This Is Not A Drill is an anthology featuring black authors telling stories of black teens. The collection offers a variety of perspectives and representations, with some stories standing out more than others. The review highlights both the strengths and weaknesses of the individual stories, providing a balanced overview of the anthology.
This Is Not A Drill is an anthology that has been highly anticipated by the reviewer, featuring some of their favorite authors as well as up-and-coming writers. The collection is a purely a set of black authors telling the stories of black teens being teens, which is something that means a lot to the reviewer. The anthology offers a variety of perspectives and representations, with some stories standing out more than others. The review highlights both the strengths and weaknesses of the individual stories, providing a balanced overview of the anthology. The reviewer enjoyed the collection from start to finish, appreciating the different types of representation within the novel. However, some stories felt rushed or lacked depth, while others were heartwarming and poignant. Overall, the anthology is a valuable addition to the genre, offering a diverse range of voices and experiences.
Quick quotes
What are the cultural threads that connect Black people all over the world to Africa? How have we tried to maintain certain traditions as part of our identity? And as teenagers, do we even care? These are the questions I had in mind when inviting sixteen other Black authors to write about teens examining, rebelling against, embracing, or simply existing within their own idea of Blackness.
It truly means a lot to me to also see the several different types of representation within this novel.
This was just too complex and there were too many things left to unpack, so it absolutely didn’t work as a short.