Scan barcode
libraryforspooky's review against another edition
4.0
"I don't know how I can sit down with your husband and eat burgers and act like everything is a-okay. It's so not okay. And the fact that you don't get that.."
It's difficult to bring up hard conversations with people you love. Jenny is a white woman who grew up alongside Riley, who is black. The book highlights hardships on both sides when a 14 year old boy who is black is shot by Jenny's husband. It also highlights white privilege up until the end, I'm still not completely sure that Jenny understood that. I think this book has a great concept to bring up hard conversations with people you love, but I didn't really feel the bond between Jenny or Riley at all.
Even in the flashbacks, they seemed oblivious to the other parties thinking. And sometimes envious. We're in an era where time is not regarded to the large factor in staying in toxic relationships. Jenny mentions that she's trying and she may say the wrong things - but in that same apology she mentioned that she doesn't think about the color of Riley since they're like sisters. She isn't acknowledging that in order for her to say that she doesn't think about color, she is providing claim of her white privilege.
Overall, I do like this book and would reread it, more to annotate and break down the book to study it. I gave it four stars as I wasn't a big fan of reading a paragraph in present to be presented with a flashback of the past in the next paragraph. It's not my cup of tea, but tea comes in variety.
It's difficult to bring up hard conversations with people you love. Jenny is a white woman who grew up alongside Riley, who is black. The book highlights hardships on both sides when a 14 year old boy who is black is shot by Jenny's husband. It also highlights white privilege up until the end, I'm still not completely sure that Jenny understood that. I think this book has a great concept to bring up hard conversations with people you love, but I didn't really feel the bond between Jenny or Riley at all.
Even in the flashbacks, they seemed oblivious to the other parties thinking. And sometimes envious. We're in an era where time is not regarded to the large factor in staying in toxic relationships. Jenny mentions that she's trying and she may say the wrong things - but in that same apology she mentioned that she doesn't think about the color of Riley since they're like sisters. She isn't acknowledging that in order for her to say that she doesn't think about color, she is providing claim of her white privilege.
Overall, I do like this book and would reread it, more to annotate and break down the book to study it. I gave it four stars as I wasn't a big fan of reading a paragraph in present to be presented with a flashback of the past in the next paragraph. It's not my cup of tea, but tea comes in variety.
writewithren's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-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? Yes
5.0
sadietay's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
I loved the concept of this book: two lifetime friends — a white friend (Jen) who is married to a police officer and a Black friend (Riley) who is a newscaster — who find their very different life situations have pushed them to a racial reckoning point.
I loved Riley’s storyline and discovering how she grappled with race in her personal and professional life. With that said, I felt like the book tried and flopped in giving Jen the same reckoning. I found her to be complacent, non-empathetic (unless she could relate it directly to her having a baby), and incapable of the wise bravery that Riley offered her during such impossible challenges.
The most powerful part to me was the connections Riley made from lynching to police brutality; it was offered in a way that was so personal and nuanced, not just a “hot topic” to be proven or argued over. That was very well done.
I loved the concept of this book: two lifetime friends — a white friend (Jen) who is married to a police officer and a Black friend (Riley) who is a newscaster — who find their very different life situations have pushed them to a racial reckoning point.
I loved Riley’s storyline and discovering how she grappled with race in her personal and professional life. With that said, I felt like the book tried and flopped in giving Jen the same reckoning. I found her to be complacent, non-empathetic (unless she could relate it directly to her having a baby), and incapable of the wise bravery that Riley offered her during such impossible challenges.
The most powerful part to me was the connections Riley made from lynching to police brutality; it was offered in a way that was so personal and nuanced, not just a “hot topic” to be proven or argued over. That was very well done.
shannontay's review against another edition
4.0
This is thought provoking. I think it would make a great discussion / book group pick. Best friends who are forced to reckon with their different life experiences because of their race - I’m glad it made me think about important issues
lisafleck353's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
cairamohamed's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-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? It's complicated
3.5
slickvic's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.0
rachelraygoren's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.5