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emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really loved Reid's first book (Such A Fun Age), but this one fell a bit flat for me. I found it a bit hard to follow at the start. and the direction didn’t seem incredibly clear. I ended up disliking pretty much every main character too. I still couldn’t stop turning the pages though! I find Reid’s writing very addictive..
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This novel is hard to describe. Even harder to sell to other people as a recommendation when all you can think to say is "it's really good." So I'll try my best to do so here.
Come and Get It follows three perspectives over the course of an undergraduate fall semester, with glimpses into the past added as necessary to explain how they got into their current situation. Agatha, a mid-30s journalist working a year of residency at the University of Arkansas. Millie, a super senior RA looking to finish her degree, land a job, and buy a house. And Kennedy, a junior looking for a fresh start as a transfer student. As the innocuous moments of their lives intertwine, a descent towards their ruin begins. Its arrival is sudden and swift, the kind of downfall that makes all too much sense in hindsight.
The greatest strength of this narrative lies in these characters, who are written so realistically that they feel as if they walked out of your life rather than the mind of Reid. Crafting this kind of realism is supremely difficult, so the fact that even minute dialogue and quirks feel true-to-life is an accomplishment. This makes you, as the reader, feel as if you've truly participated in the scene rather than acted as an observer.
Rather than construct the plot around traditional forms of conflict, Come and Get It is propelled forward through the interpersonal lives of its characters. At no point does it feel like a scene is wasted, even if it only serves to capture simple moments of life such as dorm conversations or a trip to Target. Although this structure might not work for everyone, I found it a natural extension of its focus on the inner lives and decisions of its main characters.
Themes of class, race, sexuality, and gender are all on display within this novel, engaged with in the same way you'd talk about the subjects with friends - without formality and with a certain level of disdain towards the world. What it has to say is layered and worth discussing.
If none of this interests you, I urge you to at least give the first chapter or two a go. The writing pulled me in before I realized it - it might do the same for you.
Come and Get It follows three perspectives over the course of an undergraduate fall semester, with glimpses into the past added as necessary to explain how they got into their current situation. Agatha, a mid-30s journalist working a year of residency at the University of Arkansas. Millie, a super senior RA looking to finish her degree, land a job, and buy a house. And Kennedy, a junior looking for a fresh start as a transfer student. As the innocuous moments of their lives intertwine, a descent towards their ruin begins. Its arrival is sudden and swift, the kind of downfall that makes all too much sense in hindsight.
The greatest strength of this narrative lies in these characters, who are written so realistically that they feel as if they walked out of your life rather than the mind of Reid. Crafting this kind of realism is supremely difficult, so the fact that even minute dialogue and quirks feel true-to-life is an accomplishment. This makes you, as the reader, feel as if you've truly participated in the scene rather than acted as an observer.
Rather than construct the plot around traditional forms of conflict, Come and Get It is propelled forward through the interpersonal lives of its characters. At no point does it feel like a scene is wasted, even if it only serves to capture simple moments of life such as dorm conversations or a trip to Target. Although this structure might not work for everyone, I found it a natural extension of its focus on the inner lives and decisions of its main characters.
Themes of class, race, sexuality, and gender are all on display within this novel, engaged with in the same way you'd talk about the subjects with friends - without formality and with a certain level of disdain towards the world. What it has to say is layered and worth discussing.
If none of this interests you, I urge you to at least give the first chapter or two a go. The writing pulled me in before I realized it - it might do the same for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Classism
Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Cursing, Self harm, Medical content, Religious bigotry
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I adored this book. Kiley Reid’s writing style and deep dive character studies just really work for me. I did not fully understand where the plot was going for a long time, but I was unbothered because that’s how much I enjoy Kiley Reid’s writing style. I will read anything she writes at this point. A queer main character was an added bonus. I found Millie and Kennedy’s chapters to be the most interesting. This book was also extremely funny (in particular chapter 13). I do think that this book will likely work better for younger adults (20 to 30 ish range) who are closer in age to the protagonists (most of whom are undergraduate students).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Alcohol
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Blood, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal death
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Quick read with intriguing characters but as someone who works on a college campus this book made me anxious. The characters are not likable and make terrible professional choices. It's hard to root for anyone in this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Infidelity, Mental illness, Alcohol, Classism
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Self harm
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.75/5 stars… So at first I couldn’t tell where the story was going but I liked how the author connected the characters. I will say I think that I could have went without some of the dialogue of the secondary characters, but I can see how they helped with the overall setting of the book. I think this s a good telling or navigating womanhood at all levels but especially college; with a few what not to dos lol. This book touched on race, privilege, relationships, and self identity in a way that kept me engaged and thinking. Nowwww Millie should’ve stood up for herself (and she was wrong at the end) and I’m so mad at how the story ended for Kennedy. I would’ve liked a little epilogue lol
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Self harm, Suicide attempt