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slimepuppy's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I almost DNF'd this book twice, but I decided to finish it just so I could give it a 1 star rating.
God, what a drag.
Awful dialogue, boring prose, flat characters and the absence of anything that could resemble a plot for half of the book. Other than the market incident, nothing major happens till past the halfway mark of the book, at yet another boring scene that doesn't really convey any of the tension it was supposed to.
Not a single character was interesting or sympathetic - and I love books with awful characters, don't get me wrong. But they have to be charming, or interesting or at least deliver something of substance. Emira and Alix were both annoying, whiny and flat, and the supporting cast was not any better.
One moment really bothered me - Emira realizing that she loved child caring while helping Briar, only to end up working at an office. I get that it's realistic etc etc, but this book was such a downer, I really hoped that she would at least get that slimmer of positivity. Nope, dreary, passionless job it is.
I'm just so relieved I'm done with this book, and I'm never touching another Kiley Reid book again.
God, what a drag.
Awful dialogue, boring prose, flat characters and the absence of anything that could resemble a plot for half of the book. Other than the market incident, nothing major happens till past the halfway mark of the book, at yet another boring scene that doesn't really convey any of the tension it was supposed to.
Not a single character was interesting or sympathetic - and I love books with awful characters, don't get me wrong. But they have to be charming, or interesting or at least deliver something of substance. Emira and Alix were both annoying, whiny and flat, and the supporting cast was not any better.
I'm just so relieved I'm done with this book, and I'm never touching another Kiley Reid book again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Toxic friendship
kellyofcali's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book has a juicy, gossipy feel (in the best way) that keeps you hooked while also exploring themes of race, racism, and privilege amidst all the drama. I had mixed feelings about the ending (but then, what in real life ends exactly how you want it to?), but this book will both make you think and keep you entertained!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Gaslighting and Toxic friendship
Minor: Police brutality
cappuzino's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Toxic friendship
sarahmae531's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Minor: Bullying, Eating disorder, and Vomit
mandi4886's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Racism, Sexism, and Alcohol
Moderate: Bullying, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Cultural appropriation
lahubidu's review
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
sarahna's review
reflective
medium-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
2.0
2 stars.
This book wasn't what I expected at all. The premise and opening of the book was really interesting and I admire Amira for handling the situation so well. She ends up getting accused by a grocery store cop of kidnapping the white child she's babysitting. I fully understand that she doesn't want to make a big deal out of it and that getting the cop fired won't stop him from being racist to other POC in a different store.
Still, I expected to read more about her thoughts and how she processed this incident. Instead we get a dual pov of Amira, a black 25 year old babysitter who feels lost in life and Alix, a white mother of two who got rich due to a funeral accident and lives a double life making money with a blog and pretending she still lives in NYC while she actually moved to a more rural area.
SPOILERS:
My main issue was that I simply couldn't connect with either of the characters. Alix keeps creating problems herself, mentions the 6 pounds she gained and still hasn't lost since her pregnancy seemingly every other page because what worse could happen to a woman than be a bit chubbier? The way she kept mentioning the break up that happened 15 years ago without having had therapy was baffling to me. If that one line scarred her this much, why didn't she seek out help? It also rubbed me the wrong way how she kept neglecting Briar and favored her newborn daughter instead.
Amira was extremely relatable to me with feeling lost in her mid twenties and settling for less. Still, her character barely went through a development. She kept mentioning wanting to get a 'real' job with health insurance and benefits but needed her friends to practically force her into doing so. Kelley's character was completely unnecessary in my opinion. I'm still not sure whether he had a fetish for black women or wanted to be black himself. Both Kelley and Alix showed a different kind of white saviorism which was very apparent but again, neither of them really faced consequences.
The dialog was quite bad at times, especially the ones with Amira and her friends. The stark difference between her 'going out' side and professional side was jarring.
The ending was underwhelming too. I didn't like how despite her loving and being skilled at babysitting she couldn't settle for an official nanny job. No, instead it needs to be a 9 to 5 job at an office that she dislikes but hey, she has benefits.
Briar and Amira's relationship was the best part of the book and there were moments which made me think and see the negative behavior in Kelley and Alix. I honestly don't get the hype and would highly recommend reading THUG by Angie Thomas instead.
This book wasn't what I expected at all. The premise and opening of the book was really interesting and I admire Amira for handling the situation so well. She ends up getting accused by a grocery store cop of kidnapping the white child she's babysitting. I fully understand that she doesn't want to make a big deal out of it and that getting the cop fired won't stop him from being racist to other POC in a different store.
Still, I expected to read more about her thoughts and how she processed this incident. Instead we get a dual pov of Amira, a black 25 year old babysitter who feels lost in life and Alix, a white mother of two who got rich due to a funeral accident and lives a double life making money with a blog and pretending she still lives in NYC while she actually moved to a more rural area.
SPOILERS:
My main issue was that I simply couldn't connect with either of the characters. Alix keeps creating problems herself, mentions the 6 pounds she gained and still hasn't lost since her pregnancy seemingly every other page because what worse could happen to a woman than be a bit chubbier? The way she kept mentioning the break up that happened 15 years ago without having had therapy was baffling to me. If that one line scarred her this much, why didn't she seek out help? It also rubbed me the wrong way how she kept neglecting Briar and favored her newborn daughter instead.
Amira was extremely relatable to me with feeling lost in her mid twenties and settling for less. Still, her character barely went through a development. She kept mentioning wanting to get a 'real' job with health insurance and benefits but needed her friends to practically force her into doing so. Kelley's character was completely unnecessary in my opinion. I'm still not sure whether he had a fetish for black women or wanted to be black himself. Both Kelley and Alix showed a different kind of white saviorism which was very apparent but again, neither of them really faced consequences.
The dialog was quite bad at times, especially the ones with Amira and her friends. The stark difference between her 'going out' side and professional side was jarring.
The ending was underwhelming too. I didn't like how despite her loving and being skilled at babysitting she couldn't settle for an official nanny job. No, instead it needs to be a 9 to 5 job at an office that she dislikes but hey, she has benefits.
Briar and Amira's relationship was the best part of the book and there were moments which made me think and see the negative behavior in Kelley and Alix. I honestly don't get the hype and would highly recommend reading THUG by Angie Thomas instead.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Hate crime, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
uhhlexiconic's review
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
A book about boundaries and the ways white allies can be intrusive in their desire to help, Such a Fun Age takes a while to really get started and wraps up too neatly for the complicated set up. Still, its an incredible work in the insidious nature of white supremacy and the way the employer can force relationships on the employee.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Vomit
orladonnelly's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
This book is so so good, loved the ending personally, I felt that it started a little slow for me but after the first few pages it really picked up and I couldn’t put it down
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Police brutality, and Gaslighting
Minor: Toxic friendship
lauraceae12's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship