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Queens of the Resistance #4
Queens of the Resistance: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: A Biography
Part of the four-book Queens of the Resistance series, saluting some of the most beloved boss ladies in a celebration of AOC, the youngest woman ever to serve in Congress and its newest superstar
Not long ago, no one could even imagine a twenty-eight-year-old Latina upstart running for Congress representing Queens and the It required facing the city’s nearly all-white, all-male political machine. But since Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez graced the scene in all her bartending, tweet-talking, mold-breaking glory, the face of politics in the twenty-first century has changed. Today, Ocasio-Cortez is a foremost advocate for progress, whipping up support among her colleagues and gaining the secret admiration of her foes. She’s jousting with an outrageous president and a conservative media sphere that place her under relentless attack. Why? Because they fear her gift for speaking truth to power.
With illustrations, deep research, and writing as endlessly quotable as she is, Queens of the Resistance pays tribute to this phenomenal woman.
About the Each book of the Queens of the Resistance series is a celebration of the rebellion against the oppression of women and an embracement of the new in the United States government. The series is adorned with sass, discernment, and the badassery of the present and future leadership. The Doomsday Clock is at a minute to midnight, and the patriarchal power grid that lights “the shining city on a Hill” is about to black out. It’s time to yield to the alternative—the power of women.
Not long ago, no one could even imagine a twenty-eight-year-old Latina upstart running for Congress representing Queens and the It required facing the city’s nearly all-white, all-male political machine. But since Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez graced the scene in all her bartending, tweet-talking, mold-breaking glory, the face of politics in the twenty-first century has changed. Today, Ocasio-Cortez is a foremost advocate for progress, whipping up support among her colleagues and gaining the secret admiration of her foes. She’s jousting with an outrageous president and a conservative media sphere that place her under relentless attack. Why? Because they fear her gift for speaking truth to power.
With illustrations, deep research, and writing as endlessly quotable as she is, Queens of the Resistance pays tribute to this phenomenal woman.
About the Each book of the Queens of the Resistance series is a celebration of the rebellion against the oppression of women and an embracement of the new in the United States government. The series is adorned with sass, discernment, and the badassery of the present and future leadership. The Doomsday Clock is at a minute to midnight, and the patriarchal power grid that lights “the shining city on a Hill” is about to black out. It’s time to yield to the alternative—the power of women.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published June 30, 2020
14 people are currently reading
228 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
September 15, 2020
I will agree with the other reviewers. There was so much potential for this book, but the tone was very off. It's, like what another reviewer said, sounded like an older person writing, trying to be cool. I would have rather read an autobiography by Alexandria and have her narrate it, but I get it, she's busy.
I also thought the narrator tried really hard to be "cool" but it sounded annoying and fake. I didn't think the slang or off-beat commentary was needed. If this was a dry book about facts, it would have been more enjoyable to me. It was also too short to show me any insight to AOC.
You can skip this book and just watch the Netflix documentary.
I also thought the narrator tried really hard to be "cool" but it sounded annoying and fake. I didn't think the slang or off-beat commentary was needed. If this was a dry book about facts, it would have been more enjoyable to me. It was also too short to show me any insight to AOC.
You can skip this book and just watch the Netflix documentary.
September 9, 2020
MY QUEEN AOC 🙌
I loved how fun this was to read (despite being nonfiction). Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez will forever inspire me and continues to ignite my inner flame of passion for making this country better literally every time I look through her twitter.
The book itself was a little quickly paced, so at times it felt a bit hard to understand what was going on, but generally it did a great job of giving an overview of AOC's life while simultaneously making me laugh!
I loved how fun this was to read (despite being nonfiction). Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez will forever inspire me and continues to ignite my inner flame of passion for making this country better literally every time I look through her twitter.
The book itself was a little quickly paced, so at times it felt a bit hard to understand what was going on, but generally it did a great job of giving an overview of AOC's life while simultaneously making me laugh!
