Ibi Zoboi's <i>(S)Kin</i> is the modernized, fantasy YA version of <i>The Bluest Eye</i>. Just as Morrison explores the themes of internalized beauty standards, racism, and self-acceptance, Zoboi's novel in verse does the same with the additional intersection of immigration and a vengeful Pecola.

I enjoyed the first pages of this book with Zoboi's verse format and the gorgeous prose, particularly in Marisol's sections. The more reflective moments in her chapters felt more appropriate for the verse format, especially when Marisol and her mother reflect on how the world views them, as immigrants or "monsters". Genevieve's chapters, however, didn't feel as powerful in the verse format. With a bit less reflection and more plot-driven content, I wasn't as drawn to the language in her sections.

In many ways, I wondered if the book would have engaged me more had this been written as a novella or full novel. I know very few fantasy novels that attempt this format, let alone accomplish it successfully. While I'd categorize this as more magical realism that straight up fantasy, there were still aspects of the "magic" system/lore that needed exploration for this reader. Perhaps its my lack of background knowledge about the specific Caribbean lore, or maybe it's just the specific fire witch lore itself, that lacked the depth and imagery I crave from a fantasy novel to extend the world beyond the realistic one.

(S)Kin was an excellent read. The writing felt very visceral to me, and there is amazing insight to be found for any reader in the experiences of two very different girls, in completely wild circumstances. A must-read that I think most teens will willingly pick up.

3.5/5 ⋆｡°✩

(S)kin by Ibi Zoboi is an emotional ride. I was not expecting this to be written in verse but it gave the story a unique twist. (S)kin is a take on Caribbean folklore about soucouyants that delves into familial relationships and the struggle to come to terms with who you are (or at least it could have been if it hadn't ended abruptly). (S)kin could have benefitted from being a little bit longer. We don't get to truly see the dynamic between Marisol, Lourdes, and Genevieve.
I think more buildup between the clashing wants and dreams between Marisol and Lourdes would have made the ending all the more believable to me. I did feel for Mari and Gen for different reasons. Their emotions are compelling and you can't help but sympathize with their inner (and outer) plights. These two are going to stick with me for quite a while.

Thank you Netgalley, HarperCollins, and Ibi Zoboi for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I love Ibi Zoboi's writing. The poetry and poetic choices in this were fun to read and explore. The story itself dragged. The most interesting part was at the very end, when Genevieve's first turning happened. And everything after that felt rushed. In addition, Kate and Daniel seemed flat and the type of racism they embodied felt caricatured because of that.

"Magic is story come to life."

It's been an intense few days in my household & Ibi's new YA was exactly what I needed to shed my skin. Truly, truly, I related to this story in a way I didn't expect I would.

And that ending? *chef's kiss* Did not expect.

This was my 5th Ibi Zoboi novel and it won't be last. I'm a forever fan 🔥.

Genevieve has been dealing with a skin condition since she was younger. It was until a mysterious lady moves into her house as a nanny that she figures out what is going on with her skin. She also finds out the mysterious lady is her mom and she has a sister. Genevieve has to get out her own way and learn to understand the new world that she is now apart of.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books, Versify, and Ibi Zoboi for the opportunity to read (S)Kin in exchange for an honest review.

I love Punching the Air and think Ibi Zoboi should just write novels-in-verse from here on out! When I found out she has another HiLo verse novel coming, I had to read it. Think about the cleverness of this title. A far cry from teen justice, but still haunting with it's touches on racism, socioeconomic status, and culture, the  title implies both the concept of Skinwalkers, and also the kinship between family.

(S)Kin follows the alternative perspectives of Marisol and Genevieve. Marisol is the fifteen-year-old daughter of a soucouyant, the Caribbean cultural island term for a Skinwalker. She and her mother shed their skin once a month and must drink the life force from others in order to survive. Having moved to Brooklyn, the life of a soucouyant, a black girl, and islander, someone who is poor, is not ideal, and if they were to be found out, they would likely be hunted, almost like the witch trials. It's hard enough to live as it is!

Genevieve is the seventeen-year-old daughter of a college professor. He and her step-mom have had twins, and now she is an older sister to two little half-siblings. Genevieve suffers from a severe skin condition that seems to be getting worse as she gets older. She has heard legends of the soucouyant from her father, though he seems to believe in their truth. After an accident with one of the babies, Genevieve worries she might be something she never dreamed could be true and must learn how to save herself to protect those she loves.

