Every Time a Rainbow Dies (Amistad)

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Summary: Every Time A Rainbow Dies
Review: Every Time A Rainbow Dies is about a young boy who isn't really interested in school as much as he's interested in a girl named Ysa. This boy's name is Thulani. One day while he was letting his birds out he heard a girl scream. She was being raped in the alley below him. He panicked and didn't know what to do, so he went down there and scared them away. He took her back to her home and was nearly beat down by her aunt. He thought about her constantly, and tried to find out if she went to his school or a different school. He finally found out where she went and met up with her. He would take the bus with her to her school, but she didn't want to become and "item" with him. They got together finally, and she got accepted to college for the arts.

I like the book because it showed how far someone would go for love. Thulani always knew he would get the girl, so he never gave up. That requires a great deal of determintion and strive. Even though she was hesitant at first, he got her and he knew they were perfect for each other. I also liked the book because it was very realistic. It wasn't just a fantasy.

My favorite part of the book was when Thulani was talking to Ysa and they saw the rapist's mother. That was shoking how Ysa just burst out into emotions and broke down. That was also the time when Ysa and Thulani got together. Since Thulani stuck up for her and was there for her, she knew he could be trusting and responsible. I liked this part because it starts off as a bad situation, but ends up like a fairy tale.

Rating:
Summary: Every Time A Rainbow Dies
Review: Maybe I read this book at the wrong age or at the wrong point in time(with school), but I really did not enjoy the book. Only at times was it written well. Only at times did it give you just enough detail to imagine what is happening. The book is an easy read and sure you can read it, dont let me hold you back, but there are so many better books on the same topic out there. Dont be mistaken that Rita Williams-Garcia is a bad author from this book, but its not one of her best works. Thulani, the main character, just isnt a normal guy. The book can give you wrong impressions about him, but really I think that one of his pigeons poked his head one too many times. And Ysa with her drawbaks.....it gets to be stupid. But dont let this stop you from reading it, just advice that its not that great of a book.

Rating:
Summary: Every Time A Rainbow Dies
Review: Maybe I read this book at the wrong age or at the wrong point in time(with school), but I really did not enjoy the book. Only at times was it written well. Only at times did it give you just enough detail to imagine what is happening. The book is an easy read and sure you can read it, dont let me hold you back, but there are so many better books on the same topic out there. Dont be mistaken that Rita Williams-Garcia is a bad author from this book, but its not one of her best works. Thulani, the main character, just isnt a normal guy. The book can give you wrong impressions about him, but really I think that one of his pigeons poked his head one too many times. And Ysa with her drawbaks.....it gets to be stupid. But dont let this stop you from reading it, just advice that its not that great of a book.

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Summary: every time a rainbow dies
Review: One of the best books I have ever read, my teenage years are related to this book. A very original and creative piece of literary art.

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Summary: An Engaging Story of Adolescent Struggles
Review: Rita Williams-Garcia's novel, Every Time a Rainbow Dies (HarperTempest, 2001) is an engaging story of adolescent struggles in the midst of difficult situations. It is a story about loss and finding purpose, as well as dealing with violence and overcoming fear. Thulani, a Jamaican teenager living in Brooklyn, is the main character. He has an observant eye and a lyrical voice that portrays even the brutal rape that he witnesses in a perceptive and sensitive way.

Thulani, still grieving the loss of his mother, is engrossed in caring for a flock of doves. They seem a substitute for human relationships. He lives with his brother and pregnant sister-in-law. He sees Ysa, a teenage girl, being raped and he courageously rushes to her aid. His life is changed forever as he becomes increasingly obsessed with Ysa and pursues her until she allows him to be part of her life. He is empowered by her sense of confidence and direction in spite of the rape, and it helps him to begin to heal and make goals of his own.


Rating:
Summary: Don't judge this book by its cover
Review: This is a beautifully written book about two teenagers going through some tough times. 16-year-old Thulani lost his mother 3 years ago without even being able to say goodbye. Since then, he has lived in the grudging hospitality of his brother and sister-in-law, who want to "man him up" and have him conform to their ideas of what he should be doing in his life. He spends most of his time tending his pigeons on the roof of the Brooklyn brownstone where he lives. The pigeons are his only interest in life . . . until one day, he hears a scream. Down on the street, a girl is being brutally raped. He yells at the rapists to stop and runs to help the girl (You like him already at this point). He takes her home, but finds that he is obsessed with the girl, whose name is Ysa.