August 16, 2022
Review and star rating to follow. I'm still trying to figure my opinion about this book out.
Update 9/25/20:
So, I had a little bit of time to think about this book and everything I read. I really wanted to learn more about AOC, her personality, her thought process, her upbringing. And yes, I did get that! It was exciting to learn more about this charismatic young woman and her journey to Congress. However, overall, this book left a bad taste in my mouth. My hope was that this would be a portrait of a great young woman which would open the door to some more dialogue and for more conservative voters to see the world from her perspective. But this book ended up being a man hating, Trump and conservatives hating, Democratic party glorifying propaganda book and that, my dear friends, was extremely disappointing!!! This is NOT how you start adult conversations about politics and the goals AOC has/had. This book had so much potential and fell utterly short!!! I'm very sad about that!
Also, the writing style was annoying at times! I get it...this may be aimed at a younger generation. But I'm sure us older folks are very interested in AOC's story and goals. I felt like the author tried too hard to use language that would make it interesting to read, but I had the feeling that even Millennials and GenZers would roll their eyes at this one.
I hardly ever give a book a rating of less than 3 stars, but this book doesn't deserve more than 2 stars.
Update 9/25/20:
So, I had a little bit of time to think about this book and everything I read. I really wanted to learn more about AOC, her personality, her thought process, her upbringing. And yes, I did get that! It was exciting to learn more about this charismatic young woman and her journey to Congress. However, overall, this book left a bad taste in my mouth. My hope was that this would be a portrait of a great young woman which would open the door to some more dialogue and for more conservative voters to see the world from her perspective. But this book ended up being a man hating, Trump and conservatives hating, Democratic party glorifying propaganda book and that, my dear friends, was extremely disappointing!!! This is NOT how you start adult conversations about politics and the goals AOC has/had. This book had so much potential and fell utterly short!!! I'm very sad about that!
Also, the writing style was annoying at times! I get it...this may be aimed at a younger generation. But I'm sure us older folks are very interested in AOC's story and goals. I felt like the author tried too hard to use language that would make it interesting to read, but I had the feeling that even Millennials and GenZers would roll their eyes at this one.
I hardly ever give a book a rating of less than 3 stars, but this book doesn't deserve more than 2 stars.
September 1, 2022
(Adopts overbearing American female accent) Oh my god so this is like, listening to like the most irritating podcast eeeeeeeeever gurl! (raises hand). I mean like totally (intake of breath and dramatic eye roll) aaaaaawful! It’s like about this guuuurl who was poor, but she wasn’t really poor, but anyways she like went to college (mortarboard emoji) and stuff and she’s like (air quotations) a queen (air quotations) and yaah and she like ran for congress and so that was like toooootally amaaaaaaazing. (heart emoji) And she’s like super smart n stuff too! (Einstein emoji) And like did a whole bunch of really cooool stuff (gangsta lean) and she could totally be like the next Hillary Clinton. You go guuurl! (whoops and dancing etc).
This was a like a podcast you’d turn off within the first ninety seconds or a really, really bad episode of “The Cleveland Show” (without the bear). Contrary to the desperate attempts at myth making Ocasio-Cortez did not grow up in poverty. Her family owned their own home and her dad owned a small, architect firm. It’s a bit insulting, not least to genuinely poor people, to suggest that the daughter of a man who owns a small architect firm as well as his own home was deprived.
No opportunity is wasted to play into or inflate Latinx stereotypes. But aside from this silliness Cortez sounds like one of the good uns, no lobbyists is always a good starting point, and she volunteered for ole Bernie’s campaign, and her various campaigning elsewhere on many fronts. So she certainly sounds like she has something fresh and of substance to offer the bloated and polluted political landscape of America, especially compared to the likes of Clinton or Biden. So five stars for what Ocasio-Cortez is appearing to do and 0 for the style of writing.
