beneath the surface。 Once I managed through with dialect and mannerisms I am not used to （I am quicker to pick up Scottish slang or British dialect）， it was a truly refreshing read。 。。。more
Sarah Berg
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Interconnected narratives and characters can be excruciating to sift through as a reader。 Often confusing and forgettable， this writing style has the potential to be an author’s downfall。 But that isn’t the case with Sidik Fofana’s debut collection “Stories from the Tenants Downstairs。” Through eight interconnected stories， Fofana illuminates the struggles of Banneker Homes， a low-income Harlem apartment building on the verge of gentrification。 Mimi is a single mom hustling to make rent by waitr Interconnected narratives and characters can be excruciating to sift through as a reader。 Often confusing and forgettable， this writing style has the potential to be an author’s downfall。 But that isn’t the case with Sidik Fofana’s debut collection “Stories from the Tenants Downstairs。” Through eight interconnected stories， Fofana illuminates the struggles of Banneker Homes， a low-income Harlem apartment building on the verge of gentrification。 Mimi is a single mom hustling to make rent by waitressing and hairdressing。 Then Swan， the father of Mimi’s kid， is excited about his friend’s prison release but fears it might come in the way of his future。 Ms。 Dallas tries to help her students， but the white， Harvard-educated teacher pushes back against her teaching style。 The five other interconnected stories range from students in Ms。 Dallas’s class to an older man who plays chess on the corner–all unforgettable to the writer。 Each of the eight stories showcases uniquely decisive voices with such clarity that the collection seems almost biographical。 Fofana doesn’t downplay the joys or pains of living in Banneker Homes， leaving readers to root for even the most unlikely characters。 Few authors can pinpoint and fully embody their characters' voices， but Fofana excels without any gimmicks。 Honestly， each chapter of “Stories from the Tenants Downstairs” was an extraordinary dive into the hopes and fears of this community while also allowing each protagonist to flourish。 Fofana’s writing style is like a chameleon–evolving to fit the character but distinct in his own right。 Reading the short stories from a child’s perspective was incredibly well-done。 It captured the voice of a kid raised in Harlem ideally。 A captivating observation of the highs and lows of the human experience， “Stories from the Tenants Downstairs” is a triumph in storytelling。 Powerful， expressive， and beautifully human， this collection should be a quick read for anyone who cares about the communities directly impacted by gentrification。 。。。more
AndiReads
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This is a debut？？？？ Sidik Fofan has written a jewel of a book -- a collection of eight interconnected stories that feature different residents in a low income Harlem High Rise。 Banneker Homes has just been sold and the new owners are attempting to push out the current residents。 Each short story follows a tenant in the Banneker Homes， a low-income high rise in Harlem where gentrification weighs on everyone’s mind。 There are single mothers， college drop outs， middle schoolers， hairdressers and wa This is a debut？？？？ Sidik Fofan has written a jewel of a book -- a collection of eight interconnected stories that feature different residents in a low income Harlem High Rise。 Banneker Homes has just been sold and the new owners are attempting to push out the current residents。 Each short story follows a tenant in the Banneker Homes， a low-income high rise in Harlem where gentrification weighs on everyone’s mind。 There are single mothers， college drop outs， middle schoolers， hairdressers and waitresses。。。everyone is doing their best to stay afloat and support their loved ones。 These stories will break your heart and you will think of the characters for a long， long time。 As a teacher， the school chapter really hit home。There is a bit of hopefulness woven throughout the book that keeps the glued to the page！ What an achievement， If you like fantastic writing， interconnected stories， real life and urban living， then Stories From the Tenants Downstairs is for you！。#Scribner #NetGalley#Netgalleyreads #StoriesFromtheTenantsDownstairs #SidikFofana 。。。more
Charley
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A true masterclass in character writing。 Every story offers a fresh perspective， written in such a way that it truly feels like someone new。 The sense of community is perfectly capped off in the final chapter whilst everything that comes before works perfectly to show the complex inner workings of each character。 I look forward to everything that's coming from （and for） Fofana。 A true masterclass in character writing。 Every story offers a fresh perspective， written in such a way that it truly feels like someone new。 The sense of community is perfectly capped off in the final chapter whilst everything that comes before works perfectly to show the complex inner workings of each character。 I look forward to everything that's coming from （and for） Fofana。 。。。more
