2 out of 4 stars
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Black Footsteps by D’J Stearns is a short story that can easily be read in a single sitting. Though it is the fictional account of a young black man trying to make sense of his purpose in this world, it reads like a memoir. I actually thought I was reading a memoir at first, and I had to double-check that I hadn’t picked up a non-fiction book by mistake. While Stearns might have been influenced by his own life experiences, John Corey has his own story to tell.
Born to a single, teenage mother who was kicked out of her home and later absent from his life due to drug rehabilitation, John has grown up without any role models, especially black male role models to whom he could relate. As he gets older, he begins to notice the differences between the lives of the black people around him and the wealthier white people in other neighborhoods. He sees their money and higher standards of living as being successful, and striving toward his own success becomes his obsession in life. But without a good support system and resources, John has a rather difficult road ahead of him.
This quick-paced story gives a very realistic look into the everyday challenges that some young black men face in modern society. Growing up in an underprivileged neighborhood and being exposed to drug deals, it is easy for these boys to think that this is the only way of life. Even those who want to get out of such a lifestyle feel that they can only succeed if they become professional athletes or rappers. When they don’t have the skills to make these dreams come true, they are likely to give up and turn to the only way of life available to them.
This story sends out the message that there are other ways to succeed in life, and that poor black men (and women) still have a chance to make something of themselves if they are willing to put in the effort. Finding a positive role model is important, but never giving up is even more important.
In general, the story and its messages are amazing and make for a worthwhile read. There is no doubt that the author has great potential as a writer, and I can certainly imagine more excellent tales encouraging social revolution being churned out of him in the future. However, this story seems a bit unpolished in its current state. It’s easy to overlook the few typographical and word choice errors (e.g., missing apostrophes, missing commas, "prescription" instead of "subscription", etc.), but the story itself could use some revision. It’s so short yet has so much information over so many years crammed into the brief pages. The final product comes across as rushed and incomplete. The ending, especially, is so abrupt; the story even jumps forward 10 years in time within a single paragraph.
There are so many opportunities to flesh out this story and bring the realistic cast of characters to life. I’d like to know more about John, his personality, and the obstacles he faces as more than just a list of events that happened to him. I would like to experience them alongside him, and I really believe that, with a little bit of rewriting, the author has the literary skills to make this happen. I would recommend this book to those with interests in the social injustices of Western society, but as it stands right now, I give this book a rating of 2 out of 4 stars.
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Black footsteps
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