So how do the stories come together? Marisol's mother applies for a job to help take care of Genevieve's twin siblings. In this, Genevieve finds that this woman has the power to sooth her skin condition, but also seems to know her father. Many secrets will unwind as to soucouyant must make their lives in the new world while still continuing the rituals of old that their bodies require.

The poetic verse style was  a fun way to get to know the characters, gave a beat to the reading, and offered some truly creative elements with blending the perspectives and playing with structure. It was nice to see the cultural aspects of folklore from the Caribbean. It also offers some insight in to skin color and classism in contemporary New York. The touch on culture shows how integral our roots are and the mystic connections that bind us.

I look forward to Ibi Zoboi's next novel-in-verse; whatever it may be about, I  know it will be brilliant.

Initial reaction:I'll have to get back to y'all on a rating for this book, but it was terrible. Ohhh, rant review incoming. The colorism, petty hate/motivations, haphazard representation of lore. Whew.

Also think it being in verse didn't help it. The cadence was uneven and didn't help it for flow. If I had to give one from my gut: 1.5 stars. And mostly because of Jaden. But even how the author represents Jab in here was...a choice.

Full review:

I feel like we need to sit down and have a conversation because I don't know how so many people didn't find Ibi Zoboi's "(S)Kin" to be a hot toxic, inaccurate mess and a half. What in the world? Like it's so honestly deliberately offensive in how bad this book was.

Let me backtrack a little bit. I think it would be easy to say that this book had me incandescent (no puns intended) with rage at the utterly disgusting colorism and inaccurate lore portrayed in the story of these two girls. I'm not upset in the way that one would think about this book. It's more I'm in a state of shock like "Did the author really pull all of this in a story and think no one would notice how NOT COOL this is? Are we being punked? Like, what's going on?" (From the high ratings this book has as of the time I'm writing this review on Goodreads, people did not pick up on how gross and offensive this was. I'm hoping more folks who actually come from the culture might speak to it as well. I know some things based on folks I've known/met IRL and discussions, but am not an expert. But on the things I did pick up, including the rampant colorism and trauma in this book, I can speak to.)

Please look up the lore for soucouyant and lougarou for yourselves to start with, if you wish. Basic Google search - ten seconds at most - will debunk most of what the author chooses to do in this novel, which I'll dig a little deeper into later on in this review. I'm going to describe the difference between this and the representation that's - for example - contained in the well known gaming series "Shin Megami Tensei." A Japanese game actually took more care to represent this lore more respectfully than...whatever the heck Zoboi does here. And I think this story is assuming you won't know much about the citations of Caribbean lore here or even what the soucouyant or lougarou are, or even what Jab are, because otherwise it'd have more holes than cheese. To be serious about it, (S)Kin takes a lot of inexplicable liberties that really were to the detriment of the story. It cedes to stereotypes, lore that is plucked from multiple groups, but doesn't develop beyond pale, cursory representation, petty jealousies, and lacking character development.

Basic premise of (S)Kin is the story of two girls told in verse format - alternating perspectives. The first POV you're introduced to is Marisol, 15-year old girl who is living with her mother in Brooklyn. Both of them hide their secret identities as monsters, self-described, soucouyant/lougarou. The description is that at night, both Marisol and her mother separate from their skin, become one with the sky (fire, sun) and have targets they prey upon to sustain them. They have their rituals to offset this.

The other POV is Genevieve, a 17-year old living as a biracial teen who has never known her mother. Lives with her father (who is white), her stepmother and stepsiblings who are twins. She has a chronic skin condition which makes her skin feel like its burning. Various creams only provide temporary relief. For those who are chronic sufferers of skin related issues, Genevieve's representation at least on that is accurate. It's something I think people will relate to, picking up this story. That might be one of the moments in this book where I felt for the character the most on how she struggles with it. But it becomes gradually clear that Genevieve's issues aren't what they seem and might be indicative of something more.

How Marisol and Genevieve meet delves into spoiler territory that reveal quite a bit of the family related, and racial trauma that's held in this book. I won't dig too much into it apart with making it known that Marisol and Genevieve are "kin" for the abilities they have. Marisol knows the ritual and the rules, Genevieve does not. Marisol is deeply envious and has a streak of revenge that lends towards her own mother and Genevieve's boyfriend, Micah, who not only doesn't treat Genevieve well but also pushes her to the ground and insults her without much thought.

