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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
Not sure how I felt about this one. On the one hand, the drama was enough to keep me sufficiently entertained on a long drive and definitely had me saying “oh shit” multiple times as I figured out what has happening. On the other, some characters were fleshed out much better than others, and there were some really weird dynamics going on. Manipulative and woke or actually crazy? Who’s in the right in which situation? Is there a right and wrong here, anyway? I suppose it goes to show how complex racial/social politics can be.
emotional
funny
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Story: Black young woman babysitting for white Instagram influencer mom and family. Gets accused of kidnapping child in grocery store… video goes viral on purpose from the mom. Mom and Emira’s boyfriend know each other from past.
funny
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A well-told story highlighting important truths about US society - then and now. A lot of these characters and situations felt very recognizable. I do think the writing was a bit more straightforward than I expected going into this, but it ultimately didn’t bother me too much.
Finishes this book in a week. Stayed up past midnight two nights to read. I love this book. Reid hits on a bunch of topics that many of us have wrestled with. A beautiful friendship that has all.the elements of a group of young Black educated women. There's subtle and not so subtle views on race, implicit biases and there's a lot on being well intentioned
emotional
reflective
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
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Holy cow, what a ride! I hereby deem this the best book to read in this bizarre time of social isolation. The tension and forward tilt were amazing, evidenced by the fact that I read it in a few quick days (while parenting and working and overall pandemicking).
Reid reveals important insights about microaggressions that become macro from (at times) well-meaning white people who are ultimately broken and toxic, and she does this while keeping the prose light and breezy so that you almost don't notice how deep the racism is until it smacks you in the face. As a white person, I found myself simultaneously hating the white people in the novel while recognizing the ways I am like them.
Also, it is set in Philly!
I haven't read anything like this before, and the unique voice and perspective were really engaging. It was like watching a really wise soap opera/documentary amalgam, one packed with verisimilitude and melodrama (when have we ever seen that combo in a book?) and heaviness and humor and interpersonal tension and complex characters. Kiley Reid, you are a genius.
Reid reveals important insights about microaggressions that become macro from (at times) well-meaning white people who are ultimately broken and toxic, and she does this while keeping the prose light and breezy so that you almost don't notice how deep the racism is until it smacks you in the face. As a white person, I found myself simultaneously hating the white people in the novel while recognizing the ways I am like them.
Also, it is set in Philly!
I haven't read anything like this before, and the unique voice and perspective were really engaging. It was like watching a really wise soap opera/documentary amalgam, one packed with verisimilitude and melodrama (when have we ever seen that combo in a book?) and heaviness and humor and interpersonal tension and complex characters. Kiley Reid, you are a genius.