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seawarrior's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
While Emira and Alix are opposites, Alix and Kelley are eerily similar to each other. The pair both seemed to think of themselves as Emira's savior in a way, though Emira never asked for their help or wanted it. They both exploit Emira's presence in their lives to bolster their own self-esteem and sense of righteousness, and both do so in ways that insidiously seem loving at first glance, and are only brought to light by understanding the context of their past exploitation of Black people. I was relieved that by the end of the book,
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Animal death, Cursing, and Pregnancy
rachel_here's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The main characters were probably the best part of the novel in my eyes. Emira is at time quiet, distant and cool; at time outspoken and straight to the point; and even though she is lost in her career, she always has an opinion on things- whether she voices them or not is another matter entirely. Alix, on the other hand, is your typical progressive girlboss who tries to do the right thing to varying results; but even though she has good intentions, she lacks self-awareness to an uncomfortable degree. On the surface, it seems the two women have nothing in common: but as the novel progresses, it is clear they parallel and contrast each other in surprising ways. The dual point-of-view makes for extremely fun contradictions between what Alix perceives and what Emira perceives; and as the story goes on, these contradictions allow us to get a deeper understanding on who the characters are, why they do what they do, and how they construct their sense of self through their relationships (be they professional, familial, romantic, friendly... and how sometimes they blur into one another). Nothing is black-and-white: every character is flawed, but we still see where they are coming from, even though things progressively go out of hand.
The side characters were okay for the most part, if a bit unremarkable. However I was surprised to get so attached to little Briar: at 3 years old she is funny, odd, thoughtful, and absolutely adorable. If the relationship between Emira and Alix is the "mind" of the story, then the relationship between Emira and Briar is its heart.
Such a Fun Age is both a topical read and a good story that delivers beyond the timely issues it tackles, even if they take center stage. It is gripping (in a "talking out loud and smiling and grinding your teeth while you read" kind of way), funny, emotional; and it also allows to explore its characters and their actions in a nuanced way that makes you pause and think during your reading. I highly recommend it!
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Toxic relationship
uhhlexiconic's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Police brutality
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Vomit
hot_water's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Toxic relationship
lauraceae12's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship
bloopyfloopy's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
ginadapooh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Alcohol, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
jonbrady's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Emira Tucker, down-on-her-luck Black twentysomething, takes a babysitting job for women-empowering blogger Alix Chamberlain - who sees herself, her upmarket home and her Cody family as the life-changing opportunity Emira has been waiting for. But when Emira is racially profiled in a supermarket and the incident is caught on camera, what flares up between the pair reveals much about both and how their race has dictated their lives and the struggles they face.
Kiley Reid’s debut has much to say about the modern power dynamics between Black people and white people, particularly the white people who are seen to make the grandest efforts and gestures to be “anti-racist”. Some of the bit parts aren’t as fleshed out as they could be, and the closing scenes perhaps amp up the conflict a little more than expected, but this is a great study that asks why, so often, Black people are characterised only by what they do for those with white skin.
Graphic: Cursing
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting
jesserebekah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Fatphobia and Toxic relationship
juliebean666's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Stalking, and Toxic relationship