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Survive the Dome

Kosoko Jackson (Goodreads Author)

3.70 · Rating details · 215 ratings · 93 reviews

Jamal Lawson just wanted to be a part of something. As an aspiring journalist, he packs up his camera and heads to Baltimore to document a rally protesting police brutality after another Black man is murdered.

But before it even really begins, the city implements a new safety protocol...the Dome. The Dome surrounds the city, forcing those within to subscribe to a total mili ...more

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Hardcover, 352 pages

Published March 29th 2022 by Sourcebooks Fire

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Sep 13, 2021 Kosoko Jackson rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author) · review of another edition

IDK, i think its pretty rad.

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Feb 20, 2022 Vee_Bookish rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The bleakest, most realistic dystopian novel I have read, this story is one that I could see becoming reality within a few years, and balances the more futuristic elements with events that we already recognise - Black Lives Matter protests, violent cops and corrupt Governments.

I loved that this book had Queer rep! There's a moment when Jamal reflects on his and Marco's fast connection, and acknowledges that they might have connected faster due to the situation, which felt accurate. There's no in ...more

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Feb 24, 2022 kate rated it really liked it

Shelves: dystopian, poc-rep, young-adult, lgbtqia-rep

Fast paced, action packed, powerful and brilliantly self aware. The intensity of this book started from page one and continued to build until the last. I really enjoyed Kosoko Jackson’s easy to read and punchy writing style and whilst I do wish the plot and chat ages had been a little more developed (I think stretching it out over a longer period of time would have helped?) overall this was a thrilling contemporary that just so happened to have a few terrifying dystopian elements. Kosoko bought ...more

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Nov 15, 2021 Celia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Reasons to read: great plot, character-driven story-line, queer reps

Personal rating: this pro-BLM will resonate with many people and resonating is what I love best!

Jamal, a budding journalist, attends a BLM protest after the police killing of a Black man, hoping his photos will boost his chances of getting into a college of his choice. Not long after arriving does something incredible happen: a giant dome drops on the city, trapping those in and keeping others out save for law enforcement. After Reasons to read: great plot, character-driven story-line, queer reps

Personal rating: this pro-BLM will resonate with many people and resonating is what I love best!

Jamal, a budding journalist, attends a BLM protest after the police killing of a Black man, hoping his photos will boost his chances of getting into a college of his choice. Not long after arriving does something incredible happen: a giant dome drops on the city, trapping those in and keeping others out save for law enforcement. After an altercation with an officer, Jamal meets Marco and together they navigate the city, keeping out of sight and figuring out a way to hack the dome.

What I liked:

The fast-paced action and tension really drives this novel. Because tech is affected, nobody is able to call for help, so you get the sense that the world beneath the dome is much smaller. And more dangerous.

I have never been to a BLM protest or any protest at all, but I trust that Kosoko knows what he's talking about. I like that Jamal knows what to pack and where to park. I also love that medical stations were set up along with provisions like water etc and it shows you that a lot of protests are very organized and planned well.

The book is rooted in some harsh truths. The compelling idea that someone with power would trap an entire city over a protest isn't too far-fetched and I think it paints an accurate picture of what the "other side" feels about those advocating for the lives of others, like BLM, and gives us a chance to see through someone else's eyes.

What I didn't like:

Jamal was not a very driven character and a lot of the situations he was thrown into really didn't do his character justice. He was saved multiple times and seemed to be a bystander to everything happening rather than someone deeply involved. I understand it takes time for a normal human being to adapt to such a situation, but I expected a bit more agency from him. At times, I thought he was more interested in getting with Marco and admiring his lean form rather than getting out of the city.

Overall, this is a book about fighting for change, and the searing courage it takes to intact such change. It gives me hope that humans will fight back against adversity, even on this grand of a scale.

Love one another. Protect one another. Be brave. ...more

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Mar 24, 2022 Janae (The Modish Geek) rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbtqia-rep, black-author, lgbtqia-author

I'm not going to make this too long because I don't like bashing things I don't like. I didn't enjoy this. I appreciated what Jackson was trying to do, but if this wasn't an eARC, I would've DNF'd it. Keep that in mind.

Five things that kept me from enjoying this book:

1. The main character. Jamal is insufferable, cocky, inconsistent, and self-centered. Being inside of his head was the worst. He waffled so much in his motivations, concerns, actions, and priorities.

