Tyrell by Coe Booth is one of the best books I’ve read in
awhile. I’ve actually read a book from the author Coe Booth before, which was Bronxwood
but it was when I was younger (like 6th or 7th grade) so I didn’t really have
the knowledge I have now to allow me to have an opinion of the book but It was
a similar story like Tyrell, also Tyrell´s Genre is a drama and the theme I
chose is ¨Things do get better if you work hard for it¨. In my opinion this
book allows readers to have an experience of real world problems that African
American men like myself have experienced and others I’m sure have experienced
as well.
This book makes you picture what it's like for a younger
individual to have all the weight on his shoulders. In the book Tryell’s dad
was arrested for being a drug dealer. After his dad was arrested his family had
to move to a very bad shelter. So Tyrell tries his hardest to make money for
his family. But with his mom in his ear vouching for him to sell drugs like his
dad he's struggling and doesn't really know what to do. Basically the book is
about Tyrell’s father DJ who ends up incarcerated for drug dealing Tyrell who
is 15, his little brother Troy who is 7 years old and his mother Lisa, ending
up homeless and having to move to a poorer city shelter in the Bronx of New
York. One quote that really intrigued me in the book is (“We still got roaches
on the bed, walls, and floors, but Troy ain’t even crying ‘bout them no more.
He is probably too used to them by now”). That quote initially struck me
because I remember when I myself personally had to go through those times when
me, my mom and brother lacked financial stability, and also I remember being
around insects of all sorts, rats, etc so much to the point where it was like
it didn’t bother me anymore, and I adapted to the situation I was in, and
honestly it’s humbled me to become the man I am now, but continuing with my
summary of the story. His mom’s bipolar attempts at trying to keep the family
together financially and emotionally. After a while, everything just becomes
overwhelming and Tyrell is forced to take the family’s situation into his own
hands. And so after being Inspired by his father, Tyrell decides to throw a
dance party in a bus garage with high charge guaranteed to try and to raise his
family’s income, so they can get out of the current situation they are
in.
Honestly I really enjoyed this book and It’s one of the best
I have ever read. I related to the story so much, the pain, the problem with
family, having to grow up too fast, etc. I feel this book was targeted towards
younger African American boys who had to experience life early as the man of
their family, and I don’t think everyone could get into the book, because not
everyone can relate to the struggles of the character. To me this book is
perfect and I would recommend everyone to read it immediately, the author
really did a great job with the use of street slang and language to build a
believable setting for the characters, which isn’t often used and also creating
a real life feel to the story.
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