Book Review: D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. by Abby White
Book Cover: D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T.
Soon after our fiction editor, Corrinne, began the SNR Blog with her review of a previous contributor’s book, an alum of our low-res MFA program at UNR Lake Tahoe happened to have her debut book published! My first thought was, “We need to review it and post it on the blog!” Lo and behold, our review of D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T., a book authored by our very own Abby White, is here!
In this young adult novel, our main character is none other than D.J. Rosenblum, a 14 year-old whose life currently revolves around preparing for her d'var Torah and processing her cousin Rachel’s unexpected death. Her way of grieving is to get justice for Rachel, as she suspects one of Rachel’s peers is behind her demise. Although Rachel’s manner of death is unclear at the beginning of the book, D.J. is forced to reckon with the still mysterious truth as she interviews (and maybe even stalks) Rachel’s old classmates. So as not to spoil the “whodunnit,” I’ll just say that D.J. discovers how hard it can be to cope with reality, not to mention the friends who ground her in it.
Just like with Rachel’s mysterious death, it is not obvious at first that one of D.J.’s predominant themes is the gravity of mental health. When D.J. isolates herself from her friends for weeks on end, spewing hurtful words and self-sabotaging, I am reminded of my own inclination to isolate myself and and hurt those around me so they’ll leave me alone. Similarly, the reader sees the very intense and real struggles of a family grieving the loss of their teen daughter, complete with screaming matches and characters who struggle to get out of bed. There is no shortage of romance, either, with D.J.’s complicated crush on a girl who initially appears to be a “mean girl” type, and on her peer tutor who attends the same temple. The contrast of grief and love in D.J.’s life is true to the human condition, a depiction that is especially important in literature for younger audiences.
I am several years past the target audience for young adult literature, but D.J. (the book and the character) had a hold on me. Reading this book brought me right back to those years when I consumed multiple YA books a week, before screens took up more space in my life. From the relationships between characters to D.J.’s inner-world and examination of religion, every word in D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. is so real. Abby White has gifted young readers a world in which there is no perfect character, and yet they are all still loved. I can think of no better intellectual gift for young adults than the idea that regardless of their anger, sadness, small or big mistakes, their friends and family will stick by them.
D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. by Abby White is now available in hardcover or as an ebook. Order it here!
“Here is no shortage of romance, either, with D.J.’s complicated crush on a girl who initially appears to be a “mean girl” type, and on her peer tutor who attends the same temple. The contrast of grief and love in D.J.’s life is true to the human condition, a depiction that is especially important in literature for younger audiences.”
