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A review by rachelle_reads
When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole
challenging
dark
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
Phew. Okay. This didn’t feel like a thriller to me for the first 2/3rds, but that last third was a RUSH.
Gentrification and the evils of white supremacy and capitalism are the big themes in this book. The first part of the book, the way these themes are treated is firmly based in history and current events. Gentrification is real. The microaggressions and outright racial aggressions experienced by the characters are totally based on real, common events.
By the end, I was pretty sure the events were pretty extreme imaginings… or maybe they really are a logical extension of current patterns or maybe aren’t that far off from reality after all?
Gentrification and the evils of white supremacy and capitalism are the big themes in this book. The first part of the book, the way these themes are treated is firmly based in history and current events. Gentrification is real. The microaggressions and outright racial aggressions experienced by the characters are totally based on real, common events.
By the end, I was pretty sure the events were pretty extreme imaginings… or maybe they really are a logical extension of current patterns or maybe aren’t that far off from reality after all?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Medical trauma, Gore, Blood, and Racism