*

I was NOT prepared for the way in which Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson would destroy me. Although I typically find that YA novels deal with difficult topics in ways that are more forthright and unflinching than adult literature, I was surprised by how this book WENT THERE. This is an important read, but a difficult one. Make sure to check the trigger and content warnings before picking this one up. Claudia’s best friend Monday is missing, and no one seems to care. Her determination to discover what happened to Monday sets off a chain of events no one could have expected — except that doesn’t turn out to be true at all. What happens next is an exploration of the beauty of best friendship and sisterhood, but it’s also about the failure of our society in ways both tiny and profound. In telling this story, Jackson cuts open the country and reveals dark truths - the ones we try hard not to acknowledge. Truths like: We don’t listen to girls. We especially don’t listen to Black girls. Truths like: The system that is designed to protect those who are most vulnerable is broken. Truths like: Social stigmas about foster care and learning disabilities prevent people from getting help. Truths like: Gentrification has consequences. Truths like: Being polite is preferable to getting involved, especially in something that’s “not our business.” The narrative style (told in alternating timelines) was challenging for me, but the story was so compelling that I couldn’t stop listening - and although I thought I knew where this story was heading, I didn’t anticipate how it would play out. TW/CW: graphic depictions of domestic abuse and murder, bullying, PTSD, miscarriage, homophobia via Instagram https://instagr.am/p/CLb8ssdAkw2/