This was a like a podcast you’d turn off within the first ninety seconds or a really, really bad episode of “The Cleveland Show” (without the bear). Contrary to the desperate attempts at myth making Ocasio-Cortez did not grow up in poverty. Her family owned their own home and her dad owned a small, architect firm. It’s a bit insulting, not least to genuinely poor people, to suggest that the daughter of a man who owns a small architect firm as well as his own home was deprived.
No opportunity is wasted to play into or inflate Latinx stereotypes. But aside from this silliness Cortez sounds like one of the good uns, no lobbyists is always a good starting point, and she volunteered for ole Bernie’s campaign, and her various campaigning elsewhere on many fronts. So she certainly sounds like she has something fresh and of substance to offer the bloated and polluted political landscape of America, especially compared to the likes of Clinton or Biden. So five stars for what Ocasio-Cortez is appearing to do and 0 for the style of writing.
July 17, 2020
4 out of 5 💪"...She's still Alex from the block 🎶"
'Queens of the Resistance' is a series of books about modern-day politicians committed to making an impact on our everyday lives. Also, to change the existing administrative model to be more inclusive and welcome for every gender and skin color. These Queens are concerned about racial justice, everyday problems of undocumented Americans, and climate change.
The volume about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tells the story of AOC since the very beginning, including her childhood through the first steps in politics to her plans for the future. The book is strongly biased but that something the one can guess just by the title. It made my roll my eyes ones or twice in the first chapters but the farthest in the book, the more concrete data, and stories. I enjoyed the background story of Alexandria and all the badass stuff she's done (so far!).
The biggest advantage of the series is language, pure gen Z / millennial slang and references made me smile. That whole attitude made the book more enjoyable and easier to digest.
I enjoyed that piece and want to read more books of that series!!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher Plume for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and feelings are my own.
'Queens of the Resistance' is a series of books about modern-day politicians committed to making an impact on our everyday lives. Also, to change the existing administrative model to be more inclusive and welcome for every gender and skin color. These Queens are concerned about racial justice, everyday problems of undocumented Americans, and climate change.
The volume about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tells the story of AOC since the very beginning, including her childhood through the first steps in politics to her plans for the future. The book is strongly biased but that something the one can guess just by the title. It made my roll my eyes ones or twice in the first chapters but the farthest in the book, the more concrete data, and stories. I enjoyed the background story of Alexandria and all the badass stuff she's done (so far!).
The biggest advantage of the series is language, pure gen Z / millennial slang and references made me smile. That whole attitude made the book more enjoyable and easier to digest.
I enjoyed that piece and want to read more books of that series!!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher Plume for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and feelings are my own.
November 1, 2020
I liked how much I learned about AOC here. I knew she was a bad ass already and hearing her journey into politics was super interesting to me.
May 2, 2020
“I smoked this race...I didn’t edge anybody out. I dominated and I’m going to own that.”
Honestly, the only things I knew about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez before reading this book was that she was the youngest person ever elected to Congress, which in itself is a tremendous accomplishment, and she faced harsh negativity from the likes of Trump and Fox News. However, thanks to this book, I now recognize that she is so much more than that. She is the closest to a perfect politician you can get; she cares deeply about her constituents and all people, she is intelligent, she is brave, she is open-minded, and she is fun. She understands how important it is to listen. She doesn’t introduce policies as a way to better herself individually. No, she is invested in policies that can save the country. She stands up for women, immigrants, communities of color, the LGBTQ+ community. She doesn’t let anyone push her around and she owns her accomplishments. She is globally-minded and deeply empathetic and I regret not knowing more about her before now.
Queens of the Resistance: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a highly accessible book. It does not read like a textbook, although it is definitely just as informative. The language is effective in highlighting not just that biographies and nonfiction can be for everyone, but that AOC is an extraordinary everyday individual. The authors effectively are telling their readers, “Hey, this woman from a working class family in the Bronx became a woman who inspires us all and you can, too.” It is a fun and endearing read that is short, sweet, and to the point, but packs a punch of inspiring messages. This book would be the perfect read for anyone who wants to learn from fearless leader, AOC.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for allowing me access to the e-ARC of this book.
