Watch Us Rise

 

 I am an affiliate with Z Publishing House. See the end of this post for details.

Watch Us Rise by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan and was published by Bloomsbury YA in 2019. Watson is the author of several books, including A Place Where Hurricanes Happen and What Momma Left Me. She is also the creator of the one woman show Roses are Red, Women are Blue and she has had poetry and articles published in Rethinking Schools, Theatre of the Mind, and With Hearts Ablaze. Hagan is a poet and a feminist with books including Hemisphere: Poems, Crowned, and Women of Resistance: Poems for a New Feminism.

Watch Us Rise follows Jasmine and Chelsea as they deal with sexism and racism in their progressive NYC high school. They begin a Women’s Rights Club to protest this, posting articles and essays calling out the system and people they encounter. When the club is threatened to be shut down, they have to find a way to make their voices heard.

A special thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for sending me a digital copy.

I’ll start with the negatives, just to get them out of the way.

First, I was expecting perspectives from the core four characters, Jasmine, Chelsea, Nadine, and Isaac. The way the first chapter is structured, I assumed that’s what would happen, but the chapters were restricted to Jasmine and Chelsea. I think this works well, though there are a few times in the beginning when I have to remind myself whose perspective we are in.We also don't hear from Nadine very often, making me wonder why she is here in the first place other than representation.

Second, the presentation of the issues, ranging from body image to racial media stereotypes to the gross lack of justice for molestation and rape victims, is very episodic. Everything is presented per chapter. One chapter on body image from Jasmine, one from Chelsea, each get a turn at stereotypes, etc. Towards the end, it starts to blend a bit more, but not much. I get it’s hard to cover every woman’s issue in 400 pages, but it got to the point where it would mention something and I would think “okay, we’re talking about this now.”

There’s also two romances that occur, only one I really care about. Halfway through the book, things seem to be going good for everyone—a few bumps, but nothing too serious—and the story seems to shift gears and revolve around the two guys. It was fine. Jasmine’s romance is adorable and I’m 100% for it. Chelsea’s on the other hand felt . . . dull. I know why it was done but it also felt unnecessary; adding little to no real conflict. If Watson and Hagan had done one or two more scenes with Meg, perhaps it would have felt more fulfilling, but it didn’t. Perhaps they are saving that for a book two?

Now for the praise!

Oh my lord! This book is so good! I usually avoid things that make me angry but this was a good anger, even if I had to walk away a few times to cool off. 

The characters are great and I love how they interact and deal with problems and each other. Chelsea is quick tempered and hot headed but has a strong voice.She’s ready to fight anyone and anything if it means bringing justice to a group, though sometimes it seems like she picks fights without a clear goal other than to call people out. Jasmine is calmer and wants to make a difference but she is also not afraid to call people out if need be. She’s also going through a family tragedy as the book begins and progresses which doesn’t really play into the feminist themes until the end, but it is still something relatable. Out of the two, I related to Jasmine the most. 

Each chapter ends with a poem, article, playlist, etc. created by the characters and has to do with the events of the chapters. These alone are amazing to read and a great inspiration for anyone interested in writing their own. I also like how there is a comment stream at the end similar to what you would find at the end of blog posts or youtube comments. There are also resources at the end of the book for anyone wanting to follow the examples set in the book. 

I loved seeing the way everything plays out, how older women support these high school students, how family members can hold different beliefs and practices yet still love each other, how there is no definitive answers, just students learning how to take a stand and what to do to get their message across.

As I said before, I don’t like reading things that make me angry and I had to take breaks with this book. But, I was always eager to come back to this read. Watch Us Rise is an inspirational book for high schoolers and young women alike. I can’t wait to get an official copy. For anyone curious about feminism or for anyone who sees an issue but doesn’t know how to bring attention to it, Watson and Hagan have a great example. I highly recommend this book.

Again, special thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for a digital copy. Watch Us Rise was published February 19^th, 2019 for anyone itching for a copy.

I am an affiliate with Z Publishing House. If you are interested in reading emerging writers, please check out their books here:www.zpublishinghouse.com?rfsn=1831564.e6254

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