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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think I was able to read without getting too bored because I already knew the plot and on top of that I saw the series. Usually books are better, but not in this case.
The book? A lot of times I felt like I was reading a manuscrit. Has this thing been edited? I had the sensation as well that I was reading an Insta post written as a strong emotional response to something else. No subtlety.
Also, I’m Black and familiar to a lot of terms very specific to Black history and community; they were not necessarily explained to a full extent and I’m guessing that a lot may come as a blur for others. Yes one may Google them but still it would have been nice to have a glossary.
The characters’ personalities were poorly created, they are not subtle, there is no progressive construction. Compared to the series it’s such a shame (yeah I shouldn’t compare but as I said I kept reading thanks to the series). I love the characters in the series. Hazel is not the straightforward brat; you like her despite the weird feeling, you understand her. Not in the book. Nella is excessively naive in it as well, which doesn’t suit the personality one develops working in such environment for two years; especially if she has been through every thing the author said she has been through. You may be hooked on your new co-worker but not that way.
The plot itself is good but the writing is poor in comparaison. It’s all over the place. Sometimes we jump from one scene to the other, from one emotion to the other, lacking the subtle in-between that would have made a huge difference. And in that area the series nails it.
The book? A lot of times I felt like I was reading a manuscrit. Has this thing been edited? I had the sensation as well that I was reading an Insta post written as a strong emotional response to something else. No subtlety.
Also, I’m Black and familiar to a lot of terms very specific to Black history and community; they were not necessarily explained to a full extent and I’m guessing that a lot may come as a blur for others. Yes one may Google them but still it would have been nice to have a glossary.
The characters’ personalities were poorly created, they are not subtle, there is no progressive construction. Compared to the series it’s such a shame (yeah I shouldn’t compare but as I said I kept reading thanks to the series). I love the characters in the series. Hazel is not the straightforward brat; you like her despite the weird feeling, you understand her. Not in the book. Nella is excessively naive in it as well, which doesn’t suit the personality one develops working in such environment for two years; especially if she has been through every thing the author said she has been through. You may be hooked on your new co-worker but not that way.
The plot itself is good but the writing is poor in comparaison. It’s all over the place. Sometimes we jump from one scene to the other, from one emotion to the other, lacking the subtle in-between that would have made a huge difference. And in that area the series nails it.
No ma’am. This book wasn’t it for me. It was dragged out almost too much and the ending… seriously? Drugged hair grease *insert eye roll emoji* I can not. I was left with so many questions about Hazel, the OBG’s the author that inspired Nella and so much more.
As a black woman who worked in corporate for years (though not in publishing) there were obviously some things I could relate to but it was too far fetched. Like, ain’t nobody but my stylist or a loved one parting my hair and putting grease on my scalp; not some coworker that I had a weird feeling about. Black women cherish their hair too much to be playing games like that. It just didn’t sit well with me.
I should have listened to my FB group BGR2 and went in ahead and passed but I purchased a physical copy anyway. It wasn’t all bad but the beginning and the end just didn’t go together. Would not read a sequel though they left more than enough space for that. I can imagine the same publishers from the story publishing this book. Go figure.
As a black woman who worked in corporate for years (though not in publishing) there were obviously some things I could relate to but it was too far fetched. Like, ain’t nobody but my stylist or a loved one parting my hair and putting grease on my scalp; not some coworker that I had a weird feeling about. Black women cherish their hair too much to be playing games like that. It just didn’t sit well with me.
I should have listened to my FB group BGR2 and went in ahead and passed but I purchased a physical copy anyway. It wasn’t all bad but the beginning and the end just didn’t go together. Would not read a sequel though they left more than enough space for that. I can imagine the same publishers from the story publishing this book. Go figure.
3.5⭐️ rounded up
I really wanted to like this book but the story took an unsavory turn and now I'm just disappointed. If the description interests you I HIGHLY suggest you check this one out from a library rather than buy it, its not worth the money but it was a fun read.
Spoilers past this point!!!
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Most of this story was entertaining. I enjoyed Nella as a character, I saw myself in a lot of her experiences (though her not wanting to admit to her privilege was odd). I think the author did a great job walking us through the microaggressions she experienced in her workplace and her uncertainty around addressing them. Nella and Hazel's office relationship was combative too and i could feel the tension, she was never Nella's ally.
With that being said, I really hated them being pit against each other. This book perpetuates a really harmful stereotype about Black women just not being able to get along. The belief that Black women would put each other down for their own gain, regardless of how many of us there are in a room, is distasteful. The writing lowered in quality around the 200 page mark too. There were far too many POVs that didn't matter to the end of the story and I found a handful of typos that were super distracting. I checked this book out from the library but I would've been PISSED if i bought it, what a waste of money.
I really wanted to like this book but the story took an unsavory turn and now I'm just disappointed. If the description interests you I HIGHLY suggest you check this one out from a library rather than buy it, its not worth the money but it was a fun read.
Spoilers past this point!!!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Most of this story was entertaining. I enjoyed Nella as a character, I saw myself in a lot of her experiences (though her not wanting to admit to her privilege was odd). I think the author did a great job walking us through the microaggressions she experienced in her workplace and her uncertainty around addressing them. Nella and Hazel's office relationship was combative too and i could feel the tension, she was never Nella's ally.
With that being said, I really hated them being pit against each other. This book perpetuates a really harmful stereotype about Black women just not being able to get along. The belief that Black women would put each other down for their own gain, regardless of how many of us there are in a room, is distasteful. The writing lowered in quality around the 200 page mark too. There were far too many POVs that didn't matter to the end of the story and I found a handful of typos that were super distracting. I checked this book out from the library but I would've been PISSED if i bought it, what a waste of money.
I was just left with so many questions! What happened to Nella, Owen, Kendra Rae, Hazel, etc.? Why such secrecy and fear? Why not just publish what was happening? Call The New York Times or Sixty Minutes and get that cream analyzed! Why did the protagonist keep moving and changing her name? What happened to Shani that she ended up so far away? Why were the notes so vague as to be threatening? I returned to the beginning to read it again to figure out who was running away. Too much of the plot was vague and unconnected, despite the really excellent premise.
This is a beautifully Black, highly readable satire/horror about minority identity in a majority society. This isn’t Get Out, it’s the Stepford Wives for the 2020s and will resonate for a long time to any person who belongs to a minority group that’s expected to smooth over a part of themselves for acceptance.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
maybe I need to sit with it for a while
⭐️⭐️ I didn’t like this. The overall story is unique but it is being overly compared to Get Out. VERY slow start and overall flat. It didn’t feel like it was written for black women. Some good aspects about office politics, diversity, women in the workplace, and crabs in a bucket mentality.
Hulu is making it a series
⭐️⭐️ I didn’t like this. The overall story is unique but it is being overly compared to Get Out. VERY slow start and overall flat. It didn’t feel like it was written for black women. Some good aspects about office politics, diversity, women in the workplace, and crabs in a bucket mentality.
Hulu is making it a series