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notesbynnenna 's review for:
Such a Fun Age
by Kiley Reid
4.5 stars
As soon as I read the synopsis, I knew it was my kind of book. I'm so happy that I won an ARC in a giveaway (thank you to Putnam Books).
The book starts with an incident where Emira, a twenty-something black babysitter, is accused of kidnapping the young white toddler she babysits. Then we get to see the aftermath of this event, and how it changes the relationship between Emira and her boss, Alix Chamberlain.
First of all, I really enjoyed this book. I found the tone and writing style very compelling and easy to digest. There's so much to unpack in this novel, as the author provides a social commentary on race and class. I really admired the way that Reid tackled some heavy topics with nuance, while keeping a relatively light tone.
Alix is horrified by what happens to Emira and wants to make things right. She's well meaning and consults her friends, including her close black friend, Tamra, about the situation and for advice on how to befriend Emira. Alix is convinced that everything she does is in Emira's best interest.
Meanwhile, Emira is young, broke, and a bit aimless. I found that very relatable as I think a lot of us have been in Emira's position and some point or another. She's still trying to figure out who she is and what she wants to do with her life. There are two main white people in Emira's life, and for a while, you're trying to figure who really has Emira's best interests in mind and who's just using her.
There's also a discussion about the people that we invite into our personal lives. Can the transactional nature of Emira's and Alix's relationship (babysitter and boss) be overshadowed by something deeper and more personal?
I thought these characters were well developed. With Alix in particular, I feel like we all know people IRL with similar traits. I really liked Emira and enjoyed getting to hear her story. There are contradictions within these characters, which the author uses to demonstrate that not everything is black and white.
I did think that the middle of the book was a bit meandering, but it starts off really strong and the plot really picks up in the last third of the book as everything comes to a head. Also, it struck me as odd that Emira, as a twenty-something in the year 2015/2016, does not have any social media accounts. I found that a bit hard to believe.
I have so much more to say about this book, but I'm going to leave it here to avoid getting into spoilers. As I mentioned, there's a lot to unpack in this novel and I wish I could have done it as a buddy read so that I'd have someone to discuss it with (if you've read it, come talk to me!).
This book is out in December and I'd definitely recommend it. It felt very accessible and I think this is a book that people could read that would make them examine their own privilege a bit.
//
I really enjoyed this one! A proper review to come.
As soon as I read the synopsis, I knew it was my kind of book. I'm so happy that I won an ARC in a giveaway (thank you to Putnam Books).
The book starts with an incident where Emira, a twenty-something black babysitter, is accused of kidnapping the young white toddler she babysits. Then we get to see the aftermath of this event, and how it changes the relationship between Emira and her boss, Alix Chamberlain.
First of all, I really enjoyed this book. I found the tone and writing style very compelling and easy to digest. There's so much to unpack in this novel, as the author provides a social commentary on race and class. I really admired the way that Reid tackled some heavy topics with nuance, while keeping a relatively light tone.
Alix is horrified by what happens to Emira and wants to make things right. She's well meaning and consults her friends, including her close black friend, Tamra, about the situation and for advice on how to befriend Emira. Alix is convinced that everything she does is in Emira's best interest.
Meanwhile, Emira is young, broke, and a bit aimless. I found that very relatable as I think a lot of us have been in Emira's position and some point or another. She's still trying to figure out who she is and what she wants to do with her life. There are two main white people in Emira's life, and for a while, you're trying to figure who really has Emira's best interests in mind and who's just using her.
There's also a discussion about the people that we invite into our personal lives. Can the transactional nature of Emira's and Alix's relationship (babysitter and boss) be overshadowed by something deeper and more personal?
I thought these characters were well developed. With Alix in particular, I feel like we all know people IRL with similar traits. I really liked Emira and enjoyed getting to hear her story. There are contradictions within these characters, which the author uses to demonstrate that not everything is black and white.
I did think that the middle of the book was a bit meandering, but it starts off really strong and the plot really picks up in the last third of the book as everything comes to a head. Also, it struck me as odd that Emira, as a twenty-something in the year 2015/2016, does not have any social media accounts. I found that a bit hard to believe.
I have so much more to say about this book, but I'm going to leave it here to avoid getting into spoilers. As I mentioned, there's a lot to unpack in this novel and I wish I could have done it as a buddy read so that I'd have someone to discuss it with (if you've read it, come talk to me!).
This book is out in December and I'd definitely recommend it. It felt very accessible and I think this is a book that people could read that would make them examine their own privilege a bit.
//
I really enjoyed this one! A proper review to come.