Honestly, the only things I knew about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez before reading this book was that she was the youngest person ever elected to Congress, which in itself is a tremendous accomplishment, and she faced harsh negativity from the likes of Trump and Fox News. However, thanks to this book, I now recognize that she is so much more than that. She is the closest to a perfect politician you can get; she cares deeply about her constituents and all people, she is intelligent, she is brave, she is open-minded, and she is fun. She understands how important it is to listen. She doesn’t introduce policies as a way to better herself individually. No, she is invested in policies that can save the country. She stands up for women, immigrants, communities of color, the LGBTQ+ community. She doesn’t let anyone push her around and she owns her accomplishments. She is globally-minded and deeply empathetic and I regret not knowing more about her before now.
Queens of the Resistance: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a highly accessible book. It does not read like a textbook, although it is definitely just as informative. The language is effective in highlighting not just that biographies and nonfiction can be for everyone, but that AOC is an extraordinary everyday individual. The authors effectively are telling their readers, “Hey, this woman from a working class family in the Bronx became a woman who inspires us all and you can, too.” It is a fun and endearing read that is short, sweet, and to the point, but packs a punch of inspiring messages. This book would be the perfect read for anyone who wants to learn from fearless leader, AOC.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for allowing me access to the e-ARC of this book.
April 23, 2020
"Who knew that while we were enjoying the moment, the wind beneath our wings after two terms with the first black president, a time that had left us proximal to a variety of enjoyable mini multi-cultures: sushi, guacamole, break dancing--there was a group of malcontents intent on making America great again..."great" like the 1940's. And that mean forcing women back into the kitchen, padlocking the door, and throwing away the key."
I want to begin by saying that I love Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and align with her politically, so this book was just like a continuous pep-talk for me, reminding me of all the changes I would like to see in the American political machine. That being said, I found this book to be an easy read and most likely targeted at younger girls probably around my 12 year old daughter's age. It was easy to understand and informative and reminded us how AOC represents us all, not just herself and not just the Bronx. I believe if Trump is the backlash we are receiving for Obama, then by the same measure, AOC and her squad are the backlash to Trump. As the authors wrote, "These women are America’s response to the mess that became the Trump election. Enough is enough."
I do not think that anyone who doesn't agree with AOC would enjoy this book, thanks to the constant media sabotage from Fox News towards AOC, however, I also don't think it will matter because they will not be the ones to pick up this book. I think this book holds a fantastic overview to share with young girls who look up to these trailblazers and reminds us all that just one person can make a difference.
Thank you to @netgalley for my advanced copy!
I want to begin by saying that I love Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and align with her politically, so this book was just like a continuous pep-talk for me, reminding me of all the changes I would like to see in the American political machine. That being said, I found this book to be an easy read and most likely targeted at younger girls probably around my 12 year old daughter's age. It was easy to understand and informative and reminded us how AOC represents us all, not just herself and not just the Bronx. I believe if Trump is the backlash we are receiving for Obama, then by the same measure, AOC and her squad are the backlash to Trump. As the authors wrote, "These women are America’s response to the mess that became the Trump election. Enough is enough."
I do not think that anyone who doesn't agree with AOC would enjoy this book, thanks to the constant media sabotage from Fox News towards AOC, however, I also don't think it will matter because they will not be the ones to pick up this book. I think this book holds a fantastic overview to share with young girls who look up to these trailblazers and reminds us all that just one person can make a difference.
Thank you to @netgalley for my advanced copy!
December 7, 2022
" I wake up everyday, and I am a Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx.' AOC, The New York Times
For whoever was once inspired by AOC, this a good quick easy cheerful read to understand why she gets the bravery and gut to speak the truth and preserve authenticity when she is a de facto incumbent of the house since her inauguration in 2019).Her upbringing as a puerto-Rican immigrant in a nonwhite community, her early experience getting involved in activism ( the North Dakota Access Pipeline), and the tragedy of her father 's death and her family's financial struggle in her late teens, all empowered her as a congresswoman to really speak for those isolated, for the poor and the vulnerable. She has been honest with her learning curve and the imposter syndrome and being public about her insecurity as a young girl on the Hill. But she slapped back, challenging those who spoke ill of her family and friends, and those who are irresponsible about their claim and statement.
Though not as detailed as a typical biography, it outlines the key moment of her political career so far including the build up of her crushing win of the primary against Joe Crowley .
For whoever was once inspired by AOC, this a good quick easy cheerful read to understand why she gets the bravery and gut to speak the truth and preserve authenticity when she is a de facto incumbent of the house since her inauguration in 2019).Her upbringing as a puerto-Rican immigrant in a nonwhite community, her early experience getting involved in activism ( the North Dakota Access Pipeline), and the tragedy of her father 's death and her family's financial struggle in her late teens, all empowered her as a congresswoman to really speak for those isolated, for the poor and the vulnerable. She has been honest with her learning curve and the imposter syndrome and being public about her insecurity as a young girl on the Hill. But she slapped back, challenging those who spoke ill of her family and friends, and those who are irresponsible about their claim and statement.
Though not as detailed as a typical biography, it outlines the key moment of her political career so far including the build up of her crushing win of the primary against Joe Crowley .
May 21, 2020
Definitely an inspiring read. More young people in Congress, please!!
August 21, 2020
Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Dutton for providing me an E-ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
I was super excited to pick this up! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is an absolute icon. I'm always eager to learn more about her life, and I did learn a lot from reading this book! It was awesome learning about her family history and her upbringing. I also enjoyed getting some quotes from family members about AOC and her political endeavours. Furthermore, I thought the authors made good decisions regarding the quotes and speeches from AOC that they finally included. I also really love the cover, as you can just see Alexandria's empathy, care, and compassion shine right through the illustration.
However, besides those few things, I didn't really enjoy this book much. I don't want to dwell on the negatives, so I'll just quickly make some points:
- The timeline was jumpy and confusing at times
- I REALLY didn't like the constant use of "sis", "girl", "queen", etc. It made the overall reading experience just... pretty bad.
- There was a whole section about "beauty tips", which I did not understand and was quite confused by.
- The E-ARC was missing all of the photos inside the book. Of course, I understand that an advanced copy wouldn't be totally finished, so this didn't bother me too much.
- I hate Trump, but the authors sometimes used ableist terms and ideas when talking about him, and I can't get behind that.
- There were a lot of people introduced and talked about in this book (understandably), but I wish there was a list either at the beginning or end of these people's names/jobs/relation to AOC.
Overall, I think this is a good resource for starting to learn about AOC. The information is detailed. albeit confusing at times, and you really get a sense of Alexandria's character and impact on the world. This obviously isn't the be-all-end-all of biographies, far from it, but in the small page count of it, I think the authors accomplished what they set out to do. There were quite a few things I didn't enjoy, so I can't give this a rating any higher than a 3/5 stars. But I'm glad I read it and learned more about AOC's past.
I was super excited to pick this up! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is an absolute icon. I'm always eager to learn more about her life, and I did learn a lot from reading this book! It was awesome learning about her family history and her upbringing. I also enjoyed getting some quotes from family members about AOC and her political endeavours. Furthermore, I thought the authors made good decisions regarding the quotes and speeches from AOC that they finally included. I also really love the cover, as you can just see Alexandria's empathy, care, and compassion shine right through the illustration.
However, besides those few things, I didn't really enjoy this book much. I don't want to dwell on the negatives, so I'll just quickly make some points:
- The timeline was jumpy and confusing at times
- I REALLY didn't like the constant use of "sis", "girl", "queen", etc. It made the overall reading experience just... pretty bad.
