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Review
‘While the beauty of this novel is in the lyricism of the writing, the innovative format that Kalisha uses to tell the story is just as captivating.’ (New Nation, Andrea Enisuoh. 20050501)
'Kalisha Buckhanon's devastating novel unfolds in the dramatic content of letters exchanged between a girlfriend and her lover...extraordinary, vivid and honest' (Publishing News 20060422)
'Wow! Just wow! Very occasionally you come across a book that is not just something to while away a couple of hours, but something you know is beyond entertainment. It's important, gut-wrenching and possibly the best insight into the mentality of an American teenage culture ... a book that's impossible to forget' (Daily Record 20060401)
‘A moving debut ... Kalisha Buckhanon, by structuring her story in the epistolatory form, gives it an intimacy and urgency that the best tales always have.’ (Independent on Sunday, Lesley McDowell 20060425)
'A touching tale ... Kalisha Buckhanon triumphs' (Big Issue 20060425)
‘Last year’s must-read in the USA … an interesting glimpse into young Black America and the realities of life within the US penal system’ (Sunday Times Travel Magazine 20060425)
‘Raw, tender and emotional, every word of this accomplished debut rings painfully and beautifully true’. (Sainsbury’s Magazine 20060425)
‘A raw account of divided love’. (B Magazine )
‘The street-smart language often crackles’ (Marie Claire )
'Kalisha Buckhanon's devastating novel unfolds in the dramatic content of letters exchanged between a girlfriend and her lover...extraordinary, vivid and honest' (Publishing News 20060422)
'Wow! Just wow! Very occasionally you come across a book that is not just something to while away a couple of hours, but something you know is beyond entertainment. It's important, gut-wrenching and possibly the best insight into the mentality of an American teenage culture ... a book that's impossible to forget' (Daily Record 20060401)
‘A moving debut ... Kalisha Buckhanon, by structuring her story in the epistolatory form, gives it an intimacy and urgency that the best tales always have.’ (Independent on Sunday, Lesley McDowell 20060425)
'A touching tale ... Kalisha Buckhanon triumphs' (Big Issue 20060425)
‘Last year’s must-read in the USA … an interesting glimpse into young Black America and the realities of life within the US penal system’ (Sunday Times Travel Magazine 20060425)
‘Raw, tender and emotional, every word of this accomplished debut rings painfully and beautifully true’. (Sainsbury’s Magazine 20060425)
‘A raw account of divided love’. (B Magazine )
‘The street-smart language often crackles’ (Marie Claire )
'A powerful tale'
(Herald )'Tackling a strong subject matter, it addresses the social issues of a tumultuous decade while keeping true to the love story genre'
(Buzz )'Sad, sweet, cool and edgy'
(More! )'A heartbreaker of a love story'
(Big Issue )'Heartbreaking and true ... I'd read it again just for the power of the language'
(Dorothy Allison, author of 'Bastard out of Carolin )'Wild and beautiful ... told using the epistolary form with brilliant skill not seen since 'The Color Purple'
(Sapphire, author of 'Push' ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.Dorothy Allison, author of 'Bastard Out of Carolina'
'Heartbreaking and true ... I'd read it again just for the power of the language'
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Hardcover
'Upstate' is told entirely in letters of correspondence between Antonio, currently in jail for murdering his father and Natasha, his sixteen year old girlfriend.
This is gritty and real and at times absolutely heartbreaking. The letters are full of love, anger, frustration and hope. At times the ghetto style language is a little difficult, but to be honest, the more you read, the better it flows and only adds to the authenticity of the writing.
The letters that the two young lovers send to each other are so personal that the reader can almost feel as though they are intruding on something very special. Both Antonio and Natasha go through a range of emotions during the time that they are apart.
The story spans ten years and the two main characters grow and learn and mature so much during that time - and all of this is portrayed through these letters.
Fans of 'Precious : A Novel' by Sapphire will love this book, but if you didn't like Precious then I doubt this is for you.
It's a raw, intimate, hopeful love story - a fabulous debut from Kalisha Buckhanon
This is gritty and real and at times absolutely heartbreaking. The letters are full of love, anger, frustration and hope. At times the ghetto style language is a little difficult, but to be honest, the more you read, the better it flows and only adds to the authenticity of the writing.
The letters that the two young lovers send to each other are so personal that the reader can almost feel as though they are intruding on something very special. Both Antonio and Natasha go through a range of emotions during the time that they are apart.
The story spans ten years and the two main characters grow and learn and mature so much during that time - and all of this is portrayed through these letters.
Fans of 'Precious : A Novel' by Sapphire will love this book, but if you didn't like Precious then I doubt this is for you.
It's a raw, intimate, hopeful love story - a fabulous debut from Kalisha Buckhanon
Format:Paperback
UPSTATE is a powerful, moving story told in the form of letters written by Antonio and Natasha, two Harlem teens who are seventeen and sixteen years old, respectively, when the story starts. The first letter is from Antonio to his girlfriend Natasha, written from jail, asking if she believes what everyone else does: that Antonio murdered his father.
No matter what Natasha believes or what the truth is about what happened on that night, Antonio is convicted of the crime and goes to a prison in upstate New York (hence the title), sentenced to ten years. Ten years of just struggling to survive, clinging to his letters from Natasha, his lifeline even if they can't, realistically, be together forever, no matter what they believe as optimistic teenagers when Antonio first goes to jail. Natasha, on the other had, isn't having an easy time of growing up and becoming a real adult. She's facing tough choices, probably almost as desperate for the next letter as Antonio.
This is an emotional story, a love story, but a real one, not a happily-ever-after, "no problems whatsoever" story like a Disney movie. The characters in UPSTATE are just as real as the story, and Antonio's and Natasha's authentic voices are a great addition to this novel.
Usually, I am not a big fan of novels written in letter form (or e-mail or instant message form, as is sometimes now the case), but Kalisha Buckhanon's novel is certainly an exception to that. It is very well-written, with believable characters that make this story what it is: fantastic.
Reviewed by: Jocelyn Pearce
No matter what Natasha believes or what the truth is about what happened on that night, Antonio is convicted of the crime and goes to a prison in upstate New York (hence the title), sentenced to ten years. Ten years of just struggling to survive, clinging to his letters from Natasha, his lifeline even if they can't, realistically, be together forever, no matter what they believe as optimistic teenagers when Antonio first goes to jail. Natasha, on the other had, isn't having an easy time of growing up and becoming a real adult. She's facing tough choices, probably almost as desperate for the next letter as Antonio.
This is an emotional story, a love story, but a real one, not a happily-ever-after, "no problems whatsoever" story like a Disney movie. The characters in UPSTATE are just as real as the story, and Antonio's and Natasha's authentic voices are a great addition to this novel.
Usually, I am not a big fan of novels written in letter form (or e-mail or instant message form, as is sometimes now the case), but Kalisha Buckhanon's novel is certainly an exception to that. It is very well-written, with believable characters that make this story what it is: fantastic.
Reviewed by: Jocelyn Pearce
Format:Hardcover
Have you ever read a book that was so good it left you speechless? Well, if not I urge you to pick up this outstanding debut novel from Kalisha Buckhanon. 'UPSTATE' is told in a series of correspondence between sixteen year-old Natasha and seventeen year-old Antonio, young lovers who are torn apart when Antonio goes to jail for the murder of his father. Their letters span a decade in which time, while they seem to grow worlds apart no love is ever lost between these two soul mates.
I loved the way that the language in the letters between Natasha and Antonio progressed over the years which told a story in and of itself. I also very much admired the fact that Kalisha Buckhanon didn't leave Natasha stagnant while Antonio was locked up, that she allowed her to grow, evolve and literally become the best person that she could. I also admired the fact that Antonio attempted to do the same from prison. Whether his motivating force was Natasha or just for his own personal betterment he knew the kind of man he wanted to be when he got out of prison and took the necessary steps to become that man.
When I closed this book on Antonio's final letter to Natasha I cried, not a soft whimper, but actually cried because my heart ached for these two people and for that I must give credit to Ms. Buckhanon for creating such realistic characters that one can completely relate to. However, as much as my heart broke for Natasha and Antonio I was also uplifted to see what intelligent and mature adults they turned out to be. While life may not always turn out the way we expect, that doesn't mean we don't get our happy ending. I cannot reccomend this book enough and if I could give it more than five stars I truly would.
I loved the way that the language in the letters between Natasha and Antonio progressed over the years which told a story in and of itself. I also very much admired the fact that Kalisha Buckhanon didn't leave Natasha stagnant while Antonio was locked up, that she allowed her to grow, evolve and literally become the best person that she could. I also admired the fact that Antonio attempted to do the same from prison. Whether his motivating force was Natasha or just for his own personal betterment he knew the kind of man he wanted to be when he got out of prison and took the necessary steps to become that man.
When I closed this book on Antonio's final letter to Natasha I cried, not a soft whimper, but actually cried because my heart ached for these two people and for that I must give credit to Ms. Buckhanon for creating such realistic characters that one can completely relate to. However, as much as my heart broke for Natasha and Antonio I was also uplifted to see what intelligent and mature adults they turned out to be. While life may not always turn out the way we expect, that doesn't mean we don't get our happy ending. I cannot reccomend this book enough and if I could give it more than five stars I truly would.
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