This is a message of hope.
A few years ago, I found a copy of Dear Martin at my local library.
I devoured it in a matter of hours.
When Dear Justyce was announced, I immediately pre-ordered it.
Justyce McAllister set out on a peace project, which turned into his collection of letters to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Soon after he concluded this project, he passed these letters on to his friend Quan. Quan is currently spending some time in a detention center, awaiting trial for a crime he didn't even commit. He's been locked away from his family and friends for nearly two years. The only thing getting him through it is his support from Justyce.
Justyce becomes a glimmer of hope to Quan. Their letters create a sense of security for Quan; they become a staple in his day-to-day incarceration. Justyce not only writes to Quan, but he helped him find a new legal team. He helped find him representation who actually wanted Quan to see the outside world again. Justyce set him up with a tutor who actually wanted to see Quan graduate. Having a support system who actually wants to see the best in Quan really changed his perspective.
Again, I was not totally impressed by the character development in this book. This was the same issue I had with Dear Martin, as well. It feels like Nic Stone has a great story to tell, but she's just brushing the surface. The topics she chooses to write about are things that happen every single day. The story could be so much deeper. Racial profiling, abusive relationships, incarcerated parents/siblings/friends, tumultuous home lives, all of these things are real issues mentioned in the books. However, I think I would have a stronger emotional connection to these characters if there were more stories that screamed, "THIS IS HAPPENING TO ME."
Looking for the rest of the series?
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