Genevieve understands very little about what her magic means, but as the book's events march up to the climax and ending, both Marisol and Genevieve both have reckonings they have to face.

Add to this a Jab Jab named Jaden who seems keen on Marisol, but she can't be with him because Jab Jab are "evil" and she can't get involved with him.

Let me break this down a bit more succinctly in terms of the issues I had with (S)Kin, starting with noting that Caribbean culture is not a monolith. Haiti has its own lore, naming for things separate from other islands. I'll admit I'm not privy to it from first hand experiences because it is not my culture. Full disclosure. But, I noticed there were some things that caught my attention that didn't seem right, and this is noted from people I know who are from or know the culture more than me.

First, Jab Jab are not "evil". It does mean "devil," derived from the French term (literally diable diable), but not for the reasons many people think. The Carnival reference is mentioned in text, and Zoboi makes reference to Jaden as an actual devil/demon, but if you know the reasons why folks paint their bodies with motor oil or a paint and wear helmets with horns, wear chains and the like, it's rooted in the cultural nods to the resistance against ancestral oppression. Different islands in the Caribbean have different terms by which this celebration is noted. I know about it from the Grenada side, but it's also celebrated in Trinidad, Haiti, and other islands. I ask why Zoboi didn't dig into this history more in (S)Kin. The construction of even this one character and why he is the way he is is very threadbare. Because it's actually fascinating if you bother looking into it beyond a cursory glance. There's a richness in that history/lore that's not communicated in this novel at all. So if a teen picks up this novel and looks at the Jab Jab character with no knowledge of the root of that history, they're gonna think "Oh Jab Jab's evil." And that does a great disservice to how much more there is to that. And folks who actually celebrate/know the history are going to think "What the heck are you talking about?" and be offended by that. (For good reason!)

(Also in Haiti specifically, the practice is called "lansèt kòd" which I actually did not know prior to reading this book. Likewise with Trinidad, I didn't realize the practice was called "Jouvert". Those would have been cool things to know here, especially knowing they have differences across the islands! Even made readers look into that more if they had been mentioned and elevated! But I mean, considering this book is full of self-hate, I'm guessing varied cultural elevation, distinction, and celebration - even pushes against the colonialist history in the Caribbean - wasn't what was intended here. Just throwing together different plot things in a blender and assuming its the same. *fumes with rage*)

I'll only mention Jaden in this part of the review, because he's the "Jab Jab" in question. He was the most interesting character/part of this book to me. (Apart from licking off the blood from Marisol's chin after she fell. That was...ick.) You can tell he's kind of a semi-love interest/person of intrigue when he meets Marisol. But when you learn what he can do, especially towards the end, I felt like I wanted to know way more about him. We never really do, except that he's evil, supposedly. (Though I felt bad for the cat, at least that effect was temporary.)

There's also the terms soucouyant and lougarou as cited in this book. The synonymous usage of these terms in this book are confusing. The way that soucouyant and lougarou are used in this book makes it seem like they're the same. They are not. Like the description of soucouyant checks out with cursory searches on the internet, but "lougarou" is a different representation altogether. The term "logawrou" - specific to Haiti - is also known as a "loup-garou" which comes from the French, legit means "werewolf". (Very different from a fire bird!). From what I understand, collectively speaking, this creature is a shapeshifter that can take on various forms, and does so at night. That's a big deal to point out. Zoboi does not explain anything about the distinctions of this in text. You wouldn't know the meaning in the name, the cultural specific distinctions or even how this creature is supposed to be terrifying to those who know it. The darkness is there, but not the fear. Something I could probably say about most of the novel, apart from a few moments. I would say that (S)Kin has an ominous tone that could lend itself to horror, but the horror here isn't done very well. It's eerie, it's tonally dark and the characters are all massively flawed. But I don't think it translates well compared to other titles, especially with the boom we're seeing in interest/reading YA Horror. I could tell this was YA Fantasy, but it really did such little worldbuilding to even qualify for that, beyond threadbare representation.

I'm not saying that Zoboi should have given us a dissertation in text about the lore, but the way that this was done in (S)Kin was very lacking, even and especially for a novel written in verse. Teens (heck, even adults) picking up this novel would have questions, particularly those not familiar to the culture. And the base assumptions you get from in text aren't a good thing, because you're not getting the full picture, especially if you're someone from the culture trying to show this to people not only from that culture, but also outside of it.

