When it comes to books, if I read two books by an author that I enjoy, I tend to hold that author in
high regard. Now, when those two books are part of a series, that’s even more impressive. I can say
without hesitation that Nic Stone has achieved this with her two books Dear Martin and its sequel, Dear
Justyce. But before moving on, I’d like to make two disclaimers: one, I recommend this for only those who
are young adults and older, and two, I highly recommend that you read or have read the first book in this
series before diving into this one.
I felt that firstly, this novel was very neat –fulfilling almost– in that it contained many of the same
characters from the first book, which, by the way, is one of the reasons that I recommend you read the
first book in the series before this one. But what made it particularly appealing was the fact that it was
written from the perspective of a character who willingly admitted to committing a murder he did not
commit for the sake of the gang he belonged to.
Next, the structure of the book is pretty unique in that it alternates between Quan talking about
life in jail and his childhood for pretty much the entire first half of the book. However, the first half of the
book may also be slightly dull to some readers, so I encourage you to stick through it, as the latter half is
super engaging. This book, like the one before it, was also very insightful, but in a different way. It did
discuss racial tensions to a certain extent but also described what the life of a gang member in the “hood”
is like as well and how that person came to join the gang. It even explores the criminal justice system.
Overall, I’d recommend this book for its engaging but also insightful aspect. I felt like it made me
more well-rounded and informed. A solid read, definitely check it out!
Review By ~ Andrew
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