Reviews - En skøn alder | The StoryGraph

24.1k reviews for:

En skøn alder

Kiley Reid

3.88 AVERAGE

asaegm's review against another edition

3.5

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I feel like this book tries a little too hard to be #relatable, but overall still pretty compelling. My experience of the book was mainly saying “oh no” and “she’s crazy” out loud to myself as I read.

lilehmoo's review against another edition

4.0

emotional 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

nicoledicksonxo's review against another edition

3.0

funny informative 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: No

trishyfishy74's review against another edition

4.5

fast-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

Breezed through this one! Very real representation of white saviorism and the fetishization of black women, not full 5 stars because it does lag in the middle slightly and the ending is not as satisfying, I want to know what happens with Alix

sarahmwag's review against another edition

4.75

emotional 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

I don’t often read books with main characters’ whose inner monologues I disagree with- I usually find that I can relate strongly to a main character and their struggles. Alix is a character that I initially thought I’d identify with who ended up challenging me to reflect on how my intentions/behaviors (as a white woman) may be received by people of color. Though Alix is much wealthier than me, she’s portrayed as a relatively young, ambitious white woman who is conscious of societal issues and thinks she uses her privilege positively. However, the creeping feeling that there was something off about this character continued to become more and more pronounced- even beyond her white-savior complex/implicit racial bias, I thought the “joke” Thanksgiving she described sounded ideal 😅

I can’t identify directly with Emira’s experience as a young black woman, though I’m closer to her class struggles in her desperate search for employment and health insurance. I deeply appreciated Emira’s inner thoughts as a portal into another perspective as a black woman surrounded by “well-meaning” white folks, and the gradual reveal of how Alix’s (and Kelley’s) thoughts, behaviors, and choices were more insidious than they appeared on the surface. This book felt youthful and honest, and kept me thinking well beyond the moments when I was actually reading its pages.

kimannhill's review against another edition

4.0

Yes; this was a really good book that dealt with the serious issue of white privilege and race relations where there are big issues resulting from good intentions. And it wasn't depressing; I didn't have to push myself to read it; instead I wanted to keep reading even though I occasionally dreaded finding out what the fall-out would be from a character's action/decision. It felt honest.