Caleb Dagenhart
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An excellent debut。 Smooth writing and beautifully patient storytelling that draws the reader in and slowly builds， leaving behind an impact with incredible force。Note: I was provided a free advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。
Monica
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A really lovely short story collection that can be reminiscent of any underprivileged community in a neighbourhood undergoing gentrification。 Each short story was about a different person who is a tenant of Banneker Homes。 However since they all live in the same building， their stories connect or they know each other in some way or another。 The rent prices in Banneker Homes is threatening to go up and people who are behind and have been behind on their rent are threatened to be kicked out。 A gro A really lovely short story collection that can be reminiscent of any underprivileged community in a neighbourhood undergoing gentrification。 Each short story was about a different person who is a tenant of Banneker Homes。 However since they all live in the same building， their stories connect or they know each other in some way or another。 The rent prices in Banneker Homes is threatening to go up and people who are behind and have been behind on their rent are threatened to be kicked out。 A group of women from the building are protesting the rising rent， while others are going about their daily lives just trying to survive。Fofana wrote these stories with humour and made you come to care about these characters and their quirks。 The stories I especially loved included Swan's mum who works at the school with the racist white teacher （as a teacher I thought this was hilarious）， and the story about the gentleman who plays chess outside of the restaurant and the community rallying together in his name - even though he doesn't want them to。 。。。more
ColumbusReads
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8 interconnected stories （my fave） - think A Taste Of Honey by Jabari Asim or Gloria Naylor’s The Women Of Brewster Place。 Setting is Banneker Terrace， a high-rise and low income building in soon-to-be-gentrified Harlem。 The stories are gritty and humorous， painful and sobering， powerful and stunning。 And it’s a friggin’ debut！ Publishes 8/16
Lindsay
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A tender， voyeuristic， nuanced look at cultural inequality。How did the book make me feel/think？These are complex thoughts to right （write）。Here goes:On the one hand， life dealt me an unfair advantage because of my ancestry DNA。On the other， they shrouded my family in secrecy， as I was a baby born to an unwed mother—in a horrible place—where women were sent to be fixed。 A reality that has haunted me for 62 years。Despite my less than auspicious beginnings and the flawed cards dealt my family， lead A tender， voyeuristic， nuanced look at cultural inequality。How did the book make me feel/think？These are complex thoughts to right （write）。Here goes:On the one hand， life dealt me an unfair advantage because of my ancestry DNA。On the other， they shrouded my family in secrecy， as I was a baby born to an unwed mother—in a horrible place—where women were sent to be fixed。 A reality that has haunted me for 62 years。Despite my less than auspicious beginnings and the flawed cards dealt my family， leading to a lifelong struggle， it wasn’t laced with the outrageous disadvantage of being born non-white。I must quickly shout out: being born non-white is not a disadvantage， but for those of my flawed ilk whose shortcomings have them scratching and clawing to keep the unfair advantage do， to， well， disease the world， disgustingly using it to give themselves a leg up。Stories from the Tenants Downstairs is a voyeuristic， nuanced look into a world filled with tenderness， struggle， growth， fear， and the unbelievable willpower of those who’ve been held down and shackled by the sickness of unfettered capitalism。Fofana delivers a must-read for anyone willing to step outside their skin and open their hearts + eyes。 Just because you may have been dealt a strong hand—its important to understand: most people are doing their best， regardless of what your ancestors have done。 WRITTEN: 21 July 2022 。。。more
Jennifer Holloway Jones
