claire_michelle18's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
A really interesting collection of short stories, some linked and some stand-alone, about the lives of Black Americans. Thompson-Spires has a really unique voice and this was a great read.
carly_mckenna's review
3.0
3.5 stars
I had high hopes for Heads of the Coloured People after seeing it compared to Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah's Friday Black. Both are bold, satirical short story collections that grapple with what it means to be black in contemporary, middle class America. But where Friday Black blew me away with its opening story, Heads of the Coloured People frustrated me with its stilted self-consciousness - and I found it hard to shake this feeling, despite enjoying many of these stories.
For me, the highlight was the hilarious “Belles Lettres”, which documents a passive aggressive conflict between two highly educated black mothers (through snide letters sent via their daughters’ school backpacks). Although this brilliant epistolary stands on its own, it also introduces us to the schoolgirl Fatima, who reappears in later stories. Fatima’s experiences as both a child and a young woman highlight the tensions within the black middle class, and the self-consciousness that accompanies black bodies throughout their lives.
The other standout for me was “Suicide, Watch”, a darkly funny story about a young girl contemplating suicide (and contemplating how to tell her friends on social media). This ironic, contemporary nod to Plath highlights Thompson-Spires’ razor sharp wit. It is black humour at its best.
Yet despite these flashes of brilliance, I wasn’t completely satisfied by Heads of the Coloured People. Even in their more enjoyable moments, the stories felt like vignettes with half-formed ideas and characters that I wanted to see in their fully developed forms. Fingers crossed for a novel.
I had high hopes for Heads of the Coloured People after seeing it compared to Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah's Friday Black. Both are bold, satirical short story collections that grapple with what it means to be black in contemporary, middle class America. But where Friday Black blew me away with its opening story, Heads of the Coloured People frustrated me with its stilted self-consciousness - and I found it hard to shake this feeling, despite enjoying many of these stories.
For me, the highlight was the hilarious “Belles Lettres”, which documents a passive aggressive conflict between two highly educated black mothers (through snide letters sent via their daughters’ school backpacks). Although this brilliant epistolary stands on its own, it also introduces us to the schoolgirl Fatima, who reappears in later stories. Fatima’s experiences as both a child and a young woman highlight the tensions within the black middle class, and the self-consciousness that accompanies black bodies throughout their lives.
The other standout for me was “Suicide, Watch”, a darkly funny story about a young girl contemplating suicide (and contemplating how to tell her friends on social media). This ironic, contemporary nod to Plath highlights Thompson-Spires’ razor sharp wit. It is black humour at its best.
Yet despite these flashes of brilliance, I wasn’t completely satisfied by Heads of the Coloured People. Even in their more enjoyable moments, the stories felt like vignettes with half-formed ideas and characters that I wanted to see in their fully developed forms. Fingers crossed for a novel.
kylajaynebooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
readereaterr's review
4.0
Really fresh and necessary. A look into the nuance of black people and the many black identities.
alpha_build's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
pagesofpins's review against another edition
3.0
I wouldn't have picked this one up if it weren't a book club pick, but every story in it is well written. The trouble, like with every short story collection ever, is that some pieces were really memorable and attention grabbing for me, and others weren't. Very smart stuff here, but I especially liked Heads of the Colored People, Belles Letres, and Fatima.
Now that I'm no longer looking at this cover, possibly my craving for macarons will pass.
Now that I'm no longer looking at this cover, possibly my craving for macarons will pass.
cbrazas's review
4.0
These short stories are up there with the best. The evredayness of some coupled with the overt trauma of others make them an almost perfect collection.
uisimportant's review
3.0
The short stories were rather good, I was hoping they would all be individual but there were like 3-4 that were involving the same characters. That was rather confusing in the beginning but the themes and lessons learned from these stories were all unique.
Very much so defeating that “black folks are a monolith” narrative.
Refreshing.
Very much so defeating that “black folks are a monolith” narrative.
Refreshing.
jordynkw's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Sexual harassment, Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Gun violence