A review by thebakerbookworm
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

dark mysterious tense medium-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

4.0

I really enjoyed this slow-burn of a thriller! It certainly feels like a contemporary fiction read for most of it, but things slowly start to feel creepily wrong until the tense climax.

I'm always interested in a book set in the publishing world (or a movie or show), even though they never reflect my actual experience in publishing. It's really not that glamorous haha. But I liked this take on publishing and reading about Nella's experiences and the discussion the book was having about diversity in publishing (it really is very very white).

Nella was a great lead, easy to root for, and I loved seeing her growth over the story, especially her struggles with sticking up for herself. There are some great side characters too, particularly Nella's friend Malaika, but most of the side characters were (intentionally) cringeworthy.

While most of the plot does feel like an office drama, the climax through to the end will keep you on your toes. And the very ending.... *blinks in shock*
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