Chlorine Sky

4.5 Stars

CW: Bullying, sexual assault

Well that was a powerful YA verse novel about conflict within a friendship.

Mahogany's novel looks at the relatable story of how a once solid friendship breaks down. Jealousy, misunderstandings, and miscommunication are captured beautifully. I also appreciated how the author explored changing dynamics within relationships, and how personal growth alters the way someone connects with or relates to those around them. In this instance, as Sky becomes more sure of herself she is less comfortable having such a dominant friend. Lay Li expects Sky to conform to the standards she sets despite Sky not feeling these are a true reflection of who she is. I loved that Mahogany highlighted what equitable show more friendships look and feel like. Full disclosure, I had a few tear pricks of emotional pride at various points. Also, YES to another YA book with a skilled and ambitious sportswoman as the main character! Thoroughly engaging book about female empowerment. show less

“I’m not weak … I’m just tired of swinging” (59).

I’ve got a soft spot for books in verse recently. Chlorine Sky is vulnerable. I think this is definitely relatable for a lot of teens.

There’s no teaching moments or hold-your-hand passages. The obvious undercurrent of colorism and sexism doesn’t have to be explained, it’s just there. Sky has insecurities and her best friend no longer acts like one. Lay Li is what Sky visually wants to be and what she thinks boys her age/society will accept better. The narrative reads well, and it’s filled with AAVE done right.

4.5 stars

content warning: sexual harassment: boy kisses girl against her will and holds her firmly in place by her shirt

Agirl who is tired of being in the shadows decides to shine.

Skyy is used to hiding in the shadow of her best friend, Lay Li; shrinking away from her sister Essa’s harsh words; and turning invisible among her peers. The only place she stands out is on the basketball court going toe-to-toe with boys who think she shouldn’t be playing. While she and Lay Li are fighting and not speaking to each other, she reflects on the way her friend treated her, both during their friendship and afterward. Skyy garners the attention of Clifton, an attractive neighborhood boy, but his attention isn’t enough to help Skyy love herself. Through a process of self-discovery and by listening to the stories of girls around her, Skyy learns to stand in her show more truth and determine what she’s worth. Writing in free verse, Browne explores concepts that will resonate with readers navigating toxic friendships and budding relationships and growing into themselves. Her clear, descriptive word choices conjure vivid images and sharp feelings that pair well with the conversational flow, making the story accessible and appealing to reluctant readers. The decision to withhold Skyy’s name until the end of the text allows readers to find themselves in this story. Skyy and the majority of characters are cued as Black.

A coming-of-age novel for Black girls who have been told they’re too much and yet never enough. (Verse novel. 13-18)

-Kirkus Review show less

i really liked this early on, and at the end. there was a chunk through the second half, though, that i feel like lost its focus. in a book this short that's hard to weather. still, i love the basketball metaphor and how it mirrors life (even as i know nothing about and care even less about basketball), and the struggle with friendship and self-acceptance. an important book.

i love the way she describes a basketball as an orange world.

I was very unsure about this one at first. I started this when I halfway into reading Mahogany's other book, Vinyl Moon, and perhaps that's why the big difference in writing quality caught me off guard. The writing in Vinyl Moon is much better, although I wouldn't say the writing in this book is bad. It just isn't as good. However, I genuinely enjoyed the overall story of this one, which had many intriguing aspects. Though I felt that certain parts, especially towards the end, were somewhat rushed, considering they tackled serious topics. I feel they definitely deserved more attention and care then they got.
There's a few pages where it mentions Angel, who's the main character from Vinyl Moon, so that was really cool to see!

**I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

"If you show up and show the world your real self you don't have to wait for others to claim you."

This is the second book I've reviewed where I completely forgot to take notes as I was too busy tearing through the pages. I was able to write three things:

1. Written in verse
2. For fans of Elizabeth Acevedo
3. The quote I typed at the beginning of this review

This book is a gorgeous coming of age story about finding out who your real friends are, learning how to grow up, and last but not least finding out who you are. I think Browne did an amazing job with this book. The flow of the verses was amazing, and I found myself reading out loud multiple times show more just so I could hear the words. I read this book in one sitting, and that is no small feat with two little ones running around. As writing reviews has become a pretty important part of my reading life, I so rarely find myself without something to say about a book. However, this is one that has left me speechless. This is an amazing book, and I cannot recommend it enough.

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*A Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this. This is my honest and unbiased review*

Hello Fellow Readers,

First of all, I am not a poetry expert. When I rate poetry I go by the feelings it erupts in me rather then how it's written, there is no in-depth analysis. I am just a simple person. Second of all, Chlorine Sky is unique because it's poetry written like a novel. Each poetry piece is like a puzzle that when put together is a clear story.

While I liked the story a lot there were times I was a bit confused. This happened when the author would sometimes refer to the past or when Browne was purposely vague at some points. I did like the way Browne used word flow to her advantage, and the story also had a realness you really show more don't see too often with other poetry. Browne's writing is very powerful and you can really feel the pain and confusion Sky (The main Character) is feeling about growing up and loosing the person she felt the closest too.

Overall, a wonderful coming of age poetry book about loss. show less