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akmarge13 's review for:
Such a Fun Age
by Kiley Reid
Originally I felt like I was behind the curve reading this book, but now I feel like I couldn't have read it at a better time. The biggest thing I got out of this book was a greater awareness of the subtle ways that racism permeates our society and how white people who think they're helping are actually continuing to contribute to the problem. This book really made me reflect on my privilege and my good intentions that can be hurtful in reality. In the wake of George Floyd's murder, I've tried to be very intentional about searching online, studying and absorbing posts from BIPOC voices, and reflecting about what I can do better. I encourage other white readers out there to do the same. I also encourage white readers to read reviews from POC on this book (and all books) to see how the book mirrors BIPOC experiences.
Such a Fun Age opens with Emira getting a frantic call one evening from Alix asking if Emira can babysit last minute in the midst of a family emergency. Emira drops everything she's doing to pick up 3-year-old Briar and take her to the local grocery store as a distraction. While there, Emira (who's African-American) is accused of kidnapping Briar (who's white); Emira is held at the store until Briar's father arrives and vouches for her. The whole scene is recorded by a bystander, a young white man who approaches Emira after the incident, urging her to go public. After this incident, Alix, who previously all but ignored her babysitter, goes to great lengths to befriend Emira to the point of obsession. Meanwhile, Emira's path crosses once more with Kelley, the young man who videotaped the incident; as their relationship builds, Kelley grows more and more insistent about Emira's reaction to the incident and to her continued employment with Alix. Emira, who's trying to figure out her own place in the world, tries to move past the incident, but finds herself dragged back to it over and over by the white people in her life with "good intentions."
I could not stop listening to this book. The pacing throughout the book was perfect; there was never any point that I felt was dragging. I thought the character development was spot on. Emira's character was so multi-dimensional; she was the epitome of the responsible babysitter completely in tune with her charge's needs, but she was also the 25-year-old who liked to party with her best friends and the young woman trying to decide what to do with her life. Alix was the perfect person to hate but also the perfect person to expose the things I need to change with my life; she was completely self-absorbed, consumed with her white guilt and her need for Emira to like her and see she wasn't racist. Kelley was the example of the "woke" white person who thought he knew what Emira needed more than she did. The commentary on the nuances of systemic racism was so layered and enlightening; it was also so subtle at times that I know I didn't catch all of it. This compelling story was perfectly executed, and I highly recommend to any reader.
Such a Fun Age opens with Emira getting a frantic call one evening from Alix asking if Emira can babysit last minute in the midst of a family emergency. Emira drops everything she's doing to pick up 3-year-old Briar and take her to the local grocery store as a distraction. While there, Emira (who's African-American) is accused of kidnapping Briar (who's white); Emira is held at the store until Briar's father arrives and vouches for her. The whole scene is recorded by a bystander, a young white man who approaches Emira after the incident, urging her to go public. After this incident, Alix, who previously all but ignored her babysitter, goes to great lengths to befriend Emira to the point of obsession. Meanwhile, Emira's path crosses once more with Kelley, the young man who videotaped the incident; as their relationship builds, Kelley grows more and more insistent about Emira's reaction to the incident and to her continued employment with Alix. Emira, who's trying to figure out her own place in the world, tries to move past the incident, but finds herself dragged back to it over and over by the white people in her life with "good intentions."
I could not stop listening to this book. The pacing throughout the book was perfect; there was never any point that I felt was dragging. I thought the character development was spot on. Emira's character was so multi-dimensional; she was the epitome of the responsible babysitter completely in tune with her charge's needs, but she was also the 25-year-old who liked to party with her best friends and the young woman trying to decide what to do with her life. Alix was the perfect person to hate but also the perfect person to expose the things I need to change with my life; she was completely self-absorbed, consumed with her white guilt and her need for Emira to like her and see she wasn't racist. Kelley was the example of the "woke" white person who thought he knew what Emira needed more than she did. The commentary on the nuances of systemic racism was so layered and enlightening; it was also so subtle at times that I know I didn't catch all of it. This compelling story was perfectly executed, and I highly recommend to any reader.