Reviews with content warning for Gaslighting - The Other Black Girl

A unique and creative premise but I struggled with the execution.

The story felt very slow. While there was at times a sense of unease or dread, there was no thrill. The main character lacked oomph and likeability and the ending was dissatisfying.

The portrayal of office politics and racism in the workplace with all its micro-aggressions and gaslighting was well done though.

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lay_kone's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

3.5

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haileyhardcover's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

I wish that I had read Black women’s reviews of this book before I purchased it…

While I was reading, I wondered if maybe there was something I was missing. Some context that I, as a white woman, could not understand that made this book - its plot and especially its characters - better than I was perceiving them to be. After finishing it and looking up reviews written by Black women, I think my gut instinct was right. This book reads like it was written by an “OBG.”

I will not comment further on the lived experience of the characters or real Black women. I encourage you to read reviews written by Black readers, especially Black women, if you’d like more thoughts on that.

I will say more about the writing, though. This book is rough. It’s slooooooow going, and then all of the action takes place in the last 50 or so pages. I can see what the author was going for with the ending, but it didn’t hit the way I believe she intended. I think 60% of the first 300 pages could have been cut entirely, and the ending would’ve made a great mid-point, leading up to the rising action and either a MORE shocking climax or a more triumphant one. Comparing this to The Devil Wears Prada (as a quote from The Washington Post does on the cover) is inaccurate and bizarre - the only similarity is that the fmc is an assistant, but her circumstances, the industry, her boss, everything else is completely different from TDWP. I think a better comparison would be to Jordon Peele’s Get Out - there is even a reference to the sunken place in the book. You’re gettjng conspiracy, evil white people, suspicious substances, altered states… it could’ve been SO. GOOD. But sadly, it’s just not.

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foresturken's review against another edition

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funny mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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elisalasater's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-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? No

3.5

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bookishmillennial's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

I think they did a really good job with the tv show on Hulu so if you want to just watch that, that's fine too. No judgment lol. However, this was just as gripping and tense as the show! I will definitely read more from ZDH in the future!

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alexture's review against another edition

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Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Such an excellent book with such a disappointing ending.

I was really invested in the conspiracy arc and having it end nowhere AND sprinkled with magical realism when the plot could have been just as solid without it?

I truly hope fanfic writers will write the conspiracy arc I need to read. This is excellent material for, well, something else.

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carlytenille's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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

3.75

I loved this clever tense book but the ending wasn’t what I’d hoped for and left me a little flat. I would have liked to see more done with it.

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