Publisher's Weekly Review
Sixteen-year-old Stella Walker's brother, Rob, hasn't been the same since he returned from his second tour in Afghanistan. Their parents, themselves veterans, tread on eggshells, unsure what to do about Rob's PTSD, and Stella feels invisible within their family. At school, Stella and her best friend Farida-whose parents fled Iraq after the Gulf War-confront sexist and bigoted views among a few of the students, sentiments that are fanned by the town's mayor, who is running for governor on an anti-immigrant platform. When the mayor's son Chris announces his candidacy for class president, Stella decides to run against him. Rob is caught on video punching one of Chris's friends for taunting a Sikh boy at the mall, a moment that turns both public and political, and Stella must decide if she should try to win or run a campaign that reflects true issues. Told through Stella's first-person narrative, Rob's letters to a veteran pal, and police interviews, this novel by Littman (Backlash) tackles the current sociopolitical climate with multifaceted, redeemable characters. Unfortunately, Farida, the book's lone protagonist of color, is employed as little more than a moral compass who must educate her friends about white privilege. Ages 12-up. Agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
Stella Walker's brother, Rob, is home from Afghanistan. But Rob, a U.S. Marine, has changedhe's moody, angry, and anything can set him off. His parents are worried and focus all their attention on him. Stella isn't talking to anyone about what's going on at homenot even her best friend, Farida. Their local mayor is running for governor of Virginia, blaming immigrants and refugees for the state's economic problems. Some of Stella's classmates agree with the mayorand when his son, Chris, decides to run for class president, Farida encourages Stella to run too. Although Farida, a Muslim Iraqi-American, wanted to run herself, her parents worried about her safety in the current political climate. When Rob becomes angry and assaults a boy who is bullying a Sikh teen, not only does he face charges, but the Walker family is targeted by hateful elements in the community who believe they support "terrorists." Farida and her family are also drawn into the controversy. Which "truth" will the community believe? Littman (Fairest of Them All, 2017, etc.) skillfully reveals Rob's thoughts and feelings as a veteran desperately waiting for help from the VA, while also intertwining Stella's perspective as a white girl who is growing in her understanding of her own identity.With well-developed characters, Littman explores growth and personal relationships alongside pain, mental illness, and social issuesshowing how people can come together to heal. (Fiction. 12-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Stella is excited for her junior year discussing movies with her two best friends, dominating the debate club, and talking to the cute boy in her class. However, her life becomes extremely tense after her veteran brother, Rob, returns home with PTSD and suicidal thoughts, and the town's divide over immigration trickles into her school, targeting her best friend Farida's family. These issues come to a head on a night when Rob violently responds to a provocation. In the wake of this event, Stella has to learn how to be a better ally and advocate for justice. While the narrative can feel cluttered by the multitude of issues Littman addresses, and Stella's voice doesn't feel authentic to her age, this remains a timely, topical novel that will resonate with teen readers grappling with issues of social justice or political involvement. Perhaps not a natural fit for recreational reading, it can nevertheless provoke thoughtful discussions, making it a great choice for classrooms or advisory book clubs. Thematically similar to Patrick Flores-Scott's American Road Trip (2018).--Susannah Goldstein Copyright 2018 Booklist
