The Boy in the Black Suit

January 7, 2015 ARC, Book Review 0

I received this ARC from Publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Boy in the Black SuitThe Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds
Published by Simon and Schuster on January 6th 2015
Pages: 272
Source: ARC from Publisher
Amazon-Indiebound
Goodreads

Just when seventeen-year-old Matt thinks he can’t handle one more piece of terrible news, he meets a girl who’s dealt with a lot more—and who just might be able to clue him in on how to rise up when life keeps knocking him down—in this wry, gritty novel from the author of When I Was the Greatest.

Matt wears a black suit every day. No, not because his mom died—although she did, and it sucks. But he wears the suit for his gig at the local funeral home, which pays way better than the Cluck Bucket, and he needs the income since his dad can’t handle the bills (or anything, really) on his own. So while Dad’s snagging bottles of whiskey, Matt’s snagging fifteen bucks an hour. Not bad. But everything else? Not good. Then Matt meets Lovey. She’s got a crazy name, and she’s been through more crazy than he can imagine. Yet Lovey never cries. She’s tough. Really tough. Tough in the way Matt wishes he could be. Which is maybe why he’s drawn to her, and definitely why he can’t seem to shake her. Because there’s nothing more hopeful than finding a person who understands your loneliness—and who can maybe even help take it away.

My Thoughts:

I was thrilled when a copy of The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds showed up in my mailbox. I met Jason at a couple bookish events this past year and enjoyed hearing him speak. I have a copy of When I was the Greatest which I need to read (oh, the books on Mt. TBR!) Getting an ARC of The Boy in the Black Suit was just the motivation I needed to get reading.

The Boy in the Black Suit is a tightly written novel. I loved that it was a fast read that packed a punch. I’m not sure I’m describing this well. There wasn’t any “fluff” or filler. Each scene built up the story and created a clearer picture of Matt and his life. That’s not to say there isn’t emotion.The Boy in the Black Suit is intense. There is grief and loss and love and acceptance and so much more. Jason Reynolds does an excellent job of getting these feelings across to the reader. I was caught up in the story.

I really loved the different relationships in this book. Matt is dealing with the loss of his mother so each scene that talks about her is bittersweet (I adored the notebook of recipes she created for him!) His father is also devastated by the loss. It broke my heart to see the strain this added to their relationship. Then there is Matt’s friendship with his best friend. Books that show such strong friendships make my heart happy! And of course, there is Lovey. I really appreciated the realistic portrayal of this romantic relationship. And, frankly, it was sweet!

If you’re looking for a strong contemporary read The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds is for you. Although it’s a book about a teen dealing with grief, it’s full of hope. A really interesting and enjoyable read.

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