Run, Rebel, by Manjeet Mann

Title: Run, Rebel
Author: Manjeet Mann
Genre/ issues: Verse novel, YA, contemporary issues.

Well. Books that bring me to tears, part 2. This uncorrected proof arrived in my world yesterday, and I read it last night. It’s long, but it’s a verse novel, so a relatively quick read. It’s not easy though, with some pretty heavy content. A patriarchal family with an abusive alcoholic at the head, both parents dealing with illiteracy, and the mother working a cash-in-hand sweatshop job. A teenager who is a talented runner but has limited resources and parental support to pursue this. The impacts of poverty, and privilege, and generational trauma. It’s heavy going, but the beauty of the poetry makes it somehow easier to bear. It had me thinking about my own experiences as a teacher – was I always as sensitive as I could have been to the kid falling asleep in my class? Did I make assumptions about resourcing and support that may have been out of the realm of possibility for some of my students? I think I was possibly one of the better ones, but I don’t know that I always got that right.
Built around the framework of An Anatomy of A Revolution – how do you overthrow an oppressive regime? – this book is stunning. It’s out next month. Please read it.

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 11/52

Happy reading,