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I have to read any book that is offered as a comparison to Bridget Jones's diary。 I loved the books with this character。 This one， not so much。 Roxy is all about herself and is all things whiny， insufferable， and self-involved。 I can definitely handle quirk and love a good romp of a read。 This book's aim was just to have shocking material， but instead has created a character that I wish was never written。 The only saving grace from this book was Artemis。 This book was not completely horrible and I have to read any book that is offered as a comparison to Bridget Jones's diary。 I loved the books with this character。 This one， not so much。 Roxy is all about herself and is all things whiny， insufferable， and self-involved。 I can definitely handle quirk and love a good romp of a read。 This book's aim was just to have shocking material， but instead has created a character that I wish was never written。 The only saving grace from this book was Artemis。 This book was not completely horrible and there were some parts that were ok， but I definitely do not want any more Roxy。 Thanks for the ARC， NetGalley。 。。。more
Macken Sloan
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Thank you Scribner and NetGalley for the eARC！ Stories from the Tenants Downstairs is a collection of interconnected short stories detailing the lives of different people living in Banneker Terrace， a low income high rise building in Harlem， as they face gentrification and displacement。 The universe that Sidik Fofana creates within the Banneker Terrace is incredibly raw and drew me in immediately from the first story。 The portrayal of gentrification and hardship is so well written and relevant t Thank you Scribner and NetGalley for the eARC！ Stories from the Tenants Downstairs is a collection of interconnected short stories detailing the lives of different people living in Banneker Terrace， a low income high rise building in Harlem， as they face gentrification and displacement。 The universe that Sidik Fofana creates within the Banneker Terrace is incredibly raw and drew me in immediately from the first story。 The portrayal of gentrification and hardship is so well written and relevant to what is happening currently in so many communities that it felt like I was reading genuine accounts of people rather than a fictional novel。 A new favorite and a very important read！ 。。。more
Zappadragon
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Thank you to Netgalley andScribnerfor an eARC。Stories from the Tenants Downstairs is a collection of eight short stories that each are written from the point of view of a tenant living in Bannekar Terrace， a low-income high-rise in Harlem。 I enjoyed reading about these people and how they were all connected to Bannekar Terrace。 The writing style was a bit hard to follow at times because Sidik Fofana did so well at writing how the characters would speak。 This helped pull you into the stories and Thank you to Netgalley andScribnerfor an eARC。Stories from the Tenants Downstairs is a collection of eight short stories that each are written from the point of view of a tenant living in Bannekar Terrace， a low-income high-rise in Harlem。 I enjoyed reading about these people and how they were all connected to Bannekar Terrace。 The writing style was a bit hard to follow at times because Sidik Fofana did so well at writing how the characters would speak。 This helped pull you into the stories and become part of Bannekar Terrace。 All in all a great ready and I look forward to more to come from Sidik Fofana。 。。。more
Sam
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I love novels written in short stories。 Sidik Fofana knits a beautiful narrative of the Banneker Terrace apartments in Harlem and its complicated tenants。 Each chapter is written with a new voice from ex-gymnast and college drop-out， Neisha， to middle schooler and wannabe hip hop dancer， Najee， to several others。 The underlying concern for each of the tenants is gentrification in Harlem。 Stories from the Tenants Downstairs is a righteous political statement and creative experiment as Fofana asks I love novels written in short stories。 Sidik Fofana knits a beautiful narrative of the Banneker Terrace apartments in Harlem and its complicated tenants。 Each chapter is written with a new voice from ex-gymnast and college drop-out， Neisha， to middle schooler and wannabe hip hop dancer， Najee， to several others。 The underlying concern for each of the tenants is gentrification in Harlem。 Stories from the Tenants Downstairs is a righteous political statement and creative experiment as Fofana asks us to look into the tenants as individuals facing systemic injustice。 This book is a necessary and impactful read。 This book is one we should be talking about。 Read this book， especially if you are interested in: • gentrification in Harlem• Harlem culture• poverty and systemic injustice 。。。more
chrysanthemum
，
