Watch Us Rise by Renee Watson & Ellen Hagan

Reviewed by Annabelle L.
Grade 12

Watch Us Rise by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan is a book that follows four teenage activists in high school and the struggles they face based on their gender, race, and appearance. The chapters are divided by month and perspective. The story switches between two of the main characters: Jasmine and Chelsea.

Jasmine is a fat, black young woman who enjoys theater. Chelsea is an insecure, white young woman who loves to write. They are both very outspoken and attend a school well-known for its progressiveness with their other two friends: Nadine and Isaac. Despite how progressive the school advertises itself to be, it is not without the everyday prejudices against those who do not fit societal expectations. These four, in trying to promote activism and speaking out through their school club, end up in hot water with the administration. Of course, they fight back.

The book is beautifully written, showcasing fantastic poetry from the characters that develop them and the story more. It touches on subjects that most coming of age and activist YA novels skim over. Examples of this include the effect of the beauty industry on women and men, the controversial topic of Henrietta Lacks, and the pigeonhole of POC-related roles and stereotypes in media. 

They do fall into the common pitfall of feminism: male equality. A few examples of this include one of the main characters using the word "womanist" instead of feminist (which toes the line of misandry) and Isaac being called weak for not doing something he is uncomfortable with (most likely as a joke, however that is not an excuse). 

The characters are very diverse in race, ethnicity, and body type (but not so much in gender or sexuality). They have flaws, are well developed, and multi-faceted. For example, Chelsea despises the industries that would take advantage of her but still feels the pressure of the societal standards women are held to. There is a theme of lack of consequences and resolution throughout the book, which might be intentional on the authors' part considering most of the people who get away with their shenanigans are white. A teacher pushes a racist stereotype on a black student, is called out on it, and, though it is mentioned a few times throughout the story, there is no resolution. Students dress as racist caricatures on school property and get away with it. One male student sexually harasses multiple female students and gets away with it.

There's also no follow up with one of the main character's love interests after he ceases to be relevant to the story. It's almost as if he completely disappears. It even shows up in the finale. Watch Us Rise finished with an open-ending. The reader won't get to see the pay-off, but they do get the experience of trying to enact change. It's not as satisfying as I would like but it is a very good ending all around.

I would recommend reading this book. It's a good portrayal of the frustrations of high school as someone who doesn't fit societal standards. There are a lot of little things about this book that I have critiques about but as a whole, it's a very engaging story. It has an accurate portrayal of sexual harassment and how it is typically dealt with (i.e. not at all), it highlights women of color in all fields, and it has a good message about body positivity. 

Not many writers get an accurate sense of what high school is like or how teenagers talk to each other, but the dialogue doesn't feel forced. I would believe these were real conversations that people were having with each other. The only real criticism I have is, though the book is about activism, it's very cishet-centered activism. LGBT themes are vaguely mentioned but never focused on. The story talks about minority representation but mainstream media is very hetero-normative. Otherwise, the writing is captivating and the poetry is phenomenal. 8.5/10, would recommend.