4.5 stars rounded up

(S)Kin is a contemporary YA fantasy novel in verse based on Caribbean folklore and its excellent. Drawing on the myth of the soucouyant - women who shed their skins and consume souls - it weaves together the stories of two young women living in Brooklyn.

One is an undocumented immigrant living with her kind of controlling mother. The other a mixed-race dancer living with her white father, his wife, and their new babies. It's a story about heritage, cultural appropriation, messy family relationships, and coming of age. Because it's written in verse it's very quick and easy to read with a lovely rhythm to the story. It deals with colorism and pushes back on ideas that darker skin is ugly or any less beautiful. And of course, because it is a story that centers women, it's tackling misogyny and misognoir, and the subtle ways that impacts peoples lives. It's a book with layers and I definitely recommend it. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

I can ideally say that this book was driven by long lost relatives and finding one's real self.
They were sisters but, the other lived with their dad while still having a two parent household and given the materialistic world, while still being on her high horse of she is pretty, perfect boyfriend, perfect school life and friends type thing. While the other was basically an immigrant and gotten called ugly every change someone had gotten to throw her way. Even though she was different she tried to make it through hr days as long as she had her mother by her side but, even those days she felt that her mother was the reasoning of why she was feeling that way.
I really enjoyed when she found out who her mother was and how the story of how she became to be came out. She was thinking that because her dad was white, her mother had to be magical that's why she was so pretty but, she needed to be taught a lesson, she was ok snooty in the beginning. The other sister was more down to earth and understanding of the changes in her body and she was trying so hard to humble her older sister but, she was not having it. When they switched bodies, it was then she started to be like okay yea, I see where I messed up.
This was beautiful and hope that in their book timeline that got to get to a better standing of understanding each other's bodies and they can be a real family rather than how they acted to one another previously.

I have read nearly all of Ibi Zoboi's work, so I was excited to read this ARC of #SKin. This book is a fantasy story in verse. Zoboi noted that this style helps with the lyrical nature of the tale. SKin is based in Caribbean folklore and follows Marisol, a teen soucouyant living in NYC. She and her mother shed their skin once a month to feed. The other chapters follow Genevieve, a bi-racial student who is navigating high school with activities, a boyfriend, and a painful skin condition. Without spoilers, the two characters cross paths, leading to a climactic ending. The pace is good, and if someone is not familiar with soucouyant and similar stories, there is enough to learn. The story also touches on colorism, racism, and other very important topics. I will definitely be purchasing this book for our library. Thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for this ARC.

Like nothing I've ever read! Caribbean folklore comes to life through a variety of characters. Magic, realism, and family dynamics come to life. Brilliant and remarkable! One of Ibi's best works!

This was definitely a fun take on the Caribbean folklore of the Soucouyant that sheds their skin and becomes a fireball in the night sky that feeds on the soul of their enemies. I especially liked it was written in verse because it flowed very well from part 1 to Part 3. Now the main character Marisol was my favorite and because she just wanted to be free and live the dream and I am proud and support all of the choices she made in this book.

This book started off good, but, by the end, I was just - let down and confused.

I've read a lot of good YA in-verse books, and I'd consider Zoboi's verse writing to be near up there in goodness. I haven't yet read her prose books (Though I literally do have American Street in my library pile as I'm writing this. I hope to start it soon), so I don't compare this to her other work. But there are plenty of lines throughout this book where they hit hard, and they get quite lyrical, too. It perfectly balances beautiful writing with the teen protagonists having teen voices. The fact Zoboi struck this so well deserves so much applause. Another element I loved was the tenseness and liveliness the verse got when the girls were transforming. The descriptions, the metaphors becoming literal, the imagery - I just loved it so much.

