Upstate

By: Kalisha Buckhanon

Narrated by: Chadwick Boseman, Heather Simms

Length: 5 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

This program is read by Black Panther star, Chadwick Boseman

"Baby, the first thing I need to know from you is, do you believe I killed my father?"

So begins Upstate, a powerful story told through letters between 17-year-old Antonio and his 16-year-old girlfriend, Natasha, set in the 1990's in New York.

Antonio and Natasha's world is turned upside down, and their young love is put to the test, when Antonio finds himself in jail, accused of a shocking crime. Antonio fights to stay alive on the inside, while on the outside, Natasha faces choices that will change her life. Over the course of a decade, they share a desperate correspondence. Often, they have only each other to turn to as life takes them down separate paths and leaves them wondering if they will ever find their way back together.

Startling, real, and filled with raw emotion, Upstate is an unforgettable coming-of-age story with a message of undeniable hope. Brilliant and profoundly felt, it is destined to speak to a new generation of listeners.

©2005 Kalisha Buckhanon (P)2005 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC

Critic reviews

• 2006 Alex Award Winner
• 2005 Audie Award Winner, Literary Fiction

"A moving, uplifting story of love and hope in the face of adversity." (Publishers Weekly)

Awesome

This book is truly amazing. I could not stop listening. I work as a counselor in a prison and am currently trying to get approval to use this book at work in hopes of showing the inmates that they can change even if everything seems to be stacked against them.

Excellent-Can't Put It Down

This is an excellent book. After I started reading it I loved the format the story line. A definate must read. Some parts even brought tears to my eyes.

great story

This was a great story. Very realistic and raw. My heart really went out to the characters.

Great Book. Different Delivery, and Enjoyable

Great Book. Unusual style delivery, but enjoyable once it gets going. I realy enjoyed this book, and the letter method used for delivery. As the dates of each letter are given, it adds perspective to the setting/atmosphere.

Get the tissues out

This is a great book. I was riveted. Listened to it in 2 days. The narrators are excellent. The story is told in letters to each other (male & female main characters mainly). It spans from 1990 - 1999 but doesn't drag at all, has very good momentum. I was very emotional listening to it, I had tears for the last 3 or 4 hours intermittent w/ some laughter. This could be for adults and high school or older. I highly recommend it.

Different

I enjoyed this book told from letters written back and forth over many years. The characters are full bodied and interesting. A different read and a story you have not read 100 times before.

Branching out

I titled my review as "branching out" because this is not the type of book I would normally even consider reading or listening to.

I really enjoyed the experience. The emotions and facts that were communicated with this heart wrenching story were amazing.

It helps you appreciate what life is like for those raised in Harlem and provided with few breaks in life. The graphic details of prison life were as real to life as I have read in factual accounts previously (non-fiction).

Narrator did an excellent job....depicting the emotions of the characters was done superbly and made you feel like it was really happening right now.

Upstate

I enjoyed this book. At first, it seems simple but as the story and characters develop through the years, an amazingly tender and complex story unravels.

Loved This Book!

I didn't want this book to end. I think it would be amazing to see this on the big screen!

Not for me

I'm usually fine with the curse words in books but hearing them through the narrator was a bit too much. For an audible book, it's not for me. I'm sure it would be better if I was reading the actual book.