Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson

Image: HarperCollins

Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~10 hours. Read by Imani Parks. HarperAudio, May, 2018. q. (Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.)

Teen Tuesday features Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson. This unnerving mystery portrays the lengths to which a best friend will go to get a straight answer. When Claudia returns home from her annual summer visit with her grandmother to start eighth grade, she's anxious to reconnect with Monday, who hasn't been answering her phone. The two besties are like sisters who insulate themselves to protect them from bullies at school and Monday's scary mother. But Monday doesn't answer her phone. Nor does she show up at school and Monday never misses school. When Claudia investigates, she receives conflicting stories. Her parents suggest that perhaps the friendship is over, but Claudia knows something is terribly wrong. The first-person account zig-zags, leaving the reader disoriented as Claudia discovers why Monday's not coming.

Taut writing and a fascinating community of characters keep the reader engaged and reluctant to do anything but rush to the end. The inner city social and economic dynamics are vividly portrayed as are the social skirmishes and pecking order of high school. Imani Parks delivers a performance equal to the writing. 

Monday's Not Coming is a resonant, powerful book that will stick with the reader for a long time. Highly recommended!

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