The Latte Rebellion Review

Title: The Latte Rebellion
Author: Sarah Jamila Stevenson
Publisher: Flux
Published: January 1, 2011
Genre: YA, Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 327
Source: Publisher

When high school senior Asha Jamison gets called a "towel head" at a pool party, the racist insult gives Asha and her best friend Carey a great money-making idea for a post-graduation trip. They'll sell T-shirts promoting the Latte Rebellion, a club that raises awareness of mixed-race students.

Seemingly overnight, their "cause" goes viral and the T-shirts become a nationwide fad. As new chapters spring up from coast to coast, Asha realizes that her simple marketing plan has taken on a life of its own-and it's starting to ruin hers. Asha's once-stellar grades begin to slip, threatening her Ivy League dreams, and her friendship with Carey is hanging by a thread.

And when the peaceful underground movement turns militant, Asha's school launches a disciplinary hearing.Facing expulsion, Asha must decide how much she's willing to risk for something she truly believes in.

The Latte Rebellion follows Asha Jamison, your ordinary teenage girl with extraordinary dreams that finds herself at the bad end of a racial slur during a pool party. When one of her fellow classmates calls her a “towel-head,” Asha and her friend Carey dream up something they call “The Latte Rebellion.” A group formed for all those who don’t quite fit into a single ethnic background, Asha decides to capitalize on the idea to make a little money on the side…but she had no idea that The Latte Rebellion would be so popular. Seemingly overnight, the rebellion takes on a life of its own, and students start becoming more forceful. In fact, the helpful and supportive organization Asha created might just be the end of her Ivy League dreams.

I remember hearing the premise of The Latte Rebellion a while back, and I was instantly hooked by the premise. Plus, who can deny a cover with a steaming mug of coffee, eh? While contemporary fiction isn’t usually my thing, I was attracted to The Latte Rebellion because of the undercurrent of morals that seemed to seep into every pore of the story, giving it a real, tangible approach to a serious issue in this day and age. While a lot of contemps seem to be surface-level only, Sarah Jamila Stevenson has seamlessly blended a coming-of-age story with a strong theme of tolerance, community, and friendship.

What I loved most about The Latte Rebellion was the accessibility of the characters. Asha is extremely approachable. She’s a teen with all her angst and rebellion, but she has a goal and a viewpoint. Carey is well-rounded, too, and a bit of a joker – adding just a hint of comic relief through the otherwise tense situations. While I enjoyed the overall pacing of The Latte Rebellion, it’s important to note that the story jumps between flashbacks of what happened to the current predicament that Asha has found herself in. I felt that, at times, it was a little abrupt, and I had to remind myself we’d changed from past to present.

Overall though, The Latte Rebellion was a poignant, powerful, and inspiring read. In an age where too many people turn a blind eye, or shut up when they should speak, this book encourages the reader to stand up for their beliefs and values. I give it a very strong 4 out of 5, and I’d recommend it to fans of YA, as well as adult audiences, especially those who enjoy contemporary fiction. 

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.