I just loved this book. It wasn't the type of book where you are turning pages quickly, waiting to see how it will end. Rather, Williams Garcia's poetic writing and fully-realized characters give you the feeling of people you know. You just want to move in and stay there a long time.

Rating:
Summary: Don't judge this book by its cover
Review: This is a beautifully written book about two teenagers going through some tough times. 16-year-old Thulani lost his mother 3 years ago without even being able to say goodbye. Since then, he has lived in the grudging hospitality of his brother and sister-in-law, who want to "man him up" and have him conform to their ideas of what he should be doing in his life. He spends most of his time tending his pigeons on the roof of the Brooklyn brownstone where he lives. The pigeons are his only interest in life . . . until one day, he hears a scream. Down on the street, a girl is being brutally raped. He yells at the rapists to stop and runs to help the girl (You like him already at this point). He takes her home, but finds that he is obsessed with the girl, whose name is Ysa.

I just loved this book. It wasn't the type of book where you are turning pages quickly, waiting to see how it will end. Rather, Williams Garcia's poetic writing and fully-realized characters give you the feeling of people you know. You just want to move in and stay there a long time.

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Summary: A moving story
Review: This story of a 16 year old boy who helps a girl that was raped down the alley next to his apartment building was beautiful. Both Thulani and Ysa have serious emotional problems that they must deal with through the course of this novel. Thulani has been hiding himself from the world and avoiding coping with his mother's sudden death. Ysa tries to cope with her violation and sense of powerlessness. The love within Thulani's heart that keeps him persistent in the face of Ysa's constant rejection is powerful. He knows she has been hurt and that he can help her through it--never suspecting that she can help him through his own pain. One problem I had with this novel was understanding the perspective of Thulani's older brother Truman. He has been a father figure to Thulani since he was a little boy. Truman tries to take Thulani's college money to help pay for a new house after selling the apartment building left by their mother, simply because Thulani won't be going to college. It isn't Truman's money to take, and he isn't willing to give it to Thulani until Shakira refuses to move until he does. If Truman and Shakira hadn't moved and forced Thulani to take action with his life I don't think he would have taken the first steps to find his father in Africa and find out who he is. All in all I would say I really liked this story. This novel just doesn't have as much humor as Williams-Garcia's other works, however, the story of love and devotion these two share makes up for it.

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Summary: Fabulous book for mature readers.
Review: When Jamaican-born Thulani hears Mr. Dunleavy talk about his pastoral homeland, Thulani wants nothing more than to escape the old man�s ramblings. Clearly, he is unimpressed by the sentimentality; he loves his manic neighborhood in Brooklyn far too much. It is not until the end of Rita Williams-Garcia�s Every Time a Rainbow Dies that Thulani appreciates his heritage enough to return to the island and make peace with his estranged father. This sensitively crafted, coming-of-age story infuses the eccentric culture of Jamaican-Americans with the universality of becoming an adult.

One morning while on his rooftop, taking care of his pet birds, Thulani sees a girl being raped on the street below. After attempting to help her, he returns to the scene of the attack where he finds the skirt that was torn from her body. Rather than returning it to her, Thulani takes it back to his bedroom and pins it to his wall as a reminder of the mysterious girl who now captivates his thoughts. Little by little, he learns more about her�her name (Ysa), her ambition (fashion school), her background (Haitian). The precarious relationship the two adolescents form provides both of them with a safe environment to grow and to heal.

The language is as colorful and exotic as a tropical carnival itself. Williams-Garcia artfully compares the stolen skirt to �a hundred golden eyes of the peacock� (21). The image comes full-circle when Thulani finally folds the skirt away. �He laid Ysa�s skirt on his bed and folded it in half, fourths, then eights, turning the gold and turquoise on the wrong side. Even so, he could still see her eyes before him, opening and closing, opening and closing, opening and closing�� (166).

The relationship between Thulani and Ysa is treated with depth. Williams-Garcia never gives in to unconvincing dialogue or too-pat answers. Instead, she realistically depicts the elliptical conversations and uncertainty that characterize high school romances. Although the novel is beautifully written, the graphic nature of the rape scene in chapter one and the bedroom scene in chapter seventeen makes the novel appropriate only for mature readers. While the reading age is listed as grades nine through twelve, parents or teachers of children on the younger side of that spectrum would do well to approach this book carefully. But for those readers who can handle the candid nature of Every Time a Rainbow Dies, Williams-Garcia has written a story that is sometimes tender, sometimes edgy, but always touching and true.