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melspedit's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book. It is a look at racism and affluence, two very complicated issues, told through a pretty simple story. It makes you think and then rethink what you feel about each character.
jesswegmann's review against another edition
5.0
Love the refreshingly new plot line! This book had great perspectives and several exciting revelations that had me furiously reading to know more
franelizabeth's review
challenging
funny
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? It's complicated
4.25
nationalcarpark's review against another edition
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
4.25
sarah_scripture's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this one even though I had problems with the premise a little. There were parts that were not believable to me. I thought the relationship between the girl and the babysitter was really sweet. The background relationships were interesting, but some of them were just not realistic, in my opinion. I binge-read the last quarter of the book, but was disappointed in the ending. It was enjoyable nonetheless.
boldfacejace's review against another edition
3.0
This book is and will be everywhere in 2020 so I’ll skip synopsis and jump right into review: Such a Fun Age shows racism’s more common systemic and subtle forms today: poorly made assumptions, fetishizing, and exploitation under the guise of protection. The scene where Kelley and Alix argue over who is more racist without Emira there to actually lend her perspective removes her agency and voice which is ultimately more problematic. I think this scene was the most reflective of what the author was trying to accomplish.
Speaking of problematic though, there were a lot of unsettling conclusions made and issues that I did not care for (spoilers):
- Childcare portrayed as not a dignified/legitimate career
- Lack of the the feminist perspective of Robbie’s life trajectory. Robbie was trespassing & while calling the cops has different repercussions for men of color, Alix was unfairly blamed for doing what she thought was right with the knowledge she had in the situation
- Emira’s total dismissal of Kelley when he was right because “then he would always think he is right.” Are you kidding me?
- Alix’s cringeworthy fat-shaming friends - Emira’s lack of confidence and eloquence on camera in the very anticlimactic television scene with Zara to the rescue
- The overdramatized and ellipses heavy dialogue
- Odd projection 4 years into the future regarding Emira’s career trajectory which wasn’t as urgent to tie up, but things that mattered to the reader were left unresolved
I liked Emira’s resistance to the overambition that our culture is obsessed with, & her struggle to find a health insurance before age 26 is a relatable concern of our generation. I also liked her awareness that sometimes a pursuit of justice has further racial complications and consequences: the grocery store scene was well written and her mature reaction to all of it was commendable. The scene in the bathroom where Zara builds Emira up after her rough day and encourages her to lose her bitterness and support Shaunie portrayed tender but tough adult female friendship, contrasted to the fat shaming friendships Alix has.
Ultimately Such a Fun Age did show how many nuances to situation there are to truly know if something is problematic. Race and class are so complex and Reid shows this. This book will open up a lot of opportunity for dialogue making it a good book club pick, and while it was a fast read, I have mixed feelings.
Beautiful cover. Overhyped, but it portrays a lot of current issues well and I keep thinking about it. 3 stars.
Speaking of problematic though, there were a lot of unsettling conclusions made and issues that I did not care for (spoilers):
- Childcare portrayed as not a dignified/legitimate career
- Lack of the the feminist perspective of Robbie’s life trajectory. Robbie was trespassing & while calling the cops has different repercussions for men of color, Alix was unfairly blamed for doing what she thought was right with the knowledge she had in the situation
- Emira’s total dismissal of Kelley when he was right because “then he would always think he is right.” Are you kidding me?
- Alix’s cringeworthy fat-shaming friends - Emira’s lack of confidence and eloquence on camera in the very anticlimactic television scene with Zara to the rescue
- The overdramatized and ellipses heavy dialogue
- Odd projection 4 years into the future regarding Emira’s career trajectory which wasn’t as urgent to tie up, but things that mattered to the reader were left unresolved
I liked Emira’s resistance to the overambition that our culture is obsessed with, & her struggle to find a health insurance before age 26 is a relatable concern of our generation. I also liked her awareness that sometimes a pursuit of justice has further racial complications and consequences: the grocery store scene was well written and her mature reaction to all of it was commendable. The scene in the bathroom where Zara builds Emira up after her rough day and encourages her to lose her bitterness and support Shaunie portrayed tender but tough adult female friendship, contrasted to the fat shaming friendships Alix has.
Ultimately Such a Fun Age did show how many nuances to situation there are to truly know if something is problematic. Race and class are so complex and Reid shows this. This book will open up a lot of opportunity for dialogue making it a good book club pick, and while it was a fast read, I have mixed feelings.
Beautiful cover. Overhyped, but it portrays a lot of current issues well and I keep thinking about it. 3 stars.
brentmpage's review against another edition
4.0
What a delightful, nuanced story that at the same time makes you examine important topics. Thoroughly enjoyable on many levels!
woolpierogi's review against another edition
4.0
I really loved this book. Reid is a master of dialogue and character building as well as the slow burn.
"Reid's debut sparkles with sharp observations and perfect details—food, décor, clothes, social media, etc.—and she's a dialogue genius, effortlessly incorporating toddler-ese, witty boyfriend-speak, and African American Vernacular English. For about two-thirds of the book, her evenhandedness with her varied cast of characters is impressive, but there's a point at which any possible empathy for Alix disappears. Not only is she shallow, entitled, unknowingly racist, and a bad mother, but she has not progressed one millimeter since high school, and even then she was worse than we thought. Maybe this was intentional, but it does make things—ha ha—very black and white.Charming, challenging, and so interesting you can hardly put it down." - Kirkus
Genre: Literary fiction
Character: Complex; Culturally diverse
Storyline: Character-driven; Own voices
Tone: Thought-provoking
Writing Style: Engaging; Stylistically complex
"Reid's debut sparkles with sharp observations and perfect details—food, décor, clothes, social media, etc.—and she's a dialogue genius, effortlessly incorporating toddler-ese, witty boyfriend-speak, and African American Vernacular English. For about two-thirds of the book, her evenhandedness with her varied cast of characters is impressive, but there's a point at which any possible empathy for Alix disappears. Not only is she shallow, entitled, unknowingly racist, and a bad mother, but she has not progressed one millimeter since high school, and even then she was worse than we thought. Maybe this was intentional, but it does make things—ha ha—very black and white.Charming, challenging, and so interesting you can hardly put it down." - Kirkus
Genre: Literary fiction
Character: Complex; Culturally diverse
Storyline: Character-driven; Own voices
Tone: Thought-provoking
Writing Style: Engaging; Stylistically complex
phoebert2's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0