I was not a fan of this book and I think it had a lot to do with the authors craft and style. Edwards is a fan of metaphor. I love a good metaphor, but they can be abstract and burdensome to the reader when used extensively. I very much felt like the metaphors in this book were exhausted and even the strong ones were weighted down and looked over due to the amount before and what followed.

The story was a wonderful story full of character development and a dimensional plot. Unfortunately, I would not recommend to others, specifically my students, because of the depth of the writing and extensive metaphors.

Ramadan Ramsey is the story of a boys search for the father who didn’t know of his existence. It is also the story of a grandmother’s unconditional love giving the boy the courage to make that search. The story is filled with humor, heart, cultural difference, and an abundance of optimism and hope.

I received a copy thru NetGalley in exchange for a candid review.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy. This was an interesting story, but not one I would use in the school or classroom. Flags: sex, drugs, violence, profanity. The book even talks about how sinful the characters behave. While at many times philosophical, there was action towards the end. The character development is good; however, I felt like focusing on the many other characters and viewpoints took away from the main character’s story. It’s not a religious book, but different religions do play a big part here. Thank you for a happy-ish ending!

One of the reasons I've requested this arc was because the main character Ramadan travels from New Orleans to Syria to find his father and he makes a stop in Istanbul. As a Turkish American I was probably homesick when I requested the arc and when I've read the chapters set in Istanbul and it put a huge smile on my face. Ramadan spent a whole day in the Historic Peninsula ( Istiklal Caddesi, Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the Bosphorus)

I like the book as a whole, a lot, but I struggled in the beginning. I am not sure if it's the style of the storytelling or the sophisticated language but It took me some time to get invested in the story.

Back to the book...
A 12 yo boy from New Orleans travels to the Middle East to find his father who doesn't even know Ramadan exits. It is impossible not to root for Ramadan. He is smart and funny and resilient. There are two themes of the book: one is family and the other is the kindness of strangers. I found the relationship between Mama Joon and Ramadan endearing. Mama Joon sure was an interesting character. Her love and devotion for Ramadan knows no bounds. The side characters Tarot reader Miss Bea and taxi driver Mr. Emir and his family were so kind to Ramadan and helped him in his journey without any expectations.

Both the scenes in New Orleans and Istanbul were very vivid. Even though it's been over 15 years since Hurricane Katrina, a small portion of the book could be triggering for people who experienced it.
I wished Ramadan could spend more time in Syria and get to know his family. Even though I liked the first half of the book which covered 13 years, the second half covered a less than a week.

This book was sad at times with the young puppy love and loss, gripping because of Ramadan's struggles after Mama Joon's passing and his journey to Syria but overall Ramadan story was joyful and exactly what I needed.

Intolerable overwriting. Way too many adjectives, ridiculously formal vocabulary, unnecessary alliteration for its own sake, and over explanations. This was a waste of my time.

So much to say about Louis Edwards’ beautiful novel…man, can he write. I have family in New Orleans and Mr Edwards’ dialogue was so precise and accurate to the color and cadence of the way the beautiful folks of NOLA speak. It was like I could hear the words jump off the page - it was so real.

This book is a lovely ride about family and connections and making the most of your life - the kindness of strangers and how determination and grit can move mountains. Suspend belief and just enjoy this joyful book.

Thanks to Amistad Books for a copy of this book. I’m grateful.

It's only when you sit there with the book hugged to your chest that you really know how you feel about it. Ramadan Ramsey has done that to me now, sitting in the afterglow of the read.

This book reaches out and over cultural, racial, national and religious boundaries, and swipes away societal limitations to reveal all the potentialities that remain in the person of Ramadan Ramsey. This little person, who by the usual methods of judgment, is nothing but a stray. He is an intersection of faiths and race. Abandoned, born on the wrong side of every [insert preferred cliché here], seemingly championed only by the downtrodden and fragile, his future seems lost or at best without hope. Yet armed with his overwhelming desire to find his father, he is ready to face all of it. The journey is amazing, and the story profound. Rather mythic, really.

When I least expected it, Ramadan Ramsey turned it into a moment of the Spirit. I hope we meet again.

A Sincere thanks to Louis Edwards, Amistad and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.
#RamadanRamsey #NetGalley

Ramadan Ramsey is the search of a boy for the father who didn't even know of his existence. Louis Edwards has managed to bring to life his characters, his locations, utilizing some gorgeous prose and some frustrating situations. The eponymous hero, truly an original creation, deserves a sequel.

This is the feel-good book that I needed as the world seems to be (both literally and figuratively) burning. Despite the fact that the story includes natural disasters, loves lost, illness, violence, war, and death, Ramadan Ramsey is still a hopeful and positive book. It's quirky without being cutesy, and the writing is clever and rich. I love how the narration would suddenly zero in on an aspect and then the chapter would be this full exploration of how a character came to be the way they were. It made them feel real, and even those who seemed like they might be "bad" end up being sympathetic once their stories are revealed. If you need a pick-me-up with some substance, this is your book.

