Ride or Die by Gail-Agnes Musikavanhu

Abstract

Reviewed by: Ride or Die by Gail-Agnes Musikavanhu Natalie Berglind Musikavanhu, Gail-Agnes Ride or Die. Soho Teen, 2023 [384p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781641294201 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781641294201 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys Ad Gr. 9-12 Loli Crawford has a reputation at her high school—she’s one half of a Bonnie-and-Clyde duo with BFF Ryan, and she has a strong preference for shenanigans over boredom. When she throws an elaborate party at an ex’s house to retrieve a wrongfully regifted necklace, she ends up sharing a coat closet with a boy, “X”, to whom she reveals her motives. Though the two thrillseekers don’t know each other, they initiate a game of time-restricted letter deliveries that becomes increasingly dangerous. The game challenges Loli and keeps her occupied, but it may do so at the expense of her interpersonal relationships, and the identity of “X” is a mystery that needs solving sooner rather than later. While Loli proclaims to be a huge instigator of mayhem, destroying cars and running into building burnings to retrieve letters, many of the past incidents she refers to are surprisingly lowkey, like stealing a spritz of her mother’s expensive perfume. The game itself is interesting and often compelling, but, unfortunately, the massive buildup results in a rushed ending that resolves everything in the last few pages. However, the ultimate message [End Page 332] of earnestness over edginess is well-done, with her strong narrative voice carrying readers through some of the more incongruent elements. Blacks girls in YA fiction aren’t often left to get into trouble without some sort of trauma in the aftermath, so Loli’s story is refreshing in its levity. Each chapter is announced with a song title that readers can listen along to from a Spotify playlist. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois