It’s funny, I just read a comment the other day, that someone needed to write a story about people getting unwanted super powers, and not knowing what to do with them. Then, I came across a request for book bloggers to join the Diverse Book Tour for Thelonious Legend’s first book: Sins of the Father, and that is exactly what his book is about.
Aside from being the granddaughters of a very famous, very rich civil rights leader, the Parker sisters are three pretty average teenagers. They are athletic, smart, and have all the same sibling rivalries that I had with my sisters. Except suddenly, they don’t feel like themselves. Things start to happen…weird things. Eva gets faster, Gwen gets stronger, and Ana suddenly knows EVERYTHING. There’s a catch though, as most things do, and they have to figure out how to deal with their new powers, and stop the timebomb that is ticking away.
Ok. Here’s where I have to level with you.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the super hero stuff in this book. I felt it was a little implausible, and so it was a little distracting from the rest of the girls’ lives.
HOWEVER! And this is a big HOWEVER, guys!
Thelonious Legend does not need to grasp at sci-fi to make his voice heard. Without the awkward superhero, but not superhero stuff going on, Sins of the Father is a fantastically written teen story, AND it is written from a black family’s perspective, which you see exactly NEVER in mainstream young adult fiction. The characters, the teen ones especially, are extremely well developed, and have very independent personalities. I loved Ana–I think she was my favorite–but her friend Stacy, with her speedy run on hyperactive commentary made me laugh hysterically.
I think the author definitely has the capability to do amazing, excuse me…LEGENDARY…things with his fiction, if he were to focus on his strong POC characters and their individuality, rather than forcing the sci-fi aspect. The strength of this book were the challenges the girls faced with their friends and those they interacted with on a daily basis, not so much the evil janitors.
Like I said…A big however! I loved the Parker family. They reminded me of myself and my two sisters. I think a lot of kids (and plenty of adults like me) are going to relate to this book, and are going to be begging for sequels.
Thelonious, I wish you luck, and I hope to see more from you.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free as part of the Diverse Book Tour.
This checks off #36 on my PopSugar list: A book set in high school.
As I Lay Reading 
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Thank you for reading the book and writing such a thoughtful review. And Ana’s seems to be everyone’s favorite. People just love her! And I’m glad yoiu liked Stacy’s stream of consciousness unfiltered blather. She was great in filling in back story and current events.