I picked up this Arc because the title name, in conjunction with the summary, was intriguing. I love to read around the world and reading about a biracial boy who is discovering his ancestral roots is right up my alley. Unfortunately, the writing was too verbose. The heavy handed use of foreshadowing, metaphors, along with the overexplanation of religions and cultures kept me from truly connecting with the story, characters, or the plot.

Absolutely beautifully written. This book was a joy to read. Ramadan was a good choice for a main character but he’s not the only narrator here. I felt the book blurb focused a bit more on Katrina than was touched on in the book. Maybe more of a marketing strategy.

This is a Bildungsroman at its core, and a fine one at that. The reader is carried along on Ramadan’s journey and utterly captivated by all of the craziness surrounding this little person.

I really can’t recommend this enough.

Raised by his grandma, Mama Joon, Ramadan inherits her worldly goods on her death. At age 12, living in New Orleans which he loves, he ends up fleeing his jealous aunt and her gangster sons. Heading to the middle east via Istanbul, he ends up in Aleppo, Syria searching for the father he never met. He makes tons of friends bonding with them over basketball and hip-hop. He is a resilient kid able to survive some challenging times. The book slowly picks up momentum once the background is established. Edwards is able to use his writing skills to paint a picture of hope in the future, despite sadness

I received a temporary digital advanced copy of Ramadan Ramsey by Louis Edwards from NetGalley, Amistad, and the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Ramadan Ramsey is born to Alicia Ramsey, a native of New Orleans, and Mustafah Tota, a Syrian refugee. Due to his sudden departure, Mustafah does not learn of Alicia's pregnacy. Named after the holy month of fasting in which he was conceived, Ramadan ends up being raised by his grandmother Mama Joon due to the loss of his mother. Faced with a life or death situation, Ramadan leaves New Orleans to find his father in Syria. An epic journey of hope, friendship, love, and bravery will take teenage Ramadan across the world to his paternal family.

I will forever wish Goodreads allowed half stars because I would rate Ramadan Ramsey 4.5 stars. I enjoyed Ramadan Ramsey, especially Ramadan's story. I found it extremely difficult to put down the book during his time with Mama Joon and journey to Syria. Louis Edwards' writing is beautiful, highly sophisticated, and his sentence structure is often quite long. It took a few pages to get used to his style of writing; however, once I did, it was worth the momentary struggle.

This was an epic tale about family, love, death, and finding one’s self. After a New Orleans hurricane devastates his mother’s family, twelve year old Ramadan sets his sights on Syria. He is determined to find his birth father. What he finds is the adventure of a lifetime, as well as some challenging life lessons. This book was beautifully written and one that will stay with me for a long time.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amistad Press for providing me with the opportunity to read and read this book.

Read if you: Want a funny, moving, whirlwind, and poignant story of love, death, travel, and new beginnings.

I'm automatically intereted in any New Orleans-set story, so I was eager to read this. It definitely did not disappoint! Ramadan is a terrific creation: impulsive, eager, and strong. This is a whirwind of a story at times, as it takes you from New Orleans, to Turkey, then Syria.

Librarians/booksellers: Definitely purchase for readers that enjoy epic-like stories set in different locations.

Many thanks to Amistad Press and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW - 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 🌟

Currently, I am really enjoying books from cultures other than my own. Think - Girl With the Louding Voice, A Burning, the Bad Muslim Discount, the Henna Artist, and now Ramadan Ramsey.

Synopsis: Ramadan Ramsey begins in 1999 with the moving (and funny) teenage love story of Alicia Ramsey, a native New Orleans African American young woman, and Mustafa Totah, a Syrian immigrant who works in her neighborhood at his uncle’s convenience store. Through a series of familial betrayals, Mustafa returns to Syria unaware that Alicia is carrying his child.

When the baby is born, Alicia names their son Ramadan and raises him with the help of her mother, Mama Joon. But tragedy strikes when the epochal hurricane of 2005 barrels into New Orleans, shattering both the Ramsey and Totah families. Years later, when Ramadan turns twelve, he sets off to find Mustafa. It is an odyssey filled with breathtaking and brilliant adventures that takes Ramadan from the familiar world of NOLA to Istanbul, and finally Aleppo, Syria, where he hopes to unite with the father he has never known.

This story feels to me like a modern “tall tale” or “folk tale” as twelve year old Ramadan travels the world to find his unknown father. You cheer for him as he experiences adventure after adventure, challenge after challenge.

This book is recommended for readers who enjoy classic literature as the writing is very sophisticated. I usually read very quickly, but I slowed down to read and reread sentences in the beginning. If you are a skim and scan reader, this will require more focus, but the writing really adds to the overall feel of the hero's journey. I hope you love it!

Thank you to NetGalley, Louis Edwards and Amistad Publishing for an e-ARC in exchange fo an honest review.

This was my first book to read by this author and I was so impressed! I can't wait to read more from this author! The characters really stick with you long after you finish the book.

I enjoyed this, but don't expect it to garner a wide audience. The author has obvious talent. It's great to see a modern tale told well. Those that like family drama and (some) foreign settings and literature will probably like this one.

I really appreciate the ARC for review!!