Review: Brooklyn, Burning

Brooklyn, Burning by Steve Brezenoff
Review by Kristy Z.

Kristy's Rating: 4 of 5 Stars


GoodReads Synopsis: When you're sixteen and no one understands who you are, sometimes the only choice left is to run. If you're lucky, you'll find a place that accepts you, no questions asked. And if you're really lucky, that place has a drum set, a place to practice, and a place to sleep. For Kid, the streets of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, are that place. Over the course of two scorching summers, Kid falls hopelessly in love and then loses nearly everything and everyone worth caring about. But as summer draws to a close, Kid finally finds someone who can last beyond the sunset.


Kristy's Review:  Brooklyn, Burning was intriguing from the start with its stream-of-conscious writing style and gender ambiguity of Kid, the main protagonist. We are immediately brought into Kids world on the streets of Brooklyn. Kid has been on the streets off and on over the course of two summers. Kid is kicked out of the family home over a father's lack of acceptance of his child's gender preference and expression. Walking the streets, playing drums, drinking a lot and searching for love, Kid is seeking acceptance, from parents, friends, the police, a potential lover and even the city of Brooklyn. 

This book touched me in many ways. I felt an overwhelming desire to take Kid in, show him/her that they are loved for being the special, talented person they are. To know that gender does not define you, you can just BE! I wanted to praise his/her mother for being that parent who loves unconditionally. Kid had support from unlikely sources who make the story colorful and hopeful and not as sad as a LGBTQ runaway, homeless Kid could have been without it.

I gave Brooklyn, Burning 4 Stars for its refreshing style and approach. For just being pure original and for keeping me guessing whether Kid was a boy or girl...I thought boy from beginning to end, but Scout I'm not so sure!! The best stories are the ones that leave some of the details and ending up to me to ponder for quite some time...this is that story!