Book Review: The Kid, by Sapphire

I recently finished reading The Kid by Sapphire, which is the continuation to PUSH.  The Kid picks up about nine years later.  Precious is raising her son Abdul, Mongo her daughter seems to have died? Not sure, that was never clarified.

Precious’ HIV got the best of her, leaving Abdul orphaned and thrusted into the foster care system.  The nine years that Precious did have with her son, she showered him with love and affection that she never received. She did an awesome job about teaching him life lessons, the importance of education and self reliance and she provided a strong foundation which made him very ambitious and goal oriented. At first, I was having difficulty understanding Abdul’s speech, but after a while, I got used to his ebonics.  Thankfully, his speech improved as her got older.

This book is chock full of messages surrounding social issues, psychological issues and identity issues.  The social services system for children in NYC is extremely flawed and we get a first hand depiction of how this flawed system can impact and destroy an innocent child’s life.  As a jaded and sheltered nine year old he got caught up in a cycle of abuse. Abdul was neglected and abused in a foster home, hospitalized for being brutally beaten by another child, and he lost his identity.  He then was placed in a catholic boarding school for boys where he was again abused. Abuse became such a major part of his life that he came to think it was normal; he then became an abuser, not taking responsibility for his actions. 

After being kicked out of the catholic school, he was placed in his great grandmother’s care. By then Abdul, was already old enough to make his own moves and come and go as he pleased. Not embracing life with his great grandmother, he eventually left and found himself homeless and navigating through the streets of life trying to follow his dreams of professional dancing.

At times, the book did get confusing, because Abdul was a daydreamer. It was hard to tell what was really happening and what was a dream.

Basically, I did like the story that Sapphire told about Abdul, but I wasn’t expecting it at all. After reading Push and watching the movie Precious, I didn’t think that life would get any worse for them, but The Kid continued the legacy of sorrow in a way I never would have imagined.

I wasn’t pleased with the ending at all. I would’ve liked to see Abdul get to the peaceful place he’d been longing for. Sapphire did leave the story open for that to eventually happen, but it’s not known whether or not she will continue a third installment. If she does, I would certainly read it, not because I enjoy reading about other people’s sorrows, but because I’m completely invested now.  I have to know how this young man’s story ends!