The Black Flamingo

Starred review from April 20, 2020
In this uplifting coming-of-age novel told in accessible verse, Atta (I Am Nobody’s Nigger, for adults) chronicles the growth and glory of Michael Angeli, a mixed-race kid from London, as he matures from a child to a man. Navigating cultural identity as Cypriot and Jamaican as well as his emerging sexuality, Michael sheds the painful baggage of his absent father by taking his mother’s name. He also grows from a kid who cries when he receives a Ninja Turtle instead of the Barbie of his dreams, to a teen who cries after being rejected by his crush, to a man who doesn’t cry but rather shouts when a partner breaks his heart. As a teen, he discovers his love of poetry and abandons his love for song, only to fall head over heels for drag at university. Atta expounds on matters of identity and the struggle to find love and community as
a gay black man in a majority-white space—Michael feels neither Greek nor black enough, nor, in his estimation, queer enough to fit in. The book’s strongest asset is Atta’s poetic imagery, which reflects such memorable moments as the origin of Michael’s drag persona (from a news story: “a black flamingo/ has landed on the island”) and “How to Do Drag” (“Remember eyebrows are sisters,/ not twins”). Atta’s story uplifts as it informs and entertains as it affirms; in Michael’s words, “It’s about being free.” Ages 14–up.

In his first audiobook, poet Dean Atta draws on his skill as a spoken-word performer to deliver his novel in verse, which features an intimate, empowering portrayal of a Black gay teen's coming-of-age. "I never wanted to take my difference too far," says Michael, who lives in London. He has an understanding family and best friend, but claiming his identity is challenging in a society in which he's othered for his Blackness, his gender expression, and his sexuality. At university, however, Michael finds a sense of freedom through his poetry and his flamboyant, unabashed drag persona. Atta's soft tone and contemporary British accent make his narration sound casual and conversational while still allowing the emotions and subtle rhythms of his poetry to shine. An outstanding and affirming debut. R.A.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine