Random Family

by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc
Random Family cover
Good Books rating 4.0
Investigative Journalism
Technical:
  • ID: 732
  • Added: 2025-09-19
  • Updated: 2025-09-19
  • ISBN: 9780684863870
  • Publisher: Simon and Schuster
  • Published: 2003-01-28
  • Reviews: 3

Random Family delves into the raw and unfiltered lives of young people in the ghetto, capturing the harsh realities they face daily. As girls become mothers and boys turn to crime, the narrative explores the struggle for hope amidst deprivation and the complex dynamics of family and community. This powerful book offers an intimate look at the resilience and struggles of those often overlooked by society, providing a poignant and eye-opening perspective on urban life.

Reviews
Bookwanderer · 2013-02-08
heart-wrenching 4.50

The story is heart-wrenching but ultimately hopeful, showcasing the resilience of the human spirit. The narrative is both powerful and emotionally charged.

The reviewer from Bookwanderer finds 'Random Family' to be a heart-wrenching yet ultimately hopeful story. They highlight the resilience of the human spirit as the characters navigate through poverty, drugs, and abuse. The narrative is described as powerful and emotionally charged, with a focus on the struggles and triumphs of the characters. The reviewer appreciates the book's ability to convey the harsh realities of life in the Bronx while also showing moments of hope and redemption.

Quick quotes

    A heart-wrenching yet ultimately hopeful story.

    The narrative is both powerful and emotionally charged.

    The book showcases the resilience of the human spirit.

The Guardian · JoAnn Wypijewski · 2003-12-13
disturbing 3.50

The outsider's perspective on life in the New York ghetto is both disturbing and eye-opening. The narrative is gripping but also unsettling in its portrayal of harsh realities.

JoAnn Wypijewski delves into Adrian Nicole LeBlanc's 'Random Family' with a critical eye, noting the book's disturbing yet compelling portrayal of life in the New York ghetto. She highlights the author's outsider perspective, which brings a raw and unfiltered view of the struggles and tribulations faced by the characters. The review emphasizes the book's gripping narrative, but also its unsettling nature, as it lays bare the harsh realities of poverty and crime. Wypijewski's takeaway is that the book is a powerful, if disturbing, read that sheds light on a world often overlooked.

Quick quotes

    LeBlanc's chronicle of life in the New York ghetto is both disturbing and eye-opening.

    The narrative is gripping but also unsettling in its portrayal of harsh realities.

    The book sheds light on a world often overlooked.

The New York Times · Margaret Talbot · 2003-02-09
immersive 4.00

The book is an urban epic that captures the essence of growing up in the Bronx. It is a vivid and immersive exploration of love, drugs, and the struggles of youth.

Margaret Talbot reviews 'Random Family' as an urban epic that vividly captures the essence of growing up in the Bronx. She praises the book for its immersive storytelling and its ability to convey the complex realities of life in a tough neighborhood. Talbot highlights the themes of love, drugs, and the struggles of youth, noting how the author weaves these elements into a compelling narrative. Her overall impression is that the book is a significant work that offers a deep and nuanced look into a world often misunderstood.

Quick quotes

    An urban epic focussed on the struggles and triumphs of growing up in the Bronx.

    The book offers a vivid and immersive exploration of love, drugs, and the struggles of youth.

    A significant work that provides a deep and nuanced look into a misunderstood world.

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