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alekathrash's review against another edition
challenging
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
5.0
alison_marie's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.75
The authors really kept the training wheels on for this, which was disappointing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Police brutality, Racism, and Miscarriage
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.
fake_gyllen's review against another edition
3.0
I find it difficult to rate this book. It was thought-provoking, engaging, and easy to read, but the conclusion felt unsatisfactory and maybe a little too safe.
cindy_f's review against another edition
4.0
This novel explores the longtime friendship between two women, one black and one white. We get each of their perspectives in alternating chapters. Jenny is white, married young to a policeman and is six months pregnant. Riley is single and works as a television journalist with ambitions of becoming the first black anchor woman in Philadelphia.
When a tragic event occurs involving a wrongful shooting of an unarmed black teenager by police officers, Riley and Jen’s friendship is really put to the test. Jen’s husband was one of the officers involved. Riley is the reporter assigned to the story. Justin, the teenager later died from his wounds at the hospital. Riley was able to secure an interview with Jason’s grieving mother, which ripped my heart out.
I’ve read many books involving racial bias and prejudice. The reason I liked this book was because we get each of these women’s perspectives- their thoughts and fears. Jen supports her husband’s actions, that he felt his life was in danger, but she has fears for their future and their child’s security. Riley experienced many injustices throughout her life and learned from her grandmother that a family member was a victim of a hate crime. I thought Riley’s chapters were very eye-opening, poignant and powerful.
jwashing1998's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed the way in which their narratives were written. One way in which I think the story could've been improved is by expediting some of the main plot points. Some of them were introduced early in the book and sidelined for the "will they/won't they" of the main characters' tension. All in all, it was an approachable way to discuss police violence against black folks.
bnelson860's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Overall, this was a good book that delves into a tough topic. It’s nicely written but is somewhat superficial. It’s full of cliches and doesn’t really dig deeper into the main characters’ friendship. However, it’s still a good story that addresses an important topic, so for that I give it 3 stars.
zoerobo's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-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
unlyke_li's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Police brutality