One of the Good Ones

Told in multiple timelines and points of view, this book looks at the effects of generational and systemic racism while also mining complicated family dynamics and even gives a window into the life of a YouTuber.. I didn't understand how the “The Hate U Give meets Get Out” blurb made any sense until the twist hit in the last quarter of the book. Though I appreciate what the Moulite sisters were trying to do here, I think the book would have been stronger and more emotionally impactful without the twist; however I know lots of YA readers will appreciate the twist, the impact of the justice(?)/revenge the twist brings, and an ending with a sense of completion. The twist felt too convenient as a device for a book that was otherwise really nuanced and emotionally thoughtful, especially around complicated familial dynamics, the tension between religion and progressive beliefs, the exploration of the theme of being labeled a “good one', and the generational effects of trauma and violence (this thread was my favorite plot of the book).

This book is incredible, start to finish! It managed to be so many different things but weave them together without every breaking stride. It's part road trip story, part multigenerational narrative, part thriller at times and each part feels like it adds to the whole. Every character was gloriously realized. I cannot recommend this book enough!

“Sometimes it feels like we're all going through life in a country song—different lyrics, maybe, but humming the same melody, and nobody's listening closely enough to notice.”

One of the Good Ones