THe book i’m reviewing is Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. Born a Crime is a fascinating novel documenting the life of Trevor Noah as he lives up to his comedic name, intertwining comedy with themes of racism, oppression, and family relations.

With an authenticity that allows you to hear his voice and emotions through his writing, he takes us on a journey with many twists and turns about his experience as living, quite literally, born a crime.

As a mixed child, his mother black and father white, he struggles to find himself in a world he was never supposed to exist in.Throughout his childhood, despite his countless ordeals, he somehow continues on with a humorous tone allowing the hilarious, dramatic, yet deeply affecting story to unfold.

Whether it was illegally selling bootleg cds, getting arrested on suspicion for driving a stolen vehicle, eating caterpillars day and night due to lack in money, going to a school dance with the girl of his dreams only to find out she doesn’t speak english, or his mother’s near death experience from his abusive stepdad each chapter of his life story weaves together like clothes, as a perfect fit, as he develops as a character from a “mischievous boy into a restless young man.”

I highly recommend the read of this book Born a Crime because it is everything a well written memoir expects and it provides a “window” into a deeply inspiring life that many people are unable to picture.

I loved how you compared the book Born a Crime to a puzzle on Lsd. Although I was quite confused at first, as you explained through your review, like your metaphor, I was able to piece together the masterpiece you were trying to portray.

Your explanation of how he stays true to his comedic personality and how he was affected by being born a mixed child during his time truely makes me want to read the book again as you make it sound that I missed so many important aspects of his life.

Your mention of how the book was filled with both the good experiences and the bad, I believe is accurate to adding to your statment of how “each piece holds so many drastically different and vibrant elements”. Although I have already read this book and I hate spoilers, your review makes me want to turn back to page one and start over.

I love how you started your video with an introduction about human nature that ties in to your claim in your review on the book Lord of the Flies. Your explanation of savagery due to the lack of civilization and strict authoritarian forces and its comparison to the change in human nature in times of turmoil is an amazing connection that I was not able to find. Additionally your opinion on symbolism throughout the story like the conch or Piggy’s glasses shows a promising stance to your claim and intrigues readers to want to read.

The detail you discussed on the destruction of the conch and Piggy’s glasses and how the act represents the demolition of control, I believe, really portrays your claim how “human nature changes in times of turmoil.” Overall, your review and your significant comparisons from the book to contemporary society hit a “grand slam” like you said, into making me want to read the book once again.

<David Yang N. Hollywood High 12th Grade>