The main characters are interesting while having a distinguished voice from each other. It helps that Gen's lines were on the left while Marisol's were on the right. It visually showed how opposing they were, especially when POVs got switched back-and-forth during their conversations. Plus, both girls make great foils to each other, of how they want to have the skin the other has. Marisol thinks lighter skin would make her beautiful, and Gen wants to be darker in order to feel more Black / connected to her maternal side's culture. If this concept had lived out to its full potential, I would have liked this so much more. But the ending was such a let down.

Okay, so Gen finally has her big first soucouyant shed, which in turn makes Marisol shed as the same time. They have to prep each other because mom disappeared somewhere (Never explained), but she did manage to show up and send their fiery, consuming selves onto Genevieve's dad and step-mom. When they return, Marisol steals Genevieve's skin, and Genevieve has no choice but to take Marisol's. It's all very messed up, but Marisol promises they can change back the next new moon in a month. Okay, cool, let's see how the girls handle getting what they want, right?

NOPE! It just ends there.

And Mom pulls a disappearing act on them, on top of it.

SHE JUST DIES! There was no buildup to this, or, at least, not any I picked up on. The girls just accept this while in their wrong bodies, still. This baffled me.

So, Marisol is still undocumented. Genevieve's parents are going to come home to find their hired nanny (or former lover, in Genevieve's dad's case) gone, and they will have no reason to keep housing Marisol other than out of the kindness of their hearts. And they won't have any.

There's so many complications here, because step-mom (supposedly) doesn't know about Marisol, Genevieve, or mom being soucouyants, and dad won't know, or likely won't believe, that his daughter swapped bodies with her half-sister. There's a high chance Genevieve in Marisol's body is going to be sent back to the Caribbean, because, from what was said/explored about the dad, I doubt he would be willing to take in his ex's other kid. The girls would still be able to switch back come the next new moon, but they'd still be physically separated by hundreds of miles! All because mom would rather die on them than live with the consequences of her shitty parenting.

Sorry for the long rant. I just really hate this ending and wished the book went on a little longer. The girls needed to explore each other's lives in order to learn to love their own! You can't just ended it at the body-swap and the mom dying without any proper closure for either girl! This just frustrated me so much, and I needed to let it all out.]

All in all, despite the gorgeous writing and the (building) of our main characters, the ending ruins so much of that, leaving me in a limbo state of doubt whether or not if I should properly recommend it. I'll hesitantly say yes, for now. But with caution, just in case.

Lyrical and powerful, this novel-in-verse follows Marisol and Genevive as they discover what it means to be connected to culture, family, and magic. I really enjoyed the way Zoboi played with word placement throughout to display the voice of each of the main characters. The whole thing is a bit of a wild ride and the ending felt a bit inconclusive. It was a very compelling read and I would absolutely recommend for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for this ARC.

(S)Kin by Ibi Zoboi was a book I requested on a whim based on the cover alone and did little to find out the premise for. I love going into a book blind as it sets expectations low and allows me more opportunity to be wowed.

When I first opened this book, I was curious to see that Zoboi decided to write this entirely in verse. I do not often read literature in verse so this for me piqued my interest greatly. Honestly, Zoboi's decision to write in voice gave their prose a more lyrical quality and a weight to the words that were spoken.

I greatly enjoyed seeing how Zoboi employed the use of free verse to play with both sides of the page to inform the reader which character was speaking. When the climax hit, the two sides began to merge and I seriously lamented the fact that I was reading (S)Kin on an ereader as I feel print would be the better way to see the words play on the page.

The story itself is a play on the title as well as the inherent magical quality of our main characters. As I read, I took the time to reflect on how the characters themselves were feeling in their own skins and how they longed to be in a different skin. It led to me reading the rest of the book in a more somber tone that in itself added more weight to the theme of (S)Kin.

This was such a surprising read for me, albeit a bit out of my comfort zone. Zoboi's implementation of verse made this story so much stronger and the lyrical feel of it made the words leap out. I could not put this book down!

This was a great story told from two point of views, Genevieve and Marisol. I love the suspense in this book that kept me intrigue to read more. Also, I like that it was written in poetry form. I will definitely be purchasing this book for my school library.

This one was outside my normal reading range, and I found it super interesting. I look forward to seeing the physical copy because I think it would track better with the page spacing as viewpoints move from character to character. I found that hard on the e-version. Caribbean mystical, magic, fantasy with very strong female characters - very compelling. I would recommend this for strong readers, definitely at least high school level. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's for the eARC!

Marisol and Genevieve's journey is central to the story, as they navigate the challenges of understanding and embracing their unique identity. Throughout the chapters, the girls encounter various individuals who influence their perception of self and community. Zoboi uses these interactions to highlight the intersections of race, culture, and personal history. Zoboi also explores the "mother wound" with Marisol feeling as if her mother is the cause of her problems and Genevieve's longing for her mother. I believe that I may have enjoyed the book more if it wasn't written in prose, but it was a beautiful story nonetheless.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

This was a magical story. Themes includes jealousy, lack of self, secrets and lies. Includes folklore that many may not be aware of but you will be drawn in by the imagery and the characters. My only complaint is that it is not long enough. I needed more.

(S)Kin was a refreshingly different novel. Told in verse from alternating narrators, (S)Kin is seeped in Caribbean folklore. Marisol is the daughter of a soucouyant and like her mother and the soucouyants before her she sheds her skin at the new moon. Her spirit flies searching lives to drink from to keep her alive. Meanwhile, Genevieve is adjusting to life with his dad’s new wife and difficult twin half sister babies. She struggles with skin issues until Marisol’s mother arrives at her home as a nanny. This is where the stories start to intertwine.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“(S)Kin” by Ibi Zoboi is a YA novel in verse that brings together Caribbean folklore, themes of identity, and the complexities of immigration. This haunting and thought-provoking story follows two teenage girls, Marisol and Genevieve, as they navigate the challenges of their magical heritage and their search for belonging in a world that doesn't quite understand them.

The book introduces Marisol, a fifteen-year-old who has recently arrived in Brooklyn with her mother, both of them fleeing their past on the islands. Marisol comes from a line of soucouyants—shape-shifting witches who shed their skin and transform into fireballs to feed on the life force of others. In Brooklyn's bustling urban landscape, Marisol feels out of place, torn between the traditions of her mother and her desire to escape the legacy of her supernatural abilities.

Seventeen-year-old Genevieve, on the other hand, is the daughter of an anthropology professor and is struggling to fit into her father's predominantly white family. With a skin condition that she cannot explain and a deep sense of disconnection from her cultural roots, Genevieve's journey takes an unexpected turn when a new nanny's arrival reveals a hidden connection to Marisol.

The magic in this book is not just a plot device; it’s a metaphor for the girls' inner turmoil, their search for identity, and their struggles with feeling like outsiders in both their homes and society. The use of Caribbean folklore—particularly the figure of the soucouyant—is beautifully rendered, adding layers of mystery and myth to the narrative. The blending of folklore with the characters' immigrant experiences in Brooklyn creates a unique perspective on themes of displacement and belonging.

Zoboi's choice to present the story in verse adds a poetic quality that amplifies the emotional depth of the characters' experiences. The prose is lyrical, haunting, and perfectly suited to the otherworldly tone of the story. The free verse allows the story to float between reality and myth, capturing the essence of things that are difficult to define or explain. I absolutely loved the writing in this book as it’s so beautiful and adds so much to the tone and to the characters within the story.

One of the book’s other strengths is its exploration of generational dynamics and the complex relationships between mothers and daughters. The tension between holding onto cultural traditions and the desire to break free from them is a central theme that resonates throughout the story. Both Marisol and Genevieve's experiences are marked by their relationships with their mothers—women who have shaped their lives in powerful ways, even in their absence.

