Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

69 reviews

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny informative reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A brilliant story that on the surface is about two people who can’t let go of the past but when you dig deeper is about their need to not be racist, no matter the cost. This book outlines the way that well-meaning white liberals (especially the women) make choices for and about the Black women in their lives, instead of treating those women like true equals and giving them the space to make their own choices. Reid highlights the way white people often think they know what is best or just for Black people without asking or trying to understand a different perspective while also telling a complex coming of age story filled with love and loss. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Classism, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

sib_reads's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, and Police brutality

Minor: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

marisa_n's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Racial slurs, Police brutality, Cultural appropriation, and Classism

Minor: Stalking

nenya's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was simply amazing. As a white person, I think it’s so important to read it and to reflect upon yourself. It’s got several very important lessons about casual as well as explicit racism and what it means to actually be anti-racist. One of the biggest topics is the fetishization of POC which is an equally disturbing and important element of the plot. What I also love is the relationship between the protagonist Emira and the child she‘s babysitting, Briar. It’s so heartwarming and yet cruel because their relationship is based on a transaction making it difficult to define the difference of professionalism/a job well done and family love. Over all, this book will leave you with so many wow moments and opportunities to rethink your views on race. It’s an easy five stars.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Classism, Police brutality, and Racism

Moderate: Gaslighting, Cursing, Sexual content, and Vomit

basicbookstagrammer's review against another edition

emotional funny informative lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Classism, Cultural appropriation, and Emotional abuse

cammiem8's review against another edition

challenging reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Wow, were these characters frustrating! And I know that was the point, and their interactions were interesting and made me listen through it very quickly. Although what Alix/Alex did was objectively worse, I couldn’t help but despise Kelley more than any of the other characters, he just came off to me as so slimy and pretty much got off scotch free in the end. Also have to say the kid was really annoying. I find myself really wanting to talk about this book, and I’ll certainly be thinking about it for a while. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs

Moderate: Fatphobia, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Body shaming, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Animal death

bree_klass's review against another edition

funny informative lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

good stuff content-wise, but the writing style wasn’t my fav which brings it down a bit for me.
Ried puts white privilege on blast with this book (as they should). the biggest takeaway for me, that I haven’t seen in other novels centred around race, was how white people always find a way to centre themselves in situations that aren’t even about them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Racism

Moderate: Hate crime

Minor: Racial slurs

jojo_'s review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Cultural appropriation, and Racism

Moderate: Bullying, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Vomit, Stalking, Animal death, Death of parent, and Police brutality

lindseyhall44's review against another edition

challenging reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book was honestly not what I was expecting at all…but I still loved it.
Such a Fun Age follows Emira, a black women, as she is accused of kidnapping the white child she is babysitting. Alix is the mother of the child, and vows to make things right with Emira. What follows is a story of class, race, obsession, and family.
This book handled important conversations very well, which led me to reflect on my own life. Fetishization is a topic often overlooked in literature, but Riley explored its effect on relationships in such an interesting way. Overall, my favorite aspect of the novel is the two contrasting narrators which offer distinctly different experiences surrounding American life.
After checking trigger warnings and age ratings, I would definitely recommend picking up Such a Fun Age as your next read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Racism, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, and Classism

Moderate: Fatphobia, Slavery, Body shaming, and Pregnancy

marionlundqvist's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, and Animal death