2. The dialogue. It was cheesy an ...more

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Jan 17, 2022 charlotte, rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: aoc-et-al, lgbt, lgbtq-authors, latine-characters, dystopia-sci-fi, ya-lit, achillean, review-copies, black-or-african-characters, non-white-characters

On my blog.

Rep: Black gay mc, Black gay li, Latina side character

CWs: police brutality, racism, racial slurs, gun violence

Galley provided by publisher

Survive the Dome is a perfectly decent read, fast-paced, action-packed, with the right balance of realism and idealism to carry off the plot and ending. It was a book I liked, but it wasn’t a book that could beat Jackson’s debut for me.

This is not necessarily a negative thing—I really enjoyed Yesterday Is History, I think in part, because it wa ...more

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Jan 10, 2022 Paula rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Stilted dialogue, a whole lot of plot holes, and if you’re going to use a real city as your setting I feel like you should bother to get the geography, the street names, building types, or the character at least a little bit right.

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Feb 25, 2022 Trans-cending-literature rated it it was ok

Shelves: arcs

I really enjoyed the concept of this book but the actual book didnt play out for me sadly.. The characters felt very flat and unrealistic, and the conclusion felt too unbelievable for me.

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Mar 13, 2022 Lisa Mandina rated it it was amazing

I really enjoyed the last book I read by this author, Yesterday is History, and was very excited when the publisher sent me a copy of this one to review as well. And this book really hit it out of the ball park!

It was a science fiction story set in a pretty close today time period. The author pulled in all of the police brutality and other types of unrest that people have been feeling more and more lately, as well as in the beginning of the book he included the names of Black people killed by po I really enjoyed the last book I read by this author, Yesterday is History, and was very excited when the publisher sent me a copy of this one to review as well. And this book really hit it out of the ball park!

It was a science fiction story set in a pretty close today time period. The author pulled in all of the police brutality and other types of unrest that people have been feeling more and more lately, as well as in the beginning of the book he included the names of Black people killed by police officers in one town alone, I believe that is what his notes say.

There’s so much to unpack with this one. It’s not only the corrupt police, but also the politicians that are above them, handing down the decisions that make things even worse. The story also takes a look at how police officers may get convicted, but the punishment they receive oftentimes is like a slap on the wrist.

But it’s more than just that. The character reflects on the younger officer that seems to not quite buy in yet to all the things the more seasoned officers just take for granted. And he makes a point about how often the brand new officers don’t have any experience with using a gun, or shooting people, etc. Really he brings up a lot of good points that I never really thought about.

The science of the dome was interesting, what few details we got were enough to keep the story moving without bogging down too much for anyone who might not want all of that. Things happened, like the prison basement, or should I say basement prison, that reflected past moments in history. And in the end, while there was an ending, I like how the author made it more of an open one. Not all loose ends tied up. That’s realistic in my opinion. Not only that, but while I don’t think this is going to be a series, or have a sequel, I could totally see one based on where the characters were at the end.

Another book from this author that I really enjoyed and will be putting on the shelves of the library for my students to read.

Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature. ...more

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Mar 05, 2022 Starr ❇✌❇ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: gotta-read-for-work, library-order-considerations, got-an-arc, reviewed

I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: racism & police violence, gun violence, strangulation
3.5

Jamal's plan was to attend a peaceful protest, write an article. He wasn't expecting The Dome. Trapped with no one outside aware of what's happening to them, and the the police completely in charge, it's clear this isn't the peaceful holding cell it's been sold as. It's a cage, and it may become a slaughter house.

I do appreciate when speculative fiction leans into that speculative angle, touching our I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: racism & police violence, gun violence, strangulation
3.5

Jamal's plan was to attend a peaceful protest, write an article. He wasn't expecting The Dome. Trapped with no one outside aware of what's happening to them, and the the police completely in charge, it's clear this isn't the peaceful holding cell it's been sold as. It's a cage, and it may become a slaughter house.

I do appreciate when speculative fiction leans into that speculative angle, touching our realities enough that what is futuristic almost doesn't seem to be. So I applaud Jackson for this horrific idea that truly sounds possible.
This is also, of course, a very politically relevant book. I can see this sparking interest in real social justice and I can also see this resonating with those who already are aware and invested.

I also my be wrong, but this book seems to set the stage for a potential series of political/activist adventures, and I definitely see how there could be a market for that. This book and potential books like it work well in our current climate.