Compared this to the lore of this same creature as depicted in the game Shin Megami Tensei V and Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance (there are reasons why these games are different I won't get into, but namely the routes you can play are expanded in the latter). The Loup-garou in SMT V/Vengeance has way more context in even the brief scene he's in after he kidnaps a bunch of students that attend the same high school as the protagonist. From the French he speaks (ode to his name), to his motivations for kidnapping the students, to his insecurities about his appearance that actually tie in with the lore, you get so much in the dialogue and the scenes he's in for the story. And even when you're trying to recruit him into your party for the game, he has a ton of personality from his dialogue that make him stand out.

Zoboi's work doesn't give that kind of depth through this ENTIRE verse novel. Which...says a lot. Instead, we get a pretty lazy, threadbare story of trauma that isn't resolved and lingers in self-hate for the girls by the end. We start off with a Black girl with dark skin (Marisol) who is basically running around with her mama from job to job picking off people for sustenance because of the creatures they are. Marisol's mama is not a great character, her relationship with her daughter is quite toxic and comes across as her (Lourdes) using her daughter as a means to an end, but you don't know what that end point is at the beginning.

Marisol wants to kill her mama in her resentment and do her own thing, but when they come across Genevieve's family, Marisol realizes the true connection between her and Genevieve. And even knowing the context, you would expect there would be some resentment (it's not Genevieve's fault, she didn't know either), but Marisol turns her jealousy in another branch onto Genevieve because Genevieve's MIXED with "pretty" features (which, HELLO TOXIC COLORISM BATMAN). There are even multiple references in this book to Toni Morrison's "The Bluest Eye" that make it very obvious this is a toxic thing happening. (You would know if you have ever read that book, but considering it's on many banned lists, there may be teens who won't know the message of that book because they can't read it.) So this book is NOT subtle on the colorism, which is played up in text in a toxic way. (More on that later, when we talk about how this ends without spoilers.)

And if you think Genevieve is any better - ohhh heck no. She is not. Lourdes showing up in Genevieve's household as a "babysitter" for her and her twin siblings have more meaning than meets the eye. Especially when she finds out the relationship she has to both Lourdes and Marisol that shifts her world. (It includes learning about the creature she is). But Genevieve already had some identity issues in tow with living as the only biracial member of the household. So of course she feels isolated at home, but gets some relief going to school and having her boyfriend. Genevieve's stepmother, Kate, has moments of being understanding of her stepdaughter and showing ignorance about understanding where her daughter is emotionally (still better than Genevieve's father, *grumble*). Genevieve has a fair deal of critique against Marisol - basically talking about making Marisol over, critiquing her hair and having mental notes that make her observation of Marisol as "needing a "makeover" to make her "pretty."

The obsession with pretty in this book is gross, especially in context with the colorism and the way the girls see each other, long story short. It gets worse as the book marches to the ending.

For both Marisol and Genevieve, you learn about how the creatures they are end up becoming more inseparable as the narrative goes on, for spoiler reasons. And honestly, that part I think could have lent into more interesting territory had it been in the hands of a more developed narrative. Possibly come to a conclusion that ended on something more satisfying to a degree.

But nah, we end up with a hollow story that virtually says, from the lips of both of these girls, that lighter skin, loose curls is pretty, darker skin, tight curls, boyish cut is bad. Change up from the "bad" to fit in the society that props this vision of "pretty" up, and away from the island culture. And eliminate the people who stand in the way of the petty grievances the girls have for threadbare reasons. And somehow, still maintain a sisterhood?

Nah. Screw that nonsense.

Someone might argue with me that the whole point of this YA fantasy novel was to showcase the horror of racial trauma and what it does to a person/people/relationships, even in girls who are creatures/beings from another place/space. It may have even tried to emulate what Toni Morrison did in "The Bluest Eye" with the young girl who wanted blue eyes. (I reviewed that book a while back, actually, so it's still fresh in mind.) But (S)Kin, regardless of its intentions, was not so deep or serious to be able to handle with the care and sensitivity that would have deserved. Didn't even come close. And citing the narrative did not make that comparison any closer to what (S)Kin may have been trying to imitate. Even the verse format felt clunky for its cadence and felt like it had inconsistent presentation, making it read longer than it should have been. And again, the worldbuilding, very threadbare.

