Source of book: Audiobook from the library
Over the past few years, the kids and I have listened to several Jason Reynolds books. I think the best comparison in terms of children and young adult authors would be Judy Blume. This is for a few reasons. First, both write realistic and nuanced stories that often address difficult issues - including sexuality. And they do so without flinching, but by treating young readers with respect and confidence that they can and will understand moral and emotional complexity.
Second, their stories are often (although not always) set in urban or suburban east coast neighborhoods. In the case of Reynolds, this includes New York City, whether Brooklyn or Harlem.
Third, both immerse the reader not merely in the life of the main character, but in the entire ecosystem. The neighborhood, the school, the community. This includes adults that aren’t caricatures or saints. The adults get to be all too human as well, and be able to be imperfect without being bad.
All in all, these are the kinds of non-moralizing stories that show rather than preach, that explore rather than judge, and thus offer up different yet universally human experiences.
As a Jewish woman from New Jersey, Blume writes characters from her own experience: progressive, educated, usually white, and not particularly religious. For Reynolds, growing up black in D.C. and Maryland, but with family roots in the South, this leads to a different set of characters: black, urban, working class.
The Boy in the Black Suit is very much of this setting. I find it interesting as well that the book defies many of the expectations for a Young Adult book that includes a romance. Reynolds refuses to paint by the numbers, and indeed ends the book without a tidy ending. The plot isn’t linear exactly, and lacks a particular arc. Instead, it feels like a slice of an actual life, not a story, if that makes sense. What we get is a look at a few weeks of the protagonist’s life, as he navigates grief and first love at the same time.
Matt is a pretty typical teen. He does fine at school, but finds much of it uninteresting. He has a best friend, Chris, with whom he shares a traumatic childhood experience: a neighbor was murdered in an act of domestic violence.
But that is all in the past. Matt is a teen now, and his mother has just died of breast cancer, leaving his father spiraling back into alcoholism, until an encounter with a moving vehicle lands him in the hospital.
As the only functional person left, Matt decides to look for a job at the local fast-food dive, Cluck Bucket. He is intrigued by the young woman manning the counter, but before he finishes his application, he is met by Mr. Ray, the local undertaker, who also lives across the street from Matt.
Mr. Ray decides to take Matt under his wing, and offers him a job assisting with funerals. Not touching dead bodies, mind you, but doing the grunt work: setting up chairs and tables, arranging food and flowers, running errands, and occasionally serving as pallbearer.
The thing is, Matt turns out to love the job. And not just because Mr. Ray is a really great old guy, with a fascinating (and somewhat tragic) backstory, but because Matt finds sitting through other people’s funerals to be therapeutic. Seeing others experience deep grief, he feels less alone in his own.
And then, the girl from Cluck Bucket turns up again, this time at her grandmother’s funeral. Matt is struck by her incredible poise and strength, and stays late to talk to her.
As it turns out, Love (aka “Lovey”) has had plenty of grief in her life - her mother was murdered when Lovey was a little girl. But she has also experienced love and learned to be a giving person through her grandmother’s involvement with the local homeless shelter.
And thus begins (at the halfway point in the book, interestingly), a really unusual courtship. I mean, volunteering together at the shelter, walking the botanic gardens, and meeting in between funerals?
This relationship definitely reminded me of Judy Blume. The two characters are as believable, awkward, and tender as you could want. Two teens feeling their way toward each other, and willing to be vulnerable and honest. In other words, a healthy and realistic relationship.
Oh, and I really should also mention the fact that Matt is very funny as a narrator. His deadpan observations are sneaky humorous, and his awkward self-awareness is so familiar. Reynolds has a great light touch in his stories, handling heavy topics with a positive but not rose-tinted approach. Thus, Matt’s grief and fears are all very real. But he is also so likeable and wry. It is difficult to explain, other than to say that Reynolds shares with other excellent writers the ability to bring humor to the worst life throws at his characters, and that is a real talent.
The back stories are also interesting, and one could see books about everyone from Mr. Ray (who is a truly excellent character) to Love’s grandmother (who isn’t even alive during the book.)
I’ll make one last Judy Blume comparison to end this: In this book, the cross-generational relationships are admirable. There are some wise adults in this book, less given to preaching than to leading by example and empathy. But there are also kids who really desire connection - and I believe teens hunger for adults who don’t talk down to them, take them seriously, and give support rather than lectures. I know I did at that age, and I have found my teen kids and their friends to be a lot the same.
It really is amazing how far a little respect and a lot of listening can go. Teens are underrated, but you can’t treat them with disrespect, or think that control is more effective than understanding.
So, I really liked this book, and am again impressed by Reynolds as a writer.
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The Jason Reynolds list:
You can also check out my list of Black History Month and black authors here. There are a lot of real gems - I believe a lot of our best contemporary writing is being done by authors of color.
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