Scan barcode
A review by lorie336
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
dark
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
A warning, if you don't like a slow build thriller then this book isn't for you, but if you do like then this book will immerse you in its world.
I enjoyed how we journey with Nella from being a hopefully upcoming black editor for Wagner, we see her hanging out with her friend Malaika discussing their jobs, current news about police brutality and the injustice their race is going through as well as discussing Jesse Watson who is an outspoken young man with a podcast, and then Nella's life with her white boyfriend, Owen, from what Nella says isn't your typical white guy.
She is living the good life with the exception of the micro aggressions that she faces at the office and we are given examples of it, but they also try these diversity town halls and people attend, yet after a while it dwindles. It shows how white people don't care because they are privileged, being in Nella's shoes broke my heart at what she and others go through everyday.
Then Hazel enters the picture and Nella is excited because she'll have an ally in her because she's the other black girl and she'll have her back. Needless to say, the longer Hazel works there, the more Nella feels ignored by everyone because of certain incidents.
Meanwhile, someone wants Nella to leave Wagner and she doesn't know who it is, but she has a suspect in mind as she receives more notes.
We do get other perspectives scattered throughout the book which is nice because we are privy to things Nella will not learn until later and then we watch in horror at what happens until that epilogue where there's a bit of a twist that I knew was coming, but I was hoping it wasn't. Loved this book and immersive, I had to know what was going to happen next.
I enjoyed how we journey with Nella from being a hopefully upcoming black editor for Wagner, we see her hanging out with her friend Malaika discussing their jobs, current news about police brutality and the injustice their race is going through as well as discussing Jesse Watson who is an outspoken young man with a podcast, and then Nella's life with her white boyfriend, Owen, from what Nella says isn't your typical white guy.
She is living the good life with the exception of the micro aggressions that she faces at the office and we are given examples of it, but they also try these diversity town halls and people attend, yet after a while it dwindles. It shows how white people don't care because they are privileged, being in Nella's shoes broke my heart at what she and others go through everyday.
Then Hazel enters the picture and Nella is excited because she'll have an ally in her because she's the other black girl and she'll have her back. Needless to say, the longer Hazel works there, the more Nella feels ignored by everyone because of certain incidents.
Meanwhile, someone wants Nella to leave Wagner and she doesn't know who it is, but she has a suspect in mind as she receives more notes.
We do get other perspectives scattered throughout the book which is nice because we are privy to things Nella will not learn until later and then we watch in horror at what happens until that epilogue where there's a bit of a twist that I knew was coming, but I was hoping it wasn't. Loved this book and immersive, I had to know what was going to happen next.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Stalking
Minor: Racial slurs