- There was a whole section about "beauty tips", which I did not understand and was quite confused by.
- The E-ARC was missing all of the photos inside the book. Of course, I understand that an advanced copy wouldn't be totally finished, so this didn't bother me too much.
- I hate Trump, but the authors sometimes used ableist terms and ideas when talking about him, and I can't get behind that.
- There were a lot of people introduced and talked about in this book (understandably), but I wish there was a list either at the beginning or end of these people's names/jobs/relation to AOC.
Overall, I think this is a good resource for starting to learn about AOC. The information is detailed. albeit confusing at times, and you really get a sense of Alexandria's character and impact on the world. This obviously isn't the be-all-end-all of biographies, far from it, but in the small page count of it, I think the authors accomplished what they set out to do. There were quite a few things I didn't enjoy, so I can't give this a rating any higher than a 3/5 stars. But I'm glad I read it and learned more about AOC's past.
January 3, 2025
Disclaimer: I read this in Spanish which is not my primary language. That likely had some sway in my thoughts on this book.
My library had this shelved as “young adult nonfiction”. With that in mind, I think this does function alright as a YA look into AOC. It’s not the most comprehensive, but with the target audience being young adults, I think it succeeds in its primary function of being a biography for a young audience.
I do have a couple complaints. First, this is a really girlbossified take on AOC. She’s presented as someone who can do no wrong, which I think is dangerous when we’re talking about political leaders. Obviously the book can’t be a full critique on her policies given the young audience, but I think we’re slipping into dangerous territory when we just “shes a queen, yaaas, she’s perfect in every way”.
Second, like some other reviewers mentioned, it feels like the author is trying really hard to be cool. There are numerous quotes from female musicians, which seem to serve no purpose other than to be #Relatable. I don’t care enough to look up how old the author of this book is, but the writing feels like it’s someone over the age of 45 trying really hard to relate to gen Z/A.
Overall, it was fine. Again, I do think it succeeds in being a biography for young adults, but the writing itself feels out of touch with the target audience. Also not a fan of how much of a pedestal AOC is placed on. Three stars
My library had this shelved as “young adult nonfiction”. With that in mind, I think this does function alright as a YA look into AOC. It’s not the most comprehensive, but with the target audience being young adults, I think it succeeds in its primary function of being a biography for a young audience.
I do have a couple complaints. First, this is a really girlbossified take on AOC. She’s presented as someone who can do no wrong, which I think is dangerous when we’re talking about political leaders. Obviously the book can’t be a full critique on her policies given the young audience, but I think we’re slipping into dangerous territory when we just “shes a queen, yaaas, she’s perfect in every way”.
Second, like some other reviewers mentioned, it feels like the author is trying really hard to be cool. There are numerous quotes from female musicians, which seem to serve no purpose other than to be #Relatable. I don’t care enough to look up how old the author of this book is, but the writing feels like it’s someone over the age of 45 trying really hard to relate to gen Z/A.
Overall, it was fine. Again, I do think it succeeds in being a biography for young adults, but the writing itself feels out of touch with the target audience. Also not a fan of how much of a pedestal AOC is placed on. Three stars
January 28, 2021
Ugh!!! I wanted to love this book so badly!!! It was so cute and colorful and fun looking and I got it at Urban Outfitters and it’s about my favorite politician ever so it was just calling my name!
This book was somewhat disappointing, however. The laid back language and causality of this book was entirely overused. If I read “sis” or “queen” one more time, I was about to throw the book at the wall (I know I totally sound like I’m 50 saying that even though I’m 17, but... still.) The actual writing was quite poorly organized and pieced together, and the rating is 3 stars versus 1.5/2 only because some of the information was genuinely interesting and because I am seriously in love with AOC, so it felt a crime to give just a star or two to a book all about her.