For me, however, I just didn't get much out of this book. First of all, because Jamal seemed so unrealistic to me. He is, in some ways, aware of what it is to be Black in America- as he should be- and apparently interested in social justice. And he still can't grasp basic ideas and lies to his mom about packing essentials just to bring candy to a protest? He doesn't straddle the line of newly educated or actually, organically a politically aware Black boy well.

This book was also by and large too quick and too over the top for me. While the concept is one that feels relevant and timely, the way it's actually written is too cheesy to strike a real chord. This is also how I feel about the stakes and about the characters, and any growth there may have been in either of those characters gets made impossible by the frantic pacing. I especially dislike the sudden romance for this reason- I don't know either one of them, so not only does the romance feel weird and unrealistic, but I have zero reason to care about.

I think some people will enjoy this book, and it's the right kind of book politically. However, the actual execution was lacking. ...more

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Mar 23, 2022 Dana rated it it was ok

"Darkness and pain and hate and anger come slowly, creeping like ivy, and they strangle you, and before long, you're a victim of it like everybody else."

------------------------

Jamal is a high schooler hoping for a journalism scholarship who decides to attend a protest after a cop gets away with killing another black man. Jamal is a little naive and when things get violent at the protest, he hitches himself to a handsome stranger, Marco. Marco tries to help Jamal but gets him tangled in the web "Darkness and pain and hate and anger come slowly, creeping like ivy, and they strangle you, and before long, you're a victim of it like everybody else."

------------------------

Jamal is a high schooler hoping for a journalism scholarship who decides to attend a protest after a cop gets away with killing another black man. Jamal is a little naive and when things get violent at the protest, he hitches himself to a handsome stranger, Marco. Marco tries to help Jamal but gets him tangled in the web of a counter culture group. When they discover Baltimore has been isolated from the rest of the world by a dome until the violence is under control, Jamal is forced to act. He and Marco and another stranger come up with a plan to challenge the chief of police and end martial law to release the dome.

Oof, this one is hard to rate. I liked the concept, although it is appropriated from other dystopian stories (Under the Dome and Hunger Games to name two biggies). The main character is immediately likeable and relatable. As the story goes on though, he becomes quite muddled and it's harder to see his character through the influence of others. He is a good kid wanting to do the right thing while "not betraying his race." I was really surprised by his blind belief and trust in others simply because they had similar skin color, to me this felt very uncomfortable, especially after it bit him in the butt a few times.

There is a ton of action, so if you like a face paced read with lots of violence and an MC that is constantly getting out of scrapes in convenient ways, you will enjoy this one. The science and technology proposed are pretty cool and I liked the hacker aspect of the story.
But, I didn't understand the need to perpetrate the idea that all cops and government officials are "bad" people who never do "good" things and all people of color are "good" even if they choose to do "bad" things. Marco and Jamal have this good people doing bad things conversation many times and it bordered on dangerous to me. The cops in this are atrocious, I wanted more depth on both sides of the colored fence, the reality is much more nuanced. There is not one ally or positive adult role model in this whole thing (except Jamal’s mother who is in it for only a few pages).

The synopsis does not make it clear how anti-cop the novel is going to be or I may have passed on it altogether. I've read several YA black voices novels that just tackled the subject better and more realistically. That said, it is a dystopian and the threats were meant to loom large, I get that. I think this one could have been a phenomenal commentary on race and policing with fantastical fantasy elements. Instead, I think it was a little messy and heavy handed and it sucked the entertainment out. It's possible to enthrall and teach at the same time without overdoing it, there are so many great examples of that in dystopian novels. I finished it because I was interested in how it would wrap up but I personally wouldn’t recommend this book. Too much hate without hope for my taste.

Thanks to Netgalley for advanced access to this novel. All opinions above are my own. ...more

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Apr 02, 2022 Faith Noelle rated it liked it

Survive the Dome is a fast-paced, action-packed, sci-fi exploration of police brutality and racism. It stars a queer Black protagonist, Jamal, through whom readers get to explore the difficult questions that come up when we are faced with trying to stay safe while also standing up for what's right. I found the concept of the story really interesting and chilling, and it's almost scary that many will find things in this book all too relatable. I also really liked the way the book indirectly posed Survive the Dome is a fast-paced, action-packed, sci-fi exploration of police brutality and racism. It stars a queer Black protagonist, Jamal, through whom readers get to explore the difficult questions that come up when we are faced with trying to stay safe while also standing up for what's right. I found the concept of the story really interesting and chilling, and it's almost scary that many will find things in this book all too relatable. I also really liked the way the book indirectly posed a lot of thought-provoking questions. Jamal is in a situation no one would ever expect themselves to be in, and things move so quickly that he has to make decisions without much time, and it gives a good look at the different kinds of decisions people make and why. There were times I felt he had a little too much disregard for his own safety or made decisions I found too rash, but then again, he's a teenager in a high-pressure situation.