Here's a question to leave you with, should you decide to pick up this book that felt too long in its off-cadence verse that didn't aid in the cumbersome presentation: If this book was supposed to be horrifying in the sense of showing very real racial trauma and cultural erasure, why does it play up those colonialist stereotypes, blend the rich cultural histories of the Caribbean into one vague blob, and actually work against what folks are trying to do in propping up the unique representations that come from those places in a thrilling way? Even if one could answer this question with tangible dialogues about this book, I would still say (S)Kin did not work as intended because the text did not do it on its own. It's hard to know who this book was intended for, or what that intention behind it was other than causing more harm while also not giving a teen audience (or any audience really) a rich story to remember and sit with them after the final page is turned.

Beyonce's song "Pretty Hurts" is cited in this, but it had none of the pretty, and way too much hurt. And it hurt to read, in more ways than one.

It could have been so much more.

Overall score: 1.5/5 stars.

Note: I received this as a galley from NetGalley, from the publisher.

I was intrigued to get into this story. It is an unique story, (S)Kin explores themes like sisterhood, family dynamics, class, identity, colorism and the list continues. Marisol and Genevieve's stories were beautiful and I loved the connections to each other throughout. At times, I could not always follow the story but overall it invoked all the feels and held a strong message.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is such a beautiful narrative that bounces back and forth to show different issues relating to race, family relationships, and beliefs. The touch of fantasy made it even more engaging. It's a beautiful piece of writing that's easy to read, but brings up so many themes and areas for discussion. Definitely a book I'll stock in my classroom library.

(S)kin is a contemporary YA fantasy novel written in verse that deep dives into Caribbean folklore and the role of magic. Zoboi explores assimilation, estrangement, and identity. There was a lot to unpack in this brilliantly written novel, and I loved many of its poignant and beautiful lines. It did take me a little while to get used to the writing style, but the story itself kept me turning pages.There was so much thought and folklore history put into the novel, and I feel as though I learned so much from it.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC to preview.

3.5 stars rounded up

Ibi Zoboi’s (S)Kin is an intriguing concept, a fantasy novel in verse. While I’ve read many books in verse, I’ve never read one within the fantasy genre, so I was very curious how it would work.
Like most novels in verse, (S)Kin is a very character-driven story. We follow our two perspectives, Marisol and Genevieve. The plot was engaging, and the twist at the end was especially satisfying. I loved the Caribbean folklore that is at the center of this story. I had never heard of a soucouyant - women who are able to shed their skin and fly as fireball witches during the new moon to feed on the souls of others. Zoboi’s writing is lyrical and evocative, capturing the emotions and struggles of the characters beautifully.

The way in which Zoboi writes the two different perspectives, eventually joining them together in the same section, was very unique and interesting. While I did enjoy this format, I’m not convinced that a novel in verse is the best fit for the genre. The poetic structure leaves little room for world-building or development of the magic system, which are key elements of fantasy.

Overall, (S)Kin is a compelling read, especially for those who appreciate character-driven stories and poetic storytelling. While I would have liked more depth in world-building and magic system development, the novel’s themes and folklore elements kept me engaged. If you’re open to a different kind of fantasy experience, this one is worth checking out.

***Thank you to the publisher for providing an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

4.5 stars.

Ibi Zoboi's books have been on my TBR since forever, but this verse novel was the first one I've read from her. I wasn't sure what to expect, and I was slightly skeptical that a verse novel could convey everything important that this book wanted to touch on, but I was very surprised that I ended up liking this!

I devoured this in one day because it was a quick and compelling read. There's a ton of teen angst (naturally), dealing with identity issues as a teen and young woman (Marisol is a soucouyant, while Genevieve is mixed race), colorism within the Caribbean diasporic community, living with a debilitating skin condition, being a new immigrant in the US, and family drama that's worthy of a soap opera.

Oh, and the body horror? Perfection. There was enough to whet a lite horror lover's appetite, while also keeping it YA.

While I'm not usually a fan of family dramas, it was hard to say no to drama involving an academic/father being highly unethical. Because of this, Genevieve and her stepfamily, and Marisol and her mother, all have to deal with the fallout. The author wove this in so well with Genevieve and Marisol's (literal) growing pains that it all felt real, like I was either watching a TV show/movie, or listening attentively to a friend's family problems while they gave me the whole rundown. 🐸☕

This was such a great YA read that hit all the right notes for me. I hope to read more of Ibi Zoboi's work soon!

