There’s nothing more frustrating to me as a reader than reading a book I so want to fall in love with and finding that it doesn’t move me quite as much as I’d wished. Such was my feeling in reading Blackout, a YA narrative with interlinked stories by authors like Nicola Yoon and Angie Thomas (both of whom I love).
The concept ticks many of the boxes I seek in my YA reading, particularly in summer: Each short love story takes place over the course of an evening blackout in the NYC summer heat. New York plays a key role: memories of its other blackouts dot the pages, which offer diverse stories and characters, putting queer stories center stage in many cases. And in every case, the mission that the writers set out for themselves is tantamount: give Black teens their big, beautiful, emotional, romantic love stories.
So why didn’t I love it?
I’m not too sure. Were the stories too similar to one another? Maybe – my favorite was the most distinct of the bunch, one that took place in a retirement home. Were there too many happy endings? Maybe – I’m a sucker for a tragic or ambiguous ending, though I know that wasn’t the point. Did the queer representation feel too shoehorned? Sometimes… though I’d also argue (with myself) that more is more when it comes to long-sidelined communities.
Despite my own feelings about this book, I would still recommend it: for the powerhouses behind it, for the stories that did stand out, and for the crucial representation it offers.