I found this book a really quick read. There were some times where the pacing felt a little too rushed to me, but overall there's a lot of good fast-paced action that keeps it exciting. For me the biggest downside is that I didn't get to connect with the characters as much as I wanted to. We get to know Jamal as the protagonist pretty well, but Marco is one of the major characters and I felt like he remained a little too much of a mystery by the end of the story. A lot of side characters come and go without much intrigue, and I just wish there was a little more. That being said, the book's ending sets itself up well for a sequel, so I'm interested to see where this could go.

Notable content warnings: this book does depict heavy violence, police brutality, swearing, and racial slurs. There's definitely heavy material, but it's also nicely balanced with a bit of romance and some fun snarky humor. Also, there's a scene where Jamal tries beer for the first time and hates it, and I related so hard. Let's normalize teens who hate the taste of alcohol and just aren't interested in it! Overall a good read for anyone looking for modern science fiction touching on timely topics. ...more

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Mar 29, 2022 Karen Barber rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, 2022-reads

Survive the Dome is a fast-paced story, forcing us to confront our ideas about direct action and the role of the police.
Our main character is aspiring journalist, Jamal, who is determined to head to Baltimore to chronicle the protests taking place over the killing of a black man by a police officer. Drawing heavily on events of the last year (and, I’m fairly sure, the continuing reality for many) the upset and hurt caused by such events is palpable. As a young black man Jamal is all too aware of ...more

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Apr 23, 2022 em! rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

I was looking forward to picking this up, and it sort of let me down. I think the plot itself is very strong! It is incredibly impactful and scary because this dystopian society is not too far from the society we live in today. The overarching theme of police brutality against Black people is one that is reflected in our country’s very bones.

What I didn’t like about this book wasn’t due to the plot itself, but more so with the writing and character development. I found the writing style to not b ...more

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May 01, 2022 Heather Horror Hellion rated it really liked it

This book gave me horrible anxiety.
It is definitely one of those books you read and think these things could happen.

The characters in the book were written so well that I got out of breath running from the cops with them. Everytime there was an interaction with law enforcement I knew one of my favorite characters was going to die. Did that happen? I'm not going to tell you because that would be a spoiler.

I definitely have had some of the same thoughts as the character like maybe I shouldn't we ...more

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Apr 05, 2022 Shannon (It Starts At Midnight) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2022, march-2022, read-for-review

4.5*

**Content Warning, via author: "This book contains death, police violence, and slur words toward Black and brown minorities."

I knew this book would be both incredibly important and extremely heartbreaking from the first page. Because on said first page (and several subsequent pages) the author lists Black people whose lives were taken by the police. I really think it is important to read each name, and pause to remember them. And then keep them in mind when you read this story, yes, but also after you finish the story and go out in the world.

The story begins Jamal, an aspiring journalist, wanting to attend a Black Lives Matter rally. Not just for the journalistic side, but because he wants to stand up for what is right. But he never expects to end up trapped inside a dome, encasing the attendees of the rally (plus other people who just happen to be living or working or existing in an area the government deemed "unsavory") inside a military state, basically.

So, since he is a journalist in search of answers, and also not particularly wanting to be trapped, he and his new friend Marco set out to find out what is going on. Things get even dicier as secrets are found out, and people in power become more desperate.

That's all I'll say about the plot of the book, but suffice it to say it's very exciting and action packed. But there are also a lot of wonderful reflective moments among the characters, where we get to learn more about who they are, and also, their reactions to what is happening in their city, and to them on both a personal and group level. Obviously there is a lot of incredible societal commentary woven into the story, which is done really well through thoughts and conversations between Jamal and his new friends. I did maybe want a bit more from the ending, but overall, this was a really solid book.

Bottom Line: Exciting and very readable, this book provides both entertainment and really important analysis on current events.