Thank you to Versify and NetGalley for this arc.

It didn’t take much for me to be excited about this. I LOVE anything about Ibi Zoboi, but when she added the little bit about her culture? Yeahhhhh that pushed it from the Must Read category to the Must Read Now category. And I’m glad I didn’t wait because this was so good!

I’m not a huge fan of novels in verse. I never have been. Only because I feel like they usually leave like a huge chunk out of the books since they’re told in verse. But this one had more in-depth and didn’t feel like it left anything else out at all. I loved it so much. This actually felt less like a novel in verse and more like a regular novel, so that helped me to feel more comfortable with this one. But even still, looking at the pages in the e-ARC, it still does have that healthy amount of white space on the page that the teens love.

The other thing that teens love is the weird factor. And this one doesn’t shy away from that. It’s about soucouyants that are found in Caribbean folklore. And of course, this is crazy to me. I have never knew anything about a soucouyant before, so this was interesting to learn about. I went down a rabbit hole to find out the actual stories of them and they were pretty cool. (And pretty creepy if I’m being honest lolol) They appear as an old woman during the day and a fireball at night. I thought this was interesting because these were teens, but I swear Ibi thought of everything because the whole book was her mom basically “guiding” her and I was like oh she’s teaching her how to survive what she is. So dope.

That plot twist was crazy tho. I knew she was capable after the thing with her mom, but yeah I wasn’t expecting that to happen. And the way they were just like eh ok? How can you trust her after this? Like I have so many questions lol I was so invested into this story and Ibi just blew it up in my face with that ending. It feels like it wasn’t resolved tho, so I’m hoping that means there’s a sequel? Because I need to know what happens.

And even tho the plot twist was brutal, I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about the colorism it shines light on. Colorism plays a huge part in the plot twist; like the reasoning behind it. And that part broke my heart. Ibi made me feel so conflicted over her. That was a terrible thing to do, but her rationale and reasoning behind it as a teen especially made sense. And I felt even worse when she realized things weren’t what she thought they were. I was glad that she acknowledged the privilege, but still also acknowledged the pain she had unknowingly as well. It was sad, but at the same time, I hope she got some healing out of it in some shape or way.

This was the first novel in verse that I thoroughly enjoyed in a long time. This one didn’t feel as if it were lacking anything and I appreciate that so much. This is going to be a very cool book to push onto my co-workers who are looking for that fantasy aspect. I can’t wait to talk about it more.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In her dazzling fantasy debut, Ibi Zoboi weaves a rich tapestry of Caribbean folklore and modern identity through the lives of Marisol and Genevieve. The unique verse format elevates the narrative, allowing emotions to flow like an unbroken stream of consciousness. Each poem captures the intensity of Marisol’s struggle as a soucouyant, bound to her mother’s legacy while yearning for freedom in the bustling streets of Brooklyn. The lyrical language not only immerses readers in Marisol's magical world but also reflects the weight of inherited traditions that can feel as heavy as skin itself.

Genevieve’s story beautifully intertwines with Marisol’s, exploring the complexities of family and the longing for connection. Zoboi's poetic style amplifies Genevieve’s internal battles, capturing her feelings of isolation and the search for belonging. The revelations that unfold between the two girls are both poignant and powerful, reminding us that our pasts shape us in ways we may not fully understand. "(S)kin" is a mesmerizing exploration of magic, identity, and the price we pay to embrace our true selves—a must-read for anyone seeking a fresh, heartfelt narrative. Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC.

✨ Review ✨ (S)Kin by Ibi Zoboi

Thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books, Versify, BookSparks and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

Lovers of Elizabeth Acevedo, pay attention to this book. A YA novel-in-verse, rooted in Caribbean mythology, Black self love, and ideas of skin/kin, this book filled with power.

Two teenage girls, Marisol and Genevieve, are placed side-by-side in this book, often in chapters with parallel titles and experiences. Marisol, recently arrived to the US with her mom, is barely getting by, working to make ends meet and shifting into a fireball at the new moon. Genevieve, lighter-skinned than Marisol, struggles with her skin and the frustration of new infant twins in her home. As the story brings them together, their commonalities and tensions are revealed.

