The Latte Rebellion by Sarah Jamila StevensonHit the shelves on 1/01/10
Review copy from Flux (thanks!)
Goodreads link here
After hanging with the vampires, angels, and what-have-you I decided I was excited to read a DARING contemporary read. This was not it. The back promised a shake up of the world of people who did not recognize people of color. The title promised a "rebellion". The word terrorist was thrown around in the first few pages-whoo, I thought, "This one will be a thought provoking, discussion starting blaze of a novel!" Nope.
The main problem here, for me, was Asha. I didn't like her. The reason I did not like her is that she is miserable. She has something negative to say about everybody-for someone who is going to start the fight against labeling people perhaps Asha should learn that not every cheerleader is part of the Bimbocracy and not every skater is a stoner. Asha also hates herself, and that is so obvious.
The other problem I had, and could not get over, is that the entire "rebellion" is a marketing ploy devised by greed. The point is to sell t shirts. The Latte Rebellion never really goes anywhere or does anything. Yeah, there is a rally and a poetry slam. For what? To sell t shirts!!
I didn't understand the Carey character at all. The entire time I was reading this I kept thinking...these characters are very book smart but they are clueless socially and ethically. Asha can not even bother to pay attention at a meeting in which a group is trying to build a clinic-here is a real effort to exact change, and she can't be bothered.
What a shame. I had such high hopes, too high. I think I thought I was holding the multi-ethnic Fight Club in my hand. Instead, it was just a cup of decaf.
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