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A review by lambchop12
Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
It’s hard to find words for this short story collection, to be honest. It feels like what you’d get if you combined Sorry to Bother You and Black Mirror, and I mean that in (mostly) the best way possible. I can’t pick out a favorite story so I’ll just go through some of them and what I liked about them.
Made me the most emotional: “The Lion and the Spider” - I have a rough, weird relationship with my emotionally distant father who has left my family on multiple occasions so this story almost broke me, but also left me hopeful for a better future.
Left me in the most awe: “The Hospital Where” - I love me some good surrealism, okay? And this was just straight up “what’s going on” madness in a good way.
Had me thinking “oh jesus” the most times: “Through the Flash” - very very dark. Worth reading, but it was a smart move to put it at the end because by the time you finish it, you’ll feel a certain amount of emotional exhaustion from just thinking about the trauma the Flash and the following events have had on people. Also another one where the father/child relationship made me emotional.
Made me the maddest at society: “The Finkelstein 5” and “Zimmer Land” - I won’t spoil these, just know that they deal with racism and the unfair deaths of Black people (especially children). Heavy subject matter but meaningful.
Had me the most confused: “Lark Street” - this was the one story I disliked because I couldn’t tell if it was pro-choice or pro-forced birth lol. Interesting premise though.
The rest of the stories are interesting, I just don’t have much to say about them. Very good collection. 9/10.
Made me the most emotional: “The Lion and the Spider” - I have a rough, weird relationship with my emotionally distant father who has left my family on multiple occasions so this story almost broke me, but also left me hopeful for a better future.
Left me in the most awe: “The Hospital Where” - I love me some good surrealism, okay? And this was just straight up “what’s going on” madness in a good way.
Had me thinking “oh jesus” the most times: “Through the Flash” - very very dark. Worth reading, but it was a smart move to put it at the end because by the time you finish it, you’ll feel a certain amount of emotional exhaustion from just thinking about the trauma the Flash and the following events have had on people. Also another one where the father/child relationship made me emotional.
Made me the maddest at society: “The Finkelstein 5” and “Zimmer Land” - I won’t spoil these, just know that they deal with racism and the unfair deaths of Black people (especially children). Heavy subject matter but meaningful.
Had me the most confused: “Lark Street” - this was the one story I disliked because I couldn’t tell if it was pro-choice or pro-forced birth lol. Interesting premise though.
The rest of the stories are interesting, I just don’t have much to say about them. Very good collection. 9/10.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Abortion, Child death, Mass/school shootings, and Hate crime
Minor: Adult/minor relationship