THE KID
By: Sapphire
Publisher: Penguin Book Group
Pub. Date: July 5, 2011
Format: Hardcover
(Also Available in Electronic and Audio Formats)
Pages: 384
Genre: Contemporary
Age Group: Adults
Source: Publisher
Follow Sapphire on: goodreads
Purchase THE KID on: Amazon | B&N | TBD | IB
Publisher’s Synopsis: Fifteen years after the publication of Push, one year after the Academy Award-winning film adaptation, Sapphire gives voice to Precious’s son, Abdul.
In The Kid bestselling author Sapphire tells the electrifying story of Abdul Jones, the son of Push’s unforgettable heroine, Precious.
A story of body and spirit, rooted in the hungers of flesh and of the soul, The Kid brings us deep into the interior life of Abdul Jones. We meet him at age nine, on the day of his mother’s funeral. Left alone to navigate a world in which love and hate sometimes hideously masquerade, forced to confront unspeakable violence, his history, and the dark corners of his own heart, Abdul claws his way toward adulthood and toward an identity he can stand behind.
In a generational story that moves with the speed of thought from a Mississippi dirt farm to Harlem in its heyday; from a troubled Catholic orphanage to downtown artist’s lofts, The Kid tells of a twenty- first-century young man’s fight to find a way toward the future. A testament to the ferocity of the human spirit and the deep nourishing power of love and of art, The Kid chronicles a young man about to take flight. In the intimate, terrifying, and deeply alive story of Abdul’s journey, we are witness to an artist’s birth by fire.
Review: I would first like to thank TLC Book Tours and Penguin Group for sending me a finished copy of THE KID in exchange for a fair and honest review.
THE KID by Sapphire is emotional and intense from the very beginning to it’s conclusion. It’s a tough read, seeped in a gritty reality that often reads more like non-fiction than fiction. THE KID is the sequel to Sapphire’s bestselling, PUSH, which inspired the Academy Award-nominated film, Precious. The movie garnered the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress, Mo’Nique.
I haven’t read PUSH, so I can’t compare the two novels. But once I opened THE KID I was quickly immersed into the world of the contemporary Harlem where Abdul Jones, the nine-year-old son of Precious, has been raised. At the opening, Abdul has lost his mother to AIDS. He doesn’t understand why his mother is no longer around or what the disease is. All he knows is that he’s attending her funeral and is in the care of her friend, Rita. He’s a normal kid who wants to play his video games, read his books and go to McDonald’s…most of all he desires to be with his mother.
Abdul wants desperately to go home, but the safe haven Precious created for the two of them no longer exists. Due to an unspoken illness of her own, Rita is forced to turn Abdul over to a foster mother. Smart, wise, and charismatic, Abdul wants nothing of the sort. However, he quickly finds comfort in the imaginary world he has created in his mind — a world that includes his mother. As a way of keeping his Precious’s memory alive, he has an ongoing dialogue with her spirit which keeps a watchful and strict eye over him. At the foster home, which is a brief stay, he gains a new nickname, J.J. He doesn’t like it at first but it grows on him.
Finding the foster home doesn’t pan out — thank God, I didn’t like that place either — J.J. moves into a Catholic orphanage, St. Ailanthus. He throws himself into his studies and his love of books, despite the frightening trouble at his new residence. I felt relief he was away from the foster home and possibly someplace safe. But it’s not a comforting place at all. Within the walls of St. Ailanthus, J.J. becomes the victim of sexual abuse and soon becomes the victimizer. Some of these scenes were extremely difficult to read, but I found it understandable and logical that J.J. becomes the predator.. He has no one helping him and doesn’t know right from wrong. This is often a sad fact that happens to victims of abuse. It’s a vicious cycle.
At the orphanage, J.J. finds an alliance in Jaime. However, the two find themselves in trouble. But when they stumble into the classroom of an African dance school, J.J. sees a future for himself, in music and dance. Applying himself, J.J moves through the treacherous waters of life at St. Ailanthus, connecting to Shakespeare, questioning faith, discovering history and just trying to survive. He even earns a scholarship to college. However, he turns his life towards music and art…a calling which has always seemed to be within him. The ending was quite a surprise and again comes full circle.
I must admit, THE KID is generally not my kind of book. But as I have mentioned before, in other reviews, it’s good to break out of your comfort zone and read something different. Reading a story like THE KID gives readers a different perspective on life. This life is certainly not something I’m familiar with as it’s not my own, but I could picture it all clearly.
The characters are believable and unique. J.J. is an extremely well-developed character and so are the side characters that filter in and out of his world. Sometimes the dialogue J.J. has with his mother’s spirit is hard to follow, but I liked how his mother stays with him. The story has a staccato rhythm like the beating of a drum. I found this interesting because J.J. beats to his own drum throughout the novel.
Sapphire’s lyrical and poetic writing gives us a glimpse into an urban landscape filled with haunting violence. A word of warning, THE KID has a lot bad language and is not for everyone. Yet THE KID and J.J. will stay with you long after you turn the final page. I wouldn’t be surprised if THE KID was made into a movie like Precious.
I’m giving THE KID 4 “Relaxing with a Good Book” retro pictures for being soulfully realistic!
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This doesn’t really sound like my kind of book either, but I absolutely agree that it’s good to get out of your comfort zone at times and see what else is out there! Despite it not being for me, the story sound very powerful and just based on your review I already feel a little connection to Abdul/J.J:)
I don’t tend to read books like this because they are too depressing and graphic. I applaud you for stepping out of your comfort zone. Great review.
huh. Never heard of this book before, though I did know about Push because I watched Precious. I thought it was kind of strange as a film. Still, the story was heartbreaking. I never thought to wonder about what comes after. J.J.’s story sounds very emotional. I’d like to see it if it were made into a movie too.
Thanks for the review, Julie.
I loved the movie Precious. It was heartbreaking and sad, but beautiful. This book sounds like a heavy read, something you need to be in the mood for, but I am definitely interested in reading it. Thanks for the great review!
[...] Tuesday, July 5th: “That’s Swell!” [...]
I’m glad you decided to go outside your comfort zone and give this book a chance – it sounds like a heartbreaking but powerful read.
Thanks for being a part of the tour! I’m featuring your review on TLC’s Facebook page today.
Cool! Thank you so much
I’m happy to be a part of your tour, as well. TLC features awesome books!
That's Swell! says "it’s good to break out of your comfort zone and read something different. Reading a story like… http://fb.me/y8CYTIb1
I’ve never seen precious but The Kid still sounds really good. Like you, it isn’t something I would normally read but it is good to step outside of your comfort zone every now and then.
Great review, Julie
You know, this is (mostly) my kind of book. I read quite a few of these ‘tough topic’ reads. I read Push last year and although I was disturbed by it, I also recognized the good about it.
I’m part of this tour also and this is one of the very, VERY few books I couldn’t manage to finish. I found it unbelievable in many aspects and I felt that most of the ‘grit’ was added for the sake of shocking the reader, and not much else. I recognize that not everyone will feel as I do, and it’s nice to see how others felt, but *shrugs*
[...] Tuesday, July 5th: “That’s Swell!” [...]
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