The book plays with words in really delightful ways and concepts of skin and flame and love and revenge run deep. The duality shown through the rotation between the two characters as they begin to blend together is lyrical and draws you in as the book progresses. I loved reading this book and I remain a fangirl of Ibi.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5)
Genre: novel-in-verse, YA magical realism
Setting: Brooklyn
Reminds me of: Elizabeth Acevedo
Pub Date: Feb 11 2025

Read this if you like:
⭕️ stories of Black self love and empowerment
⭕️ YA novels in verse
⭕️ stories rooted in folklore --> magical realism
⭕️ reflections on freedom and belonging

Marisol (Black) and her mother, Lourdes, live in an apartment above the bakery where they work, making just enough money to get by. They recently moved to NYC from the Caribbean, and the city is a difficult place—especially when they shed their skins to become flying fireballs at each new moon. Like their female ancestors, they are soucouyants who feed on others’ energy: Lourdes determines who will be the object of their revenge based on who has hurt or offended her. Marisol leaves her skin in the bathtub while she is out; Lourdes leaves hers in a special mortar that has been passed down to her.
Marisol's point of view alternates with that of Genevieve, a light-skinned biracial girl who lives with her white father (an academic who is obsessed with Caribbean culture and collects artifacts such as mortars), white stepmother, and two newborn half-siblings. Genevieve knows only that her mother was a Black Caribbean woman. Lately Genevieve seems to have developed a serious skin allergy: Her skin burns painfully, and she breaks out constantly.
After Lourdes loses her job at the bakery, she finds work as a live-in nanny for Genevieve’s twin siblings, and Marisol moves into Genevieve’s family’s house along with her. Marisol, who has dark skin, feels ugly, especially compared to Genevieve. Genevieve is a dancer and knows she is beautiful, but she longs to know more about her heritage and the “monster” she is; she envies the life that Marisol has had, growing up in the Caribbean, while Genevieve has felt like the odd one out among her white family members. As the new moon approaches, all three soucouyants have their own motives and plans for the coming transformation.
This novel uses verse creatively to juxtapose the two voices of the girls. The story is firmly grounded in reality and the girls’ contemporary lives, and the fantasy elements are well integrated and add suspense and depth. The themes of colorism and racial identity and the exploration of complicated mother and sister relationships were interesting and added a lot to the story.

I’ve loved Ibi Zoboi’s prior books, and while a novel-in-verse is a little outside my wheelhouse, I enjoyed it. The storytelling through verse was compelling and really makes use of the format and presentation to immerse you in the narrative, as well as conveying the different character voices.

eARC Review: (S)kin by Ibi Zoboi

This was a prose novel that focuses on two girls and their journey accepting the roles in society they’ve been given by American standards. I found this novel especially prolific for the political atmosphere the US is in since a certain deranged oompaloompa and fellow minions took office. 🫢

Marisol is trying to find her way in a new world as a soucouyant while under the strain of her rather controlling mother. I found her the most down to earth of the two POVs because her struggle as both a young black woman and undocumented immigrant something that felt more poignant than that of Genevieve. Speaking of her, I found her to be spoiled and rather quick to judge even though she herself doesn’t want to be judged. When her paths cross with Marisol, I found their connection rather predicable but I still liked Genevieve’s growth by the end of the book, even though I think she needed to go through way more. ☄️

The ending felt rather rushed and also rather predictable in my opinion, but I do wish we could’ve gotten a little more information into Lourdes and why she was the way she is in the book. Along with this, the way in which Genevieve narrated her POV made the book feel suited for a younger YA audience instead of an older YA crowd. 😕

All in all, while I had some problems with the plotting and narration style for one POV, I still had a rather good time reading this. Thank you goes out to Versify Books and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review. And to the author, Zoboi, for writing a relevant young black woman’s immigrant story inspired by Caribbean folklore!

Publication date: February 11!

Overall: 3.75/5 ⭐️

(S)Kin by Ibi Zoboi is a verse style YA fantasy novel based on Caribbean culture and folklore but draws together two women from Brooklyn. Ibi Zoboi has a phenomenal ability to develop this relatable and realistic characters who have so much depth, and this novel didn't deviate from that. Interwoven in their stories are these realistic experiences as one is an undocumented immigrant and the other is biracial so, of course, this book tackles some heavy topics (racism, colorism, cultural appropriation, misogyny, etc.) that are relevant to things happening in our society in real-time. I really enjoyed reading this book and believe anyone who is familiar with Ibi Zoboi's writing style or those who may like Elizabeth Acevedo will really like this.