my word。i keep re-writing and deleting my drafted reviews bc nothing seems good enough to capture this book and my emotions so i wont try to do that。 these characters and their stories are intense and beautiful and tragic and so so needed （I don't even say stuff like that so believe me when I do）。 it's been a while since i finished a book in a day but here we are！ this book did something to me and i'm so grateful for it。 I have to purposefully take myself out of the story because I feel like i'm my word。i keep re-writing and deleting my drafted reviews bc nothing seems good enough to capture this book and my emotions so i wont try to do that。 these characters and their stories are intense and beautiful and tragic and so so needed （I don't even say stuff like that so believe me when I do）。 it's been a while since i finished a book in a day but here we are！ this book did something to me and i'm so grateful for it。 I have to purposefully take myself out of the story because I feel like i'm still very much in it。 oddly felt like it was written specifically to help with seesawing moral and personal conflicts i have。 i don't even use this type of language - but i think this book grounded me - i never knew what people actually meant when they said that but now i think （hope） i do！ Anyway， Fofana can WRITE and put your （my） own perspective in words better than whatever you （i） can come up with。 rating it 5 bc i think it'll have a lasting impact on me。 I'm buying my TFA friend a copy when this comes out lol。 。。。more
Laura
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A collection of short stories set in a lower income high rise in Harlem。 The characters are all interconnected， and many of them are being forced out of their homes due to gentrification。 Intense， raw and heartbreaking debut。
Erica
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I got this book as an ARC through one of the Good Reads giveaways。 I thought the writing was excellent and loves how it was small stories from different POVs that connected together。 I look forward to reading more by Sidik Fofana。
Abby Lindemann
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An amazing debut from Sidik Fofana， a school teacher in Brooklyn！ Stories from the Tenants Downstairs is a collection of eight short stories that each are written from the point of view of a tenant living in Bannekar Terrace， a low-income high-rise in Harlem。 His storytelling is exceptional and he gives life and depth to his characters。 This book provides intimate and emotional perspectives from characters struggling not only with everyday worries like making rent， but bigger concerns with gentr An amazing debut from Sidik Fofana， a school teacher in Brooklyn！ Stories from the Tenants Downstairs is a collection of eight short stories that each are written from the point of view of a tenant living in Bannekar Terrace， a low-income high-rise in Harlem。 His storytelling is exceptional and he gives life and depth to his characters。 This book provides intimate and emotional perspectives from characters struggling not only with everyday worries like making rent， but bigger concerns with gentrification threatening the future of their homes。 I highly recommend this book， coming out in August！Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC！ 。。。more
Amy Lueders
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I received this book from a giveaway。 This was a very insightful look into the lives of the different characters that all live in the same building。 It shows the struggles they have as they try to keep from being evicted while also dealing with other challenges in their lives。 I found some of the characters to be more easily sympathized with than others （Kandese vs Mimi for example） but all were well written and believable。 Not my usual read but I enjoyed the style of writing and how the author I received this book from a giveaway。 This was a very insightful look into the lives of the different characters that all live in the same building。 It shows the struggles they have as they try to keep from being evicted while also dealing with other challenges in their lives。 I found some of the characters to be more easily sympathized with than others （Kandese vs Mimi for example） but all were well written and believable。 Not my usual read but I enjoyed the style of writing and how the author tied one story to the next。 。。。more
Susan