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight ...more

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Mar 30, 2022 goldenbookhunter rated it it was amazing

Love this story!!! I have soooo much to say. Probably too much. I haven’t stopped thinking about this story since I read it.

So this story is described as The Hate U Give meets Internment. 100% accurate!!! I’ve read both, and while reading Survive the Dome, T.H.U.G. and internment kept coming to mind. The blend of those two stories is exactly what this book is.

This story is so timely. Kosoko even wrote in the acknowledgments that the idea came to him three days after George Floyd was killed. Th Love this story!!! I have soooo much to say. Probably too much. I haven’t stopped thinking about this story since I read it.

So this story is described as The Hate U Give meets Internment. 100% accurate!!! I’ve read both, and while reading Survive the Dome, T.H.U.G. and internment kept coming to mind. The blend of those two stories is exactly what this book is.

This story is so timely. Kosoko even wrote in the acknowledgments that the idea came to him three days after George Floyd was killed. This is not just another story about a Black person getting killed and people coming to protest. The plot starts there, but the story is really about the aftermath and the lengths governments will go to stop people from peacefully going against the system.

Jamal, an aspiring journalist goes to document a rally where people are protesting police brutality, but soon after arriving…chaos! Aka the dome comes into play. The city turns on a dome which doesn’t allow anyone in or out AND no messages/broadcasts in or out. Y’all basically the ruling authorities in Baltimore have gone rogue and initiated martial law as well.

Why you may ask. To shut down the voices of protesters, find those who choose to defy the government’s demand to shut up about police brutality, and of course hide how they’re treating people who have the audacity to exercise their right to protest.

How are they treating those people you may ask. They’re beating, killing, and arresting them.

So Jamal went to this protest by himself, chaos happens, then he meets a hacker named Marco and Catherine later on who is an AWOL basic-training graduate. Together they work together to shut down the dome.

One of the things I love about this story is watching Jamal’s transformation. He goes from this timid character who needs to be helped and protected to this confident young man who risks everything to protect others. Also, I love that in a story where 2 of the main characters are boys and one is a girl, it’s the girl who is the most physically strong.

This story was such an emotional experience. The plot easily pulled me in. I was rooting for Jamal. I was rooting for Baltimore. I was rooting for justice. I’m saddened, but not surprised by the lengths people in the story went to in order to silence protesters. This story in some ways reflects what Black people are currently experiencing, but also Jackson takes it to an extreme that seems like it could be a reality one day.

100% recommend this book. The end made it seem like there will be a second book. I really hope so.

Thank you to NetGalley and sourcebooks fire for the eARC! ...more

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Mar 29, 2022 Reading Our Shelves rated it really liked it

Full review at: https://readingourshelves.wordpress.c...

Our main character is Jamal, a gay black teen in Annapolis. He drives to Baltimore, where there are some BLM protests going on. The governor of Maryland has been wanting to test the new Dome invention, and the protests offer the perfect opportunity. Now, Jamal is trapped inside. Not only can the citizens not get in or out, but neither can any electronic information – cell calls and texts, emails, etc.

In addition to the Dome, there is one ot Full review at: https://readingourshelves.wordpress.c...

Our main character is Jamal, a gay black teen in Annapolis. He drives to Baltimore, where there are some BLM protests going on. The governor of Maryland has been wanting to test the new Dome invention, and the protests offer the perfect opportunity. Now, Jamal is trapped inside. Not only can the citizens not get in or out, but neither can any electronic information – cell calls and texts, emails, etc.

In addition to the Dome, there is one other new technology that the government/police unveil during their Dome experiment: the police have powerful suits of armor that are all linked. The officers wearing the suits are basically super-soldiers. The only caveat is that the suits are pretty bulky, which makes them a little sluggish.

Jamal falls in with Marco, a wannabe hacker with contacts in Nemesis (analogous to the real world’s Anonymous). Marco is a pretty good hacker himself, with high ideals of changing the world, but he hasn’t been accepted into Nemesis because of his criminal record.

They also team up with Catherine, who is just a little older than them. She just got out of basic training, so her military background is useful. At first, she is cagey about herself – how does anyone know who they can trust in this situation? – but eventually we learn that Catherine is fighting to find her parents, who have been taken by the government.

