The Boy in the Black Suit

The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After 17-year old Matty's mom passes away, he finds himself working in a funeral home, hoping the grief others feel will help him with his own. Things change when he meets Love at her grandmother's funeral. She doesn't seem to grieve in the same way, and she "gets" his conflicting feelings of both wanting to move on and wanting to go back in time.

This YA novel feels more mature than similar stories - Love and Matty are thoughtful teenagers. They develop a shy friendship that grows into romance, and Matty works through some rough stuff. Besides grieving his mother, he becomes the parent figure for his father, who doesn't handle her death very well. He also learns what it means to forgive, what it means to have regrets, and why comparing trauma is never a good idea.

Fans of Jason Reynolds will embrace this sweet story, one with heart and characters to care about.


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