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Mr。 Fofana's lyrical novel evidences a keen curiosity of and affinity for other people's stories， a quality that no doubt has contributed to his effectiveness as a classroom teacher in his "day job。" Each chapter here shines the spotlight on a different tenant of a single Harlem high-rise at a time when new owners have raised the rents， and a wave of evictions has begun washing over too many long-term residents。 No matter whether over- or underemployed， old or young， conniving or victimized， swe Mr。 Fofana's lyrical novel evidences a keen curiosity of and affinity for other people's stories， a quality that no doubt has contributed to his effectiveness as a classroom teacher in his "day job。" Each chapter here shines the spotlight on a different tenant of a single Harlem high-rise at a time when new owners have raised the rents， and a wave of evictions has begun washing over too many long-term residents。 No matter whether over- or underemployed， old or young， conniving or victimized， sweet-tempered or a pain in the a__， each tenant has a uniquely heartwrenching history and a web of interconnections with fellow residents that either gives them an assist or damns them to yet more tribulations forthcoming。 The first-person vernacular used by each tenant/narrator fleshes out the authenticity of their words most effectively。 Particularly upsetting， though， in light of current events， were the handful of episodes of gratuitous violence against Asian-American shopkeepers by a few of the book's featured characters。 At times disturbing， at times uplifting， this novel speaks volumes about those we need to be acknowledging as neighbors， recognizing our common humanity under the skin， no matter our home address。 。。。more
Whitney Weinberg
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Enjoyed these short stories tops from different people living in the same building。 Each narrator had such a distinct voice which brought them to life。 The interconnectedness of all the characters and their lives was gorgeously realistic and emotional。 Thanks to Netgalley for an eARC。
Carolyn
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I received an advance copy from Scribner's publishing。 Thank youWow， this book packs a punch。 It is considered a collection of short stories， but each story is interconnected， so it's as cohesive as a novel。The book takes place in Banneker Terrace， a high rise in Harlem。 There are new owners， and the current tenants are being squeezed out， as the area begins to gentrify。 Each story highlights a tenant as they face the fear of losing their home， their everyday life， their struggles and even their I received an advance copy from Scribner's publishing。 Thank youWow， this book packs a punch。 It is considered a collection of short stories， but each story is interconnected， so it's as cohesive as a novel。The book takes place in Banneker Terrace， a high rise in Harlem。 There are new owners， and the current tenants are being squeezed out， as the area begins to gentrify。 Each story highlights a tenant as they face the fear of losing their home， their everyday life， their struggles and even their hopes。 Banneker Terrace is a community made up of the tenants， and like it or not， they all know each other's business。 Sidik Fofana makes their lives and voice authentic。 At times it took concentration to get into the dialect， but each person's story was so compelling， I wanted to find out more。 This all seemed very real and gritty to me， and I was pleased that by reading this book， I was given a chance to really see beyond my borders。 。。。more
Christina
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Strong debut collection of linked stories centered around the residents of a Harlem apartment building in the midst of a new buyer forcing out its tenants， most of whom are poor and Black。 I loved the voices of these characters， and the spotlight Fofana shines on the humanity behind their pain and， often， their shame。 You can tell Fofana has classroom experience， because the kid characters in this book especially shine。 The story about the para and the white savior teacher and his out of control Strong debut collection of linked stories centered around the residents of a Harlem apartment building in the midst of a new buyer forcing out its tenants， most of whom are poor and Black。 I loved the voices of these characters， and the spotlight Fofana shines on the humanity behind their pain and， often， their shame。 You can tell Fofana has classroom experience， because the kid characters in this book especially shine。 The story about the para and the white savior teacher and his out of control classroom （"Ms。 Dallas"） was the standout， for me。 Some readers will struggle with the dialect -- I always do， and I almost made the mistake of quitting another great book， Young Mungo， for the same reason a few weeks ago。 In both books， once I got used to it， I found that the dialect really brought the characters to life， and the author's choice was the right one。 Stick with it。 These characters are well worth your time。 。。。more
Maryjane Gardner
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Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster for this ARC。I was absolutely blown away by the storytelling of Sidik Fofana。 Fofana brought the souls of these characters to life。 I believe this is a book that shows the humanity （or lack of humanity） of voices that are not often heard。
Samantha
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