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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
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
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
A strange, but interesting, novel.
Spoiler
A Stepford-wives set-up for black women to make them not mind the racism and microagressions of the world.Spoiler
Takes place in the publishing world. An editorial assistant, who has been the only black person in the office since she was hired, is thrilled when another black editorial assistant is hired. Interesting insight and commentary on race.
medium-paced
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The audiobook was easy to get into with good narration. There was a lot of holes in the middle that just left me confused for a little bit of where certain characters were coming from because there was no introduction to them. The end went in a direction that I did not expect and the last couple chapters felt very rushed - that’s what knocked some stars off this rating for me.
Wow. Wow, wow, wow. This is a thriller that I’m going to think about probably every day for the rest of my life.
Thrillers are not my favorite genre, but I enjoyed this novel more once I realized that’s what it is. I liked the peek into the publishing world, and on a more serious note, appreciated the vivid picture of what it’s like to be the only black person in the room, but I never knew quite what to make of the main character, Nella, who was alternately sympathetic and frustrating. I have to admit, though, the plot hooked me, and it’s a thought-provoking book, good choice for a book discussion group.
I found this to be a sharp, engaging read. It’s a slow burn thriller for sure, but each time a new layer of the story was peeled back, I was drawn in further. Nella and Hazel serve as interesting foils for each other, and the supporting cast of characters was unique and developed. I felt strong emotional reactions to what Nella was going through, facilitated by the writing’s own emotionality.
The book does lose a point for predictability—I knew EXACTLY what was going on with that hair grease pretty much right away. Still, I was drawn in until the very last page.
The book does lose a point for predictability—I knew EXACTLY what was going on with that hair grease pretty much right away. Still, I was drawn in until the very last page.