Punching the Air – Ibi Zoboi
Expectation: An exploration of criminal justice inequities framed around the true story of one of the “Central Park jogger” teens.
Reality: While the verses are beautiful, the story and characterizations fell victim to typical YA tropes versus breaking new ground.
My Take:
I’ve started writing and re-writing this review several times because it appears I’m one of the only people that didn’t connect with “Punching the Air.”
Before diving into why I struggled with this novel, let’s talk about a few things I liked:
Age-appropriate introduction to a serious topic: Racial disparities in the criminal justice system is not an easy concept for younger readers to grasp, but it’s important for teens, especially white ones, to understand the factors that contribute to mass incarceration — media, access, culture and fear — so they can become part of the solution. These topics are addressed expertly by Ibi Zoboi.
The premise: Co-authored with Yusef Salaam, one of the teens wrongly convicted in the “Central Park jogger” case in the 1980s, elements of his experience — wrong place at the wrong time, media mischaracterization and how he coped during lock-up — were applied to main character Amal and felt authentic.
The structure: I love poetry and books-in-verse and this had some truly show-stopping lyricism. I particularly loved the exploration of the butterfly effect and how it was a connective thread to address missed opportunities, second chances and future hopes.
Unfortunately, I found “Air,” like most young adult novels, to be overexaggerated and thin on plot. Everything is cranked to 11, which made Amal difficult to connect with. The constant vilification of others, but his near sainthood status diminished the story.
Even though the novel ends without clear resolution, there is no denying that he was unfairly penalized but also not completely innocent. The lack of introspection, made it all feel sensationalized and heavy-handed versus the poignant and unbiased story the authors were clearly aiming for.
On a minor criticism, given artist Omar T. Pasha is listed as a contributor and Amal’s love of art, I was expecting more vivid and emotional drawings to accompany certain sections. It’s possible that my eBook short-changed me on this, but I wouldn’t refer to this as an illustrated novel by any means.
I’m glad this novel is out in the world and that it’s connected with so many others. I wouldn’t discourage people from reading it, but if you’re an adult who would typically explore a topic like this through nonfiction, like “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander or “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson, you will probably find this lacking.
Rating (story): 3/5 stars
Rating (narration): N/A
Formats: eBook (personal library)
Dates read: February 3 – February 5, 2023
Multi-tasking: N/A
