Writer and substitute teacher June Papers, who is homeless, trudges in and out of 24-hour cafés, New City Public School, and his subconscious ramblings in the introspective and spectacularly written Wings of Red by James W. Jennings. Jennings himself is a Black educator, and the novel as autobiographical fiction is clear through June's revealingly self-aware internal dialogue: "There I am. June Papers. Twenty-eight years old. MFA with a felony. The classic young, Black, and gifted American misfit." June never imagined he would hand out his novel, Strays, for free far more often than he would sell it; shower only occasionally; and find hope amid the long days subbing gym class and completing various odd jobs.
June's constant journaling gives his voice a diary entry-style narration. This striking format and June's intuitive perspective as a Black educator in New York City allows readers to dive into the mind of an incredibly multifaceted protagonist. Wings of Red, thought-provoking and engrossing, is a testimony to the rise, fall, and potential to rise again of creatives such as writers and educators. Jennings's lived experiences, captured here with students and educators in mind, grants the novel an authenticity.
June's not-so-carefree gallivanting around New York exposes the wonders and oddities of the city and the people in it. Understanding yet critical when necessary, the novel expresses love for New York, a powerful opposition to stereotypes, and an intimate look into the American dream. Wings of Red, which proves that no path to success is linear, is an important and relevant debut. --Clara Newton, freelance reviewer