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odrib'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
4.0
Graphic: Racism, Stalking, and Gaslighting
linesiunderline's review against another edition
- 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
It’s edgy. You’ll be wondering what’s happening and loving the unsettled feeling the author creates. The sharpness is balanced with a surprising playfulness and undercurrent of humour which makes this book different, a little hard to characterize, but entirely absorbing.
I did see the big twist coming, the one that lots of readers said really shocked them. But that didn’t spoil things for me. I was just a bit surprised given that I’m not usually good at seeing what’s meant to stay hidden.
The audio is outstanding, if that’s your jam. I couldn’t stop listening.
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Racism, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Stalking
annabunce'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Stalking, Racism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Hate crime
evergreenreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Moderate: Gaslighting, Racism, and Stalking
rorikae'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
4.25
Nella has been working as an editorial assistant at Wagner Books for two years. She is the only Black employee until Hazel is hired as a fellow editorial assistant. But with Hazel's hiring comes a slew of strange events, including anonymous notes left on Nella's desk that warn her that she needs to leave Wagner immediately. As Nella begins investigating the notes, more strange occurrences come to light and she begins to suspect that Hazel isn't who she says she is.
This novel has been described as 'Get Out' meets 'The Devil Wears Prada,' which are the perfect comp titles. Harris expertly utilizes unsettling scenarios and a dash of something more to create a thriller that explores the real life horrors of being a Black person working in the publishing industry. Nella deals with microaggressions and more overt aggressions, especially when she dares to provide constructive criticism on a stereotypical Black character in one of Wagner's author's upcoming books. Harris creates a creeping sense of dread that permeates from the first note that Nella receives and that slowly escalates throughout the book until the climax. The story is populated by a cast of engaging characters with their own set of faults and virtues.
I am not quite sure how I feel about the ending of the story and would love to read more from the author about why she chose the ending that she did. I think it's an effective ending, even if it wasn't what I was expecting. This is a really engaging debut and I am intrigued to see what Harris writes next.
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Racism, Stalking, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Kidnapping
courtsbooks'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Stalking, Racism, and Hate crime
Moderate: Police brutality
lorie336'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? It's complicated
5.0
I enjoyed how we journey with Nella from being a hopefully upcoming black editor for Wagner, we see her hanging out with her friend Malaika discussing their jobs, current news about police brutality and the injustice their race is going through as well as discussing Jesse Watson who is an outspoken young man with a podcast, and then Nella's life with her white boyfriend, Owen, from what Nella says isn't your typical white guy.
She is living the good life with the exception of the micro aggressions that she faces at the office and we are given examples of it, but they also try these diversity town halls and people attend, yet after a while it dwindles. It shows how white people don't care because they are privileged, being in Nella's shoes broke my heart at what she and others go through everyday.
Then Hazel enters the picture and Nella is excited because she'll have an ally in her because she's the other black girl and she'll have her back. Needless to say, the longer Hazel works there, the more Nella feels ignored by everyone because of certain incidents.
Meanwhile, someone wants Nella to leave Wagner and she doesn't know who it is, but she has a suspect in mind as she receives more notes.
We do get other perspectives scattered throughout the book which is nice because we are privy to things Nella will not learn until later and then we watch in horror at what happens until that epilogue where there's a bit of a twist that I knew was coming, but I was hoping it wasn't. Loved this book and immersive, I had to know what was going to happen next.
Moderate: Stalking
Minor: Racial slurs
lackadaisical_ally's review
- 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
My main complaint is I wanted more. The readers are given some explanation about the goings-on in the book, but overall we don't get that much and I just wanted a little more. I feel conflicted about the ending. All I will say is the ending felt appropriate but
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Stalking and Toxic friendship
kerrygetsliterary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Stalking, Racism, and Gaslighting
chinama'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
4.75
Moderate: Alcohol, Gaslighting, Racism, Stalking, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Bullying and Police brutality