The conclusion is open-ended, leaving room for interpretation, which could be either frustrating or thought-provoking, depending on your perspective. I personally wanted more of a closed ending as it’s a bit ambiguous, and I wanted more of a definitive conclusion to the story, though maybe it’s setting up for more exploration in this world and with the characters in the future.

Overall, “S(Kin)” is a beautifully crafted story about identity, heritage, and the struggle to find a place in a world that often forces you to choose one version of yourself over another. With its lyrical prose, rich cultural references, and compelling characters, “S(Kin)” is a must-read for anyone interested in YA fantasy that focuses on belonging and self-discovery.

I don't usually go for books written in prose, just because I don't really "click" with the format. The description of this one, though, made me decide to take a chance on it, and I am so glad I did.
The story is captivating and beautiful and heartbreaking, all at once. The prose is lyrical and haunting. I know next to nothing about Caribbean folklore, so this was such a treat to discover.
3.5 stars, rounded up
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Imagine you are a creature of Caribbean folklore - a soucouyant or lougarou, a shape-shifting witch who sheds her skin every new moon and hunts the souls of those who have wronged you during the month. Imagine being that - but also an undocumented migrant in Brooklyn? Or the mixed-race daughter of an anthropology professor who made it his life's work to put those legends to the scientific test? Your skin problems must be eczema, you think. Or gluten intolerance, what else could it be?

This story follows two teenage girls who are just that. Marisol, who has just arrived in New York with her mother from the islands, and who has yet to decide which prejudice she "prefers" to suffer from: that of the magic-believing people back home (where both were shunned as "witches") or that of the racialized hierarchy in the U.S. (where what is available to them is very much defined by the markers society has placed on them: "black", "immigrant", "poor", "undocumented"). Genevieve, on the other hand, seems to live a life of privilege, the daughter of a college professor, but she never knew her mother and grew up as the only half-black person in her father's and stepmother's family, which now includes two baby half-siblings, lacking any connection to the culture that would help her make sense of herself.

What comes to mind when you think of novels in verse? I have to admit that I imagine something from the time of Lord Byron, which I appreciate for its historical value, but which I hardly reach for out of personal interest. It turns out that a novel in verse can even take the form of a contemporary YA fantasy, and to quite a powerful effect! Where prose would be too concrete of a medium, free verse here allows for half-capturing, half-hinting at what should never be put into a fully defined form, but should remain in-com-pro-hen-sible.

As good poetry can do, this novel touches on so much more than its main fantasy plot about magic. It is also about motherhood and generational dynamics, about displacement and belonging... "We have left the place where we make sense," the heroine muses, and (as someone who has been thinking a lot about various displacement narratives lately) I think this is such a great way to capture the feeling that many of them share.

However, there is one question that I would like to raise here, not as a criticism, but out of pure curiosity: why does the author choose to present Caribbean cultures as a homogeneous continuum, and to list the ways in which, for example, the folklore of Haiti, Trinidad, and Jamaica refers to the mythical creature in question as a list of synonyms, rather than locating the story in the specificity of one culture? All the events "back home" are referred to as having taken place somewhere on the islands, again without any geographical specificity. As the author is a native of Haiti and not an outsider prone to generalizations out of ignorance, I am sure there were good reasons for this choice, but what are they, other than greater accessibility for those ignorant outsiders among the readers (like myself), I really wonder.

4,5 stars.

Publication date Feb 11, 2025.

I am grateful to HarperCollins for providing me with a free eARC of this title through NetGalley; the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This book was so many things all at the same time until I can’t quite put into words how I was feeling as I read it. I’m so glad I decided to read this one. Great read!!

A super unique YA Caribbean Fantasy, nothing like I have ever read before.
3.5 stars rounded up.

Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

Well, what the fuck… that ending is a trip and I don’t know how I feel about it. I really loved the mythology and the stories and so many good-interesting things happening with the storytelling. I really liked the way the third part was such a mash-up of Marisol and Genevieve. Absolutely giving me thinky-thoughts and really not sure about the ending…