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bibliobrittish 's review for:
Such a Fun Age
by Kiley Reid
3.5⭐️ - When I met Kiley in October, I had no inkling that this book would go onto become and IndieNext #1. But after diving into this lovely story, it's clear why. Such a Fun Age is a riot of a book. It's funny, sweet, light, and breezy, but also hits the ground running when it comes to examining the racial biases at play in our society.
I especially loved Briar. Intelligent, excitable, and sometimes awkward in her quest for the answers, her innocence played the perfect counterpart to the grown-ups in her life. Those characters are where this story started to break down for me. I couldn't stand Alix from the off; her supposed redemption arc was entirely unbelievable. Kelley was no better. And Emira? For as much as I felt (and wanted so much better) for her, she often came across entitled, expecting someone else to solve her problems for her, and passive-aggressive when she was forced to do it herself.
On the whole, Such a Fun Age is an incredibly approachable story for those who often avoid the topic of racial inequality. But... I'm not sure those who need its message most will be able to see beyond the surface.
I especially loved Briar. Intelligent, excitable, and sometimes awkward in her quest for the answers, her innocence played the perfect counterpart to the grown-ups in her life. Those characters are where this story started to break down for me. I couldn't stand Alix from the off; her supposed redemption arc was entirely unbelievable. Kelley was no better. And Emira? For as much as I felt (and wanted so much better) for her, she often came across entitled, expecting someone else to solve her problems for her, and passive-aggressive when she was forced to do it herself.
On the whole, Such a Fun Age is an incredibly approachable story for those who often avoid the topic of racial inequality. But... I'm not sure those who need its message most will be able to see beyond the surface.