The action here is non-stop, which makes this book move fast. Each chapter picks up right where the last stops, with virtually no down time. The entire story takes place over just a couple days.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, but I will say that Jamal seems too idealistic at times. He often puts himself in harm’s way to save anyone he comes across, including random people he sees on the streets. He’s precious, but almost too precocious to be a survivor in this harsh environment.

The views on police and government in the story are BLEAK. I’m not even saying they’re out of place, mind you, but they obviously come from a very frustrated place. We see leaders as the villains in most dystopian stories, though – think “The Hunger Games” – so it is really only striking in that these leaders are supposed to represent the ones we have in our present times.

This was a fast-paced read that has a lot of social commentary about the times we live in. I was able to read an advanced copy through NetGalley. ...more

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Dec 20, 2021 kaz auditore rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is a pro-BLM book, the time is placed in a BLM protest after the police killing a Black man, we’re following Jamal, a journalist student and wanted to go take photos to boost his chances getting a college he wish for. As he arrives at the protest, a dome drops on the city, trapping people from going in and out, and cutting networks too which makes it a lot more dangerous quickly thinking law enforcement was present to stop the protest. Jamal will meet Marco during an altercation with a cop ...more

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Apr 07, 2022 Celeste rated it liked it

Shelves: ya, lgbtq, contemporary, scifi-dystopian-apocalyptic

so here's the thing. while i do think this book has good things to say about police brutality and is engaging and easy to read like a popcorn action movie, i didn't really enjoy it because i could not get past how unrealistic all the characters were. mostly their dialogue. like...so much of the dialogue was not something a real person would ever say. and i also don't really understand a lot of their actions? they'd meet and two seconds later be inseparable. i understand it was a high stress scen ...more

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Jan 26, 2022 Kim McGee rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The perfect book to deal with frustrations over racial tension and COVID seclusion anxiety. Jamal is a teen journalist who knows how to speak with his pen and camera but he finds himself in over his head once he decides to attend a demonstration in Baltimore that gets violent. He along with thousands gets literally trapped under an impenetrable dome containing the rioters and inner city neighborhoods cutting him off from his mom and the life he knew. He is saved by Marco, a young latino hacker w ...more

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Mar 28, 2022 Mireya rated it it was amazing

[Note: I received an e-Arc from netgalley and the publisher in exchange of an honest review]

Did I read this book in less than 48 hours? Yes I did; no regrets😅🤣

Futuristic technology mixes with present struggles in this full-of-action book that I couldn't put down even if I had had wanted to, but I didn't, so I kept reading until I was done with it and was hoping to get something more, because I wanted to know more about the characters, but it is what it is and I enjoyed it a lot. It consumed me😅

S ...more

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Mar 28, 2022 Teri rated it liked it

Jamal is a high school student and budding journalist hoping to receive a college scholarship, and he yearns to snag the photos to secure it. He travels to Baltimore for what’s supposed to be a peaceful protest of police brutality after a Black man is murdered. He’s not there long before chaos erupts and the Dome descends over the city, trapping him inside.

The action begins almost immediately when Jamal scrambles to survive and has no choice but to place his trust in strangers. Luckily he finds ...more

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Dec 08, 2021 Kimberley Pecino rated it liked it · review of another edition

Despite quite a bit of action happening, I found the pacing quite slow at times. It also seemed as if Jamal was more interested in ogling Marco than actually coming up with a solution for how to get out of the mess they found themselves in. I wanted to know more about the characters - their motivations, their back stories, their relationships. I'm glad there will be a sequel, and I hope this is further explored! Some events felt completely unbelievable, and almost ridiculous- then again, I suppo ...more

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Nov 07, 2021 Alma rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Despite his mother’s disapproval, Jamal felt a moral obligation to attend the BLM protest in Baltimore after the recent police killing of another Black man. As a budding photojournalist, he knows his photos from the event will boost his college application. Upon arrival Jamal is immediately accosted by a cop but is rescued by Marco, a handsome stranger. Read more on my blog: https://shouldireaditornot.wordpress.... ...more

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Apr 17, 2022 Tracey added it

DNF. Got half way through and started skimming and realized I had "fast-forwarded" nearly to the end and still felt like nothing much had happened. The writing is stiff and the storyline is super predictable and while I believe teenagers often have "superpowers" IRL that adults refuse to see, these teens are just kind of ridiculously grown. The Dome is more believable than some of the decisions the characters make. ...more

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Mar 06, 2022 Sarah rated it really liked it