Unfortunately, the book was just too jumbled and disorganized for my taste. I definitely won’t be re-reading, but will now venture out for a book more informative on her. However, since the read was so casual and quick, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this to someone else, but I wouldn’t steer them away from it. If you love AOC and don’t mind a little female empowerment, this book is just that (though not always executed in the best ways)!
This book was somewhat disappointing, however. The laid back language and causality of this book was entirely overused. If I read “sis” or “queen” one more time, I was about to throw the book at the wall (I know I totally sound like I’m 50 saying that even though I’m 17, but... still.) The actual writing was quite poorly organized and pieced together, and the rating is 3 stars versus 1.5/2 only because some of the information was genuinely interesting and because I am seriously in love with AOC, so it felt a crime to give just a star or two to a book all about her.
Unfortunately, the book was just too jumbled and disorganized for my taste. I definitely won’t be re-reading, but will now venture out for a book more informative on her. However, since the read was so casual and quick, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this to someone else, but I wouldn’t steer them away from it. If you love AOC and don’t mind a little female empowerment, this book is just that (though not always executed in the best ways)!
July 3, 2020
I really wanted to like this book but I just could not do it. This is my first one star review and i feel as though it is heavily warranted. Let me start by saying I read this book as a way to gain more information about Congresswoman AOC as I happen to find it immensely beneficial to learn about every politician Democrat or Republican as a way to truly be an informed person on current events. I will also mention that I happen to lean more conservatively than most. However, My political views do not factor into this review at all. This book read more as a hagiography than a balanced view of AOC and her congressional contributions and beliefs. The Prose also became quite annoying with the term Queen or Yaasss coming more than I would have thought necessary as it made the book feel more like a way to capitalize on Teen Culture and portray AOC as a beloved congresswoman in the eyes of the voters that belong to My Generation. I sincerely hope that the other books in this series are better.
January 26, 2021
While I enjoyed the book itself, I wonder if it’s more designed for a teenage audience rather than an adult reader because it reads a lot like a high school report. The content was informative, but surface level and I couldn’t help but feel the dialogue in which it was written took away from the quality of the content. I’m curious if the writers have met AOC or if they’re rewriting other’s news stories and interviews in a different way in an attempt to cash in on her success. I found myself skipping over the “sis” and “queens” throughout the book, mostly because they were placed poorly in the middle of important sentences or at the end as if after thoughts. If there is an audio book I wonder if it would translate better, because on paper the content came up short and in echoing other’s thoughts tried too hard to make politics “wok.” With that being said, I do plan to read the other three books in the series.
May 2, 2020
Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton & NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy
Available June 30 2020
In "Queens of Resistance: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez", Brenda Jones & Krishan Trotman attempt to discuss the young Congresswomen's successful story along with a mix of #relatable content like fashion tips & favorite recipes. While talking about issues like ICE and climate change, Trotman and Jones try to keep it #hip by sprinkling in terms like "go sis" and "yasss". It reads like a literal transcript of Al-jazeera mixed with some Teen Vogue and NowThis. It seems like the book and the series would appeal to the older teen population who are beginning to be politically engaged.
Available June 30 2020
In "Queens of Resistance: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez", Brenda Jones & Krishan Trotman attempt to discuss the young Congresswomen's successful story along with a mix of #relatable content like fashion tips & favorite recipes. While talking about issues like ICE and climate change, Trotman and Jones try to keep it #hip by sprinkling in terms like "go sis" and "yasss". It reads like a literal transcript of Al-jazeera mixed with some Teen Vogue and NowThis. It seems like the book and the series would appeal to the older teen population who are beginning to be politically engaged.
April 10, 2022
I got the series and started on this book first. Super short read and pretty cover. But the contents are really basic and super casual. I wanted to learn more about AOC and it was less factual and more like a book report with a lot of the author’s commentary.
By the end I was so sick of being called sis and hearing queen.
I’ll read the rest of the series and I really want to like them. I love adding women’s empowerment books to my library but so far I would not re-read them. Maybe the others are better. Otherwise stick to biographies.
