Release: January 12th, 2021
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Source: Amazon
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, Kobo.
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Randi Pink’s The Angel of Greenwood is a historical YA novel that takes place during the Greenwood Massacre of 1921, in Tulsa, OK, known as the “Black Wall Street.”…
Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Wilson is a town troublemaker on the surface but is hiding that he is an avid reader and secret poet, never leaving home without his journal. A passionate follower of W.E.B. Du Bois believes that black people should rise to claim their place as equals.
Sixteen-year-old Angel Hill is a loner, mostly disregarded by her peers as a goody-goody. Her father is dying, and her family’s financial situation is in turmoil. Also, as a loyal follower of Booker T. Washington, she believes, through education and tolerance, that black people should rise slowly and without forced conflict.
Though they’ve attended the same schools, Isaiah never noticed Angel as anything but a dorky, Bible-toting church girl. Then their English teacher offers them a job on her mobile library, a three-wheel, two-seater bike. Angel can’t turn down the money, and Isaiah is soon eager to be in such close quarters with Angel every afternoon.
But life changes on May 31, 1921, when a vicious white mob stormed Greenwood’s community, leaving the town destroyed and thousands of residents displaced. Only then, Isaiah, Angel, and their peers realize who their real enemies are.
About the Author:
Randi Pink grew up in the South and attended a mostly white high school. She lives with her husband and their two rescue dogs in Birmingham, Alabama, where she works for National Public Radio.
She is the author of Girls Like Us, a School Library Journal Best Book of 2019, and Into White, also published by Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan.
Angel of Greenwood Review:
At times, a remarkable book comes into my life that leaves me completely speechless and emotional. Angel of Greenwood left me teary-eyed and is one of the best YA novels I have read this year.
Where do I begin? Everything in the story was impeccable, from the characters to the storyline. Angel and Isaish are memorable characters who drive this story. I loved them as individuals and thought their romance was out of this world. There are so many moments that made the story exceptional, like when Isaish pushes her away because it is not the right time or how the poem he writes describing her. However, the supporting cast equally played an important role. Muggy! I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but I don’t think I have ever cried for the antagonist. That’s all I will say regarding him. I felt the way the author wrote him was beautiful. I also adored Miss Ferris and Truly.
The author paced the storyline beautifully. I also loved how the author shifts perspective between Angel and Isaish, which keeps the story fresh. Moreover, I love stories where I feel I have learned something new that gives me a new perspective. I was shocked to learn that the story inspires by actual events over what happened in Greenwood. Furthermore, I did not even know about W. E. B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington until I read this. I loved the dialogues between Isaiah and Angel as they debate over their works.
Overall, “Angel of Greenwood” is a book I appreciate and admire on so many levels. I highly recommend everyone read this story, get inspired by the beautiful writing, and be aware of the events that transpired.
