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A review by laguerrelewis
When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
WHEEEEEEW. This book fucked me UP in the best way possible. Thrillers are an excellent medium to work through/depict/teach about the insidiousness of racism, and I’m glad that this trend is being picked up by intelligent and talented creators like Jordan Peele, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, and now Alyssa Cole. This book keeps you on the farthest edge of your seat, but also manages to inspire and warm your heart with a tale of communal aid and resistance. Cole writes characters and a community that are complex, storied, and palpable, adding to the stress when they are threatened by powers seemingly beyond their control. A read I would recommend for anyone looking for a cathartic, informative, and nervewracking take on gentrificaction.
Graphic: Classism, Grief, Slavery, Sexual content, Death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Police brutality, Blood, Cultural appropriation, Violence, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Colonisation, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Racism, and Death of parent