By the end I was so sick of being called sis and hearing queen.
I’ll read the rest of the series and I really want to like them. I love adding women’s empowerment books to my library but so far I would not re-read them. Maybe the others are better. Otherwise stick to biographies.
January 24, 2023
This is part of a mini biography series, and it’s clearly targeted toward young people (like… younger than me, a 29-year-old). AOC’s story is obviously incredible, so it was nice to learn more in an overview sort of way. The writing is a little annoying, though. It’s filled with slang and pop culture references, which would be okay but they just kinda overdo it. It’s just kinda cheesy. Overall, I think this is probably a great series for people who want to learn more about the women working to change our country for the better, but don’t feel like reading a 500-page biography.
January 17, 2021
I enjoyed learning more about AOC. She is an amazing human! I found the writing style to be a bit distracting. I do believe this book is aimed at attracting and holding the attention of younger readers which I think it would do masterfully. I rate it three stars for the distraction of the use of hashtags and current vernacular of this generation. Other than that, it's a sold, quick read on a very important woman in U.S. History.
February 16, 2021
I’ll agree with the other reviewers, the writing tone is insufferable at times. While I appreciated the information about AOC, I was hoping for something a little bit more in-depth and less “I’m so cool-listen to me! *snap* *snap* “. I would recommend this to a middle or high-schooler doing a book report or wanting to learn more about political figures in a bite-sized book. There’s even a few illustrations to help break up and enhance the story.
September 9, 2020
AOC is a BOSS!! Her journey to Congress is inspiring- this is an important read for all young women, even those who are uninterested in or unfamiliar with politics. Although the style of writing definitely targets a younger audience, it was still an enjoyable read- would make a great resource for teachers to share with teenage students!
February 20, 2021
I expected more from this book than a hagiography. I don’t know who the audience for this book is, but it’s not me. It felt like it was geared towards middle-age readers, but there was too much profanity for that to be the case. I’m going to go back to enjoying the first volume of Obama’s memoir now.
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March 20, 2021A light biography - well-researched and solid information though the writing is very much “teenager-speak”. Definitely targeted toward the younger reader. But, hey, if young women (and men) are reading and learning about AOC (and/or the other Queens of the Resistance), I’ll take it!!
2021 Popsugar Reading Challenge - A book whose title starts with “Q”, "X," or "Z"
2021 Popsugar Reading Challenge - A book whose title starts with “Q”, "X," or "Z"
August 10, 2022
I found this book to be a bit kitschy in that there were many additions meant to connect with a younger audience that came off as cringey. I loved learning more about her platform and experiences, but it was missing a more personal touch and is probably better for younger readers. I feel like I learned everything I had already seen from Knock the House Down.
May 19, 2020
Excellent YA, teen or new adult title. Well researched, written in an accessible, fun way. I'm looking forward to recommending this to teens and the occasional adult. One critical note for netgalley, this is only listed under Biography and Memoirs, it should be in YA as well
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February 4, 2021Overall Opinion: This was a cute yet informative read. I love this idea of Queens of the Resistance. The only thing that bothered me was the overuse of slang, but that's just me being picky.
September 26, 2021
Overt puff piece transcribed in carcinogenic yas Qween ethos. Ludicrous in tone and political commentary, the book did manage to impart AOC’s origin story in such a way that made me see her as more of a person and less of a cartoon. I think that’s a good thing.
July 26, 2024
I've had this series on my to-read for awhile. It's very much giving Elder Millennial speaking to Gen Z/A - I am not the intended audience. I also wish it had more about AOC and less about others. I don't think I will read any more from the series.
September 2, 2024
While I enjoyed learning more about AOC, I did not appreciate the writing style. I’m not sure what the authors were aiming, but the “clap backs” “snap, snap” and the “yaas” grew old real fast. I guess maybe I wasn’t the target audience.
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