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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
I did not enjoy this book. Premise has potential, which is why it gets 2 stars. But the execution was awful. Two of my pet peeves is when the protagonist just lets things happen to them and they are unchanged at the end of a story. I'm not trying to be cute. These things are basic storytelling. But passivity is Nella's full-time job. None of the characters have depth and only act to artificially advance the plot. POV jumping was sloppily done. Nothing truly happens until the last 80 pages or so. The so-called conspiracy is corny. Ironically, this story could have worked much better as satire. And in short story form like the ones in those old Alfred Hitchcock anthologies. But she would need to turn up the weirdness so that the corniness can actually be terrifying. Red flag when this was compared to the movie Get Out. Copying something truly original only ends up being a cheap imitation. Read Luster or Legendborn instead, unless you want instruction on how not to write a story.
terminei esse livro com uma sensação esquisita e não sabia o porquê, até que li uma resenha que dizia "foi escrito POR uma mulher preta, mas não foi escrito PARA mulheres pretas" e é isso. sempre via algumas pessoas elogiando a história e a sinopse realmente me chamou atenção, mas saí decepcionada, sem falar das pontas soltas e várias questões que não foram bem trabalhadas. obviamente entendo como ficção funciona, mas esse plot me deixou bem desconfortável, não foi uma leitura que curti.
• ModernMrsDarcy.com 2021 Summer Reading Guide #MMDSummerReading
• Scribd audiobook
The Other Black Girl is a thrilling debut about the tension between two young Black women who meet against the starkly white backdrop of NYC book publishing. Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. So, she's thrilled when Harlem-born and bred Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers. Then the notes begin to appear on Nella's desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW.
• Scribd audiobook
The Other Black Girl is a thrilling debut about the tension between two young Black women who meet against the starkly white backdrop of NYC book publishing. Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. So, she's thrilled when Harlem-born and bred Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers. Then the notes begin to appear on Nella's desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW.
slow-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is one of the hot summer reads, showing up on all sorts of lists, including the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club Summer Reading Challenge. There's even an article in The New Republic. A lot of hype for a pretty floofy book. The plot starts out as outsider-in-the-rarified-world: A young Black woman is an assistant editor at a (fictional) prestigious New York publishing house, whose founding publisher is still an everyday presence. Nella is the only Black working on the editing staff when the story starts, though 30 years previously, there was a blockbuster novel not only written by a Black woman, but edited by another....though that editor had a spectacular flameout and disappeared from society.
And then another young Black woman is hired as an assistant editor.
At first, it seems that the rest of the book will be about their frenemyship--Dawn starts out asking for support from Nella, gains her confidence, and then seems to undermine her.
But soon, the history of the publishing house starts to weigh into the story, such that it's clear there is more to that old flameout, and more to this new co-worker sabotage, than meets the eye.
The tone of the book is pretty light, and one might argue that this is intended to be a satirical novel with a fierce and fangy smile. I think it works at that level, especially for a summer read, but there are definitely too many holes in the plot, and too little done with the set pieces, to merit the weight of a two-page review/essay from a Serious Periodical.
And then another young Black woman is hired as an assistant editor.
At first, it seems that the rest of the book will be about their frenemyship--Dawn starts out asking for support from Nella, gains her confidence, and then seems to undermine her.
But soon, the history of the publishing house starts to weigh into the story, such that it's clear there is more to that old flameout, and more to this new co-worker sabotage, than meets the eye.
The tone of the book is pretty light, and one might argue that this is intended to be a satirical novel with a fierce and fangy smile. I think it works at that level, especially for a summer read, but there are definitely too many holes in the plot, and too little done with the set pieces, to merit the weight of a two-page review/essay from a Serious Periodical.
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wanted to like this really badly but it was not for me. I wasn't compelled by the story line and it got too out there for me.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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