Anger is Only a Shadow , a contemporary young adult novel by award-winning author Elizabeth Acevedo, is a necessary and moving story for anyone who has dealt with mental illness in their families, with being a multicultural person or known youth with criminal backgrounds. The main character is a D.C. high schooler, Lil, the middle child of immigrant parents from the indigenous Taino people of El Salvador and the Afro culture of the Dominican Republic. Most of the story is her experience in a youth detention center while waiting for her court hearing and the rest of the story is what her life is like after being released to her family but with an ankle monitor. Her older brother, who has always been looking after her, has gone away to college, but his behavior has changed and not in a good way. She feels burdened with finding out what is going on with him and her parents aren’t sure what to do.
Lil reveals the positive influence that the poetry teacher at the youth detention center had on her through the “I Am From” writing prompts she is assigned. Even after leaving the center she still writes her own poems that reflect what’s going on in her mind at different points in the story. This is the strongest element of the book for me. Through Lil’s writing, her character goes through a process of seeing what is holding her back and getting to the place where she belongs. Even with several setbacks, the transformation that Lil goes through offers hope to others going through similar circumstances.
Another strong aspect of the story is Lil’s relationship with her Abuela who is going through memory loss. She sometimes speaks in her native language and this reminds Lil of how much her brother loved the stories that her Abuela told them. This connection to her heritage is what ends up being a big factor in helping her brother at a dire time. Prior to reading this book I had read stories about characters with mental illness, however this is the first time I have read about a younger sibling who witnesses her older sibling’s mental health decline. Acevedo provides additional mental health resources at the end of the book.
Of course Lil’s time returning to school after the fallout of her crime is also an important part of her story. As a teacher myself, it reminded me of how much may be going on in the lives of my students that affects their behavior at school. It also makes me question some of the school rules that are strictly enforced without being able to make exceptions for students with special needs. Although it was sad to see that her two best friends, who were with her during her crime, were no longer at her school, it made her pivot to others that she had always been curious about from afar.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone age 13 and up. Acevedo’s writing is reminiscent of Neal Shusterman and Angie Thomas, as they all express their stories with similar heart and authenticity.
Thanks to NetGalley for sharing an advanced reader copy for me to read and review before the book is published in September 2026.
.jpg)
.jpg)
