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jojo_'s review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Cultural appropriation, and Racism
Moderate: Bullying, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Vomit, Stalking, Animal death, Death of parent, and Police brutality
lindseyhall44's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
fast-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
4.25
This book was honestly not what I was expecting at all…but I still loved it.
Such a Fun Age follows Emira, a black women, as she is accused of kidnapping the white child she is babysitting. Alix is the mother of the child, and vows to make things right with Emira. What follows is a story of class, race, obsession, and family.
This book handled important conversations very well, which led me to reflect on my own life. Fetishization is a topic often overlooked in literature, but Riley explored its effect on relationships in such an interesting way. Overall, my favorite aspect of the novel is the two contrasting narrators which offer distinctly different experiences surrounding American life.
After checking trigger warnings and age ratings, I would definitely recommend picking up Such a Fun Age as your next read!
Such a Fun Age follows Emira, a black women, as she is accused of kidnapping the white child she is babysitting. Alix is the mother of the child, and vows to make things right with Emira. What follows is a story of class, race, obsession, and family.
This book handled important conversations very well, which led me to reflect on my own life. Fetishization is a topic often overlooked in literature, but Riley explored its effect on relationships in such an interesting way. Overall, my favorite aspect of the novel is the two contrasting narrators which offer distinctly different experiences surrounding American life.
After checking trigger warnings and age ratings, I would definitely recommend picking up Such a Fun Age as your next read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Racism, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, and Classism
Moderate: Fatphobia, Slavery, Body shaming, and Pregnancy
jen1804's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
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
3.5
Enjoyed the themes it explored around race and the perspectives of the different characters existing in different skinned bodies.
Very character focused book as opposed to plot focused, on reflection not a great deal happens during the book.
Heartwarming relationship between Emira and Briar.
Satisfactory ending? No.
Very character focused book as opposed to plot focused, on reflection not a great deal happens during the book.
Heartwarming relationship between Emira and Briar.
Satisfactory ending? No.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Racial slurs, and Racism
laurataylor's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Racism
lauren_holtry's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- 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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Classism, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, and Sexual content
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: Alcohol, Cursing, Racism, and Sexism
Moderate: Bullying, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
Minor: Body shaming, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy
stellabyproxy's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
fast-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
3.0
This is a book I thought I would absolutely love and I was slightly disappointed to find it merely okay.
Something about the writing style just didn’t connect with me and made it difficult to build any sort of connection with the characters because it felt like I was being given sporadic fact-filled paragraphs instead of scenes that flowed. Overall, Such A Fun Age is a decent novel and very clear in its approach to racism, micro aggressions, fetishisation and other topics. The fact that most of the main characters are unlikeable is something I appreciated because it really showed how in these sort of discussions most people (especially white people) don’t always come across as the most knowledgeable, accommodating, or trustworthy, no matter how convinced they are of their moral standing. The white saviourism was heavily present yet introduced with a real life nuance that is to be valued.
My favourite part of the book would probably be the relationship between Emira and Briar. Their moments were the most beautiful interactions in the book and truly a saving grace for me. Regardless, I would still recommend this book because it lays a good foundation for important conversations.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cultural appropriation and Racism
cheesepuppy's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
4.0
For a book with the word “fun” in it, this was not fun.
The writing is great. The story is done well.
Fellow white people, I hope you pick this up and take it to heart. The author did a wonderful job making this story feel so real. It feels like a friend could have told me this happened. I think it was really smart how the white main characters both say each other is racist. The visual drawn of them pointing at each other with blame is perfect. We are all part of the problem.
BIPOC friends:
I wouldn’t dream of telling non-white people to read this. To anyone not white, this book is full of traumatic shit. If you don’t want the triggers of racism, appropriation, and all that comes with it, skip this book. Know that it may be a good suggestion for your white friends and move on. Please go read something that won’t be painful.
Overall, I honestly wish this story had told us more about our main character and less about the overtly racist secondary characters. Though, I understand that would’ve changed the point the author was trying to make.
The writing is great. The story is done well.
Fellow white people, I hope you pick this up and take it to heart. The author did a wonderful job making this story feel so real. It feels like a friend could have told me this happened. I think it was really smart how the white main characters both say each other is racist. The visual drawn of them pointing at each other with blame is perfect. We are all part of the problem.
BIPOC friends:
I wouldn’t dream of telling non-white people to read this. To anyone not white, this book is full of traumatic shit. If you don’t want the triggers of racism, appropriation, and all that comes with it, skip this book. Know that it may be a good suggestion for your white friends and move on. Please go read something that won’t be painful.
Overall, I honestly wish this story had told us more about our main character and less about the overtly racist secondary characters. Though, I understand that would’ve changed the point the author was trying to make.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Police brutality, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Racism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Vomit
catphilli's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
The commentary on race in this book is exquisite! There’s a subtlety and realistic flavour to it that when you reflect on what you’ve read, starts to unfold itself in your mind. The characters are very compelling in that no character is 100% loveable or unloveable but all of them are nuanced and individual. Would totally recommend this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Racism
meganmmmm's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- 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
3.5
this book tackled privilege and everything surrounding the topic in such a refreshing way that should be soon more in popular literature. it talked about interesting topics and showed fascinating different perspectives on things. though this book was a very pleasant read and didn’t drag on at all, i didn’t find myself getting attached to the characters a lot
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Racism, and Racial slurs