title: Riot
author: Walter Dean Myers
date: Egmont; 2009
main character: Claire Johnson
In developing the history of this book, Myers states that the first Africans came to America as slaves in 1619. I have to correct this statement and please know that in doing so, I’m not discrediting Myers further historic details. I have not studied the New York Draft Riots and from reading the book, I believe the author did extensive research on this event.
To say the first Africans came as slaves in 1619 is a rather common misstatement. The first Africans came to the New World with the Spanish and Portuguese as explorers. They traveled with Columbus, Balboa and other explorers of the day. Free Blacks helped establish St. Augustine, FL in 1565 and were present in cities established by the Spanish throughout the Southwest. Africans were sold as indentured servants in Jamestown in 1619, just as poor Europeans were, with all expecting to buy their own freedom. It’s the racist mutation to enslaving the Africans as human chattel that changed everything and led to the events Myers describes in Riot.
In this book, written in screenplay form, Myers focuses on a mixed raced family to encapsulate the horrors of the Draft Riots. Irish were upset that they were being forced/drafted to fight in what they saw as a war that would free southern Blacks to compete with them for jobs. Wealthy Northerners could buy their way out of the war and most of the Irish were not wealthy. At the same time, conditions existed in large Northern cities that brought Irish and Blacks into close proximity, creating strong friendships and even marriages.
John, a Black man, is married to Ellen, a White woman and their daughter, Claire who is light enough to be identified as White. The riots bring racism to Claire’s attention (who embodies the sentiment of society) to the forefront as never before. Why can’t she just be herself and not be Black Clair, she wonders. Myers takes us into the streets where we dwell in the fear, compassion, hatred and desperation of the characters.
I didn’t want to like the story because of it’s formatting. The book is written in screenplay form, as Monster was. These form can be quite limiting when developing a book but Myers is such a good writer! His dialogs did a wonderful job of taking me back to that era. I particularly liked when Walt Whitman appeared in the story.
I would pair this book with
A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott
Cotton Quilts 
I can’t imagine reading a screenplay as a book. What is the benefit of this style? I appreciate you correcting the misinformation at the beginning. I know little of the New York Draft riots and the review certainly inspires me to find out more!
LikeLike
I read this recently and enjoyed the story as well as its historical context. I had to get used to the format. I don’t read too many plays or screenplays.
LikeLike
I found this one (Riot) didn’t work for me quite as well as Monster did. With Monster, I was gripped. This time I didn’t connect with the characters as much and found the dialogue a little wooden on occasion. However, the storyline and history that comes from this novel is fascinating. It filled in a piece of history for me. Recommended.
Tammy
Apples with Many Seeds
LikeLike
I read this book last year and liked it though it isn’t my favorite of his. I hadn’t known anything about the NY draft riots so I felt like I learned a lot, which is always a good thing!
LikeLike
I wanted to like this, but I really didn’t think he had the screenplay format down enough to do this. For instance, screenplays don’t list the establishing shots. Also when you are restricted to dialogue, it is an easy short cut to have the characters list things that the two of them would know, but it sounds terrible. Not my favorite of his, and I am generally a fan.
LikeLike