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

TW: Police brutality, death, slurs towards black and brown minorities, racism

Jamal is a journalist from his local high school set on using photos from a Black Lives Matter protest to help push his application for colleges. However, the last thing anyone expects is for a massive dome to encompass all of Baltimore and leave everyone there victim to the police inside. Through the help of unlikely allies and determination, Jamal will have to find a way to make it out alive and bri Rating: 3.5/5 stars

TW: Police brutality, death, slurs towards black and brown minorities, racism

Jamal is a journalist from his local high school set on using photos from a Black Lives Matter protest to help push his application for colleges. However, the last thing anyone expects is for a massive dome to encompass all of Baltimore and leave everyone there victim to the police inside. Through the help of unlikely allies and determination, Jamal will have to find a way to make it out alive and bring the dome down.

This story is set in our world, but more futuristic, where advanced technologies make it more possible for institutionalized racism to be carried out. As a result, this story is slammed with a lot of powerful messages and images that need to be heard. However, because these make up a majority of the book, it does make it extremely heavy emotionally, and I highly recommend reading this if you feel you are emotionally and mentally prepared for this kind of book.

As dark as it is, I really loved the concept. The horrifying reality of what this kind of situation would be like and the repercussions it would have on marginalized communities was terrifying to think about, that in some world, this could be our future. Reading how cops and higher authorities treated the characters of color was disgusting and immediately threw me back to June 2020 when all the protests occurred and how things took a turn for the worse when cops got involved. It could be our future, and sometimes even fictionalized renditions of real life events have just as powerful as an impact, which I felt this did. However, I will say I cannot speak to the accuracy of this representation of police brutality and racism as I am not a person of color, and instead push you to read reviews from people of color and marginalized communities to understand the quality of the representation.

When it came to characters, they felt pretty two-dimensional for me. Jamal had his moments that broke through from this, but otherwise he read to me, especially at the beginning, as just being defined by the fact that he is a journalist and he needs to break down the truth. I'm a journalist and I also understand that drive. However, it's not something that fully defines a person, and I felt it was Jamal's main character trait for a while. He breaks away from it a bit at the end, which I liked. Catherine was absolutely badass, and I liked Marco. I will admit that I wasn't a huge fan of the romance between Jamal and Marco, and felt the story could have been better off without it, even though it never took a major forefront of the story.

The ending for me felt... kind of anticlimactic? It's weird for me to describe. I don't want to say it was predictable but it kind of was? I like how it doesn't end with "racism is solved hooray" because that will take so long to fix. It gives us and the characters this hope that they'll be able to make a bigger difference, and maybe sets up for a sequel but I don't think this book needs it. But a part of me also thought it went too smoothly. I don't want to get into too much without reaching into spoiler territory, but it felt like the ending could have been more solid.

Survive the Dome is a powerful, jaw-dropping story about community, love, power, and the brutality of the real world we find ourselves in.

I received a copy of this story as an e-ARC from NetGalley. Any and all thoughts and opinions are my own. ...more

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Mar 18, 2022 Amanda Shepard (Between-the-Shelves) rated it really liked it

Shelves: dystopia, lgbtqia, young-adult, arc-reviews

As as apsiring journalist, Jamal wants to make a difference in the world. That's what brings him to one of the biggest protests in Baltimore against police brutality. He wants to document it in order to show the rest of the world. Especially since Black men just keep getting murdered by the police.

However, right before the protest begins, something happens. The city implements a new safety measure called the Dome. No one can come in, and no one can get out. With no one to turn to, Jamal is unsur ...more

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Mar 27, 2022 Sarah rated it really liked it

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

I was blown away by this book! Jamal is a student journalist who goes to Baltimore to cover protests (very much like the Black Lives Matter protests). Once he is in the city he meets Marco, another teen at the protests. While they are trying to extricate themselves from a confrontation with a police officer, Jamal receives a call from his mother telling him to leave the city immediately. Bef ...more

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Apr 03, 2022 Aarika rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A must read for 2022

This book does have some trauma but it’s worth the read. The message, results and resistance were amazing. I felt like I was there fighting and surviving with the characters. I hope to read more from these characters.

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About Kosoko Jackson

Kosoko Jackson

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Born and raised in the DC Metro Area, Kosoko Jackson has worked in non-profit communications for the past four years. His debut, YESTERDAY IS HISTORY, comes out 2021 by SourcebooksFire.