2.5 stars. The plot didn't go much of anywhere, and there was very little resolution in the end. ( )

This was an odd one. While I enjoyed it overall, I also felt like it never really took off...as if it were one prolonged exposition. I loved the beginning of the book up until Kenya's parents' separation and once again when she goes to visit Johnbrown on his farm, but a lot of the middle I found difficult. Perhaps Bahni Turpin's teenage voices were a little too good (and while she remains my favorite reader, her Caribbean accent verged on a Russian accent) during that segment, but I found the dialogue between the girls hard to stomach. And I'm glad that one scene with Teddy Jaffrey didn't go any further than it did. Still, it was a touching--and often heartbreaking--coming of age story with some excellent family dynamic written in, and I'll be interested to see what Asali Solomon's next step will be. ( )

I enjoyed this book but felt a little adrift when it came to the story itself. I really liked how Solomon developed the characters and I was intrigued with the context, but I had a hard time following along with Kenya and her experiences. I would find myself really into a particular section of the book only to find that it was over and the story was moving on. I would have read a longer book if there was been more detail put in. Did I love this book? No. Would I read something else by Asali Solomon? Probably. ( )

At just eight years old, Kenya Curtis feels cast out by her West Philadelphia classmates. Though most of her classmates are black, she’s one of the only kids who celebrates Kwanzaa and can’t say the Pledge of Allegiance. Kenya’s feelings of isolation only grow as her parents, Johnbrown and Sheila, drift apart and she enters adolescence in the new environment of a suburban private school.

More than anything, the strength of Asali Solomon’s Disgruntled lies in its balance. Pulled too far toward any of its themes, the novel could have felt too young adult, too political or too philosophical. Instead, Solomon finds a sturdy base in a relatable coming-of-age story and counters it with Johnbrown and Sheila’s evolving beliefs, both of which Kenya comes to question through the course of the novel.

Though she’s often critical, Kenya views the lifestyles she sees around her—including her own—with a balanced and questioning eye based on what she’s been taught. We see this as her parents raise her to distrust Christianity, particularly “the Christianity of tacky white people”, while Sheila makes it clear that “being fanatically religious was a reasonable choice for black people who didn’t know any better.” When Kenya meets a wealthy, suburban white Christian, she is understandably baffled and works to untangle her preconceptions.

“Only when he finished The Key would Johnbrown go back to school and get what he called a square job. (‘Do you know what cats used to call jobs in the fifties?’ he asked Kenya ‘What?’ ‘Slaves.’ ‘You calling me a slave, Johnbrown?’ said Sheila. Cats have jobs? thought Kenya.)”

Solomon’s skill shines in her ability to make the novel’s layered themes and ideas palatable without ever sacrificing depth. Questions of race, class and religion weave their way into Disgruntled‘s pages and surface as Kenya is routinely reminded of their place in her life, often appearing as a mix of humor and pointed observation. Smart and wonderfully narrated, Disgruntled is full of the frank commentary I’d love to see more of in fiction.

More at rivercityreading.com ( )

Here's the thing with this book: it lacks focus. It's an easy read and mildly enjoyable, the characters have potential. Parts of the story are certainly interesting and could stand on their own if given the time. But in this coming-of-age story, events are too quickly swept away and forgotten; a new direction is given and zoom, years pass by. The story lacks clear purpose, and though this may reflect the protagonist's issues with her own identity, it does not make for a good story.

Certainly there is considerable talent shown in Disgruntled. The story is heartbreaking, riveting, and even funny at times. The characters could have brought things together if only I'd known their destination. I believe with a tighter story, Solomon could shine. She had me at moments, but in the end, I just felt lost. ( )