dominic_t's review
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is an incredibly pointed look at white liberal racism and the emptiness of feminist brands. The characters are very vivid and well-developed; they both had really distinct voices in the story.
It's not a comfortable read. The POV characters are Alix and Emira. Alix is a wealthy white woman who has a feminist brand that reminds me of Sheryl Sandberg's "Lean In." Emira is the Black woman who babysits for her and is trying to figure out her next step in life. Alix spends a lot of the book determined to become friends with Emira, and she ends up basically stalking her. It was so uncomfortable reading chapters from her perspective while she orchestrated and manipulated situations with Emira to foster a closeness that Emira didn't want. Kiley Reid did a great job of capturing Alix's neurotic performative mindset, and she manages to humanize her. Alix does some horrible shit throughout the book, but she is presented as a human making flawed choices rather than a monster. She also does a fantastic job showing the progression of Alix's behavior; we see her boundary-stomping, manipulative behavior grow over time, and it provides a foundation for her final horrible act.
I really loved Emira. The author does a great job of capturing the in-between phase she's stuck in. She's not sure what she wants to do next, and she feels trapped by the reality of her financial situation. Her relationship with Briar, the kid she babysits, is also beautifully portrayed. The author really captures the challenge of leaving a caregiving position when you love the person you care for. She experiences the most growth in the book, and I absolutely loved seeing it.
The writing is beautiful, and the social commentary is really incisive. It's not a comfortable read, but it is one that will stay with me.
It's not a comfortable read. The POV characters are Alix and Emira. Alix is a wealthy white woman who has a feminist brand that reminds me of Sheryl Sandberg's "Lean In." Emira is the Black woman who babysits for her and is trying to figure out her next step in life. Alix spends a lot of the book determined to become friends with Emira, and she ends up basically stalking her. It was so uncomfortable reading chapters from her perspective while she orchestrated and manipulated situations with Emira to foster a closeness that Emira didn't want. Kiley Reid did a great job of capturing Alix's neurotic performative mindset, and she manages to humanize her. Alix does some horrible shit throughout the book, but she is presented as a human making flawed choices rather than a monster. She also does a fantastic job showing the progression of Alix's behavior; we see her boundary-stomping, manipulative behavior grow over time, and it provides a foundation for her final horrible act.
I really loved Emira. The author does a great job of capturing the in-between phase she's stuck in. She's not sure what she wants to do next, and she feels trapped by the reality of her financial situation. Her relationship with Briar, the kid she babysits, is also beautifully portrayed. The author really captures the challenge of leaving a caregiving position when you love the person you care for. She experiences the most growth in the book, and I absolutely loved seeing it.
The writing is beautiful, and the social commentary is really incisive. It's not a comfortable read, but it is one that will stay with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Stalking, and Racial slurs
Racial fetishism, police interactionsnebuchadnezzar03's review
challenging
emotional
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Stalking, Classism, Racism, and Hate crime
kyrstin_p1989's review
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A brilliant story that on the surface is about two people who can’t let go of the past but when you dig deeper is about their need to not be racist, no matter the cost. This book outlines the way that well-meaning white liberals (especially the women) make choices for and about the Black women in their lives, instead of treating those women like true equals and giving them the space to make their own choices. Reid highlights the way white people often think they know what is best or just for Black people without asking or trying to understand a different perspective while also telling a complex coming of age story filled with love and loss.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Classism, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment
marisa_n's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Racial slurs, Police brutality, Cultural appropriation, and Classism
Minor: Stalking
basicbookstagrammer's review
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Classism, Cultural appropriation, and Emotional abuse
cammiem8's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Wow, were these characters frustrating! And I know that was the point, and their interactions were interesting and made me listen through it very quickly. Although what Alix/Alex did was objectively worse, I couldn’t help but despise Kelley more than any of the other characters, he just came off to me as so slimy and pretty much got off scotch free in the end. Also have to say the kid was really annoying. I find myself really wanting to talk about this book, and I’ll certainly be thinking about it for a while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Fatphobia, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Body shaming, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Animal death
jojo_'s review against another edition
reflective
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Cultural appropriation, and Racism
Moderate: Bullying, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Vomit, Stalking, Animal death, Death of parent, and Police brutality
theliteraryphoenix's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
5.0
I really enjoyed Such a Fun Age and I completely understand why there was so much hype around it both at the time of its release in 2019 and over the summer of 2020. This book wasn’t originally on my TBR because it’s adult literary fiction, but over the last year I’ve been trying to branch out and read more diverse authors so Such a Fun Age ended up on my list and it’s a great example of why you should reach out of your comfort zone because there are so many books out there that you don’t know you’ll love.
Reid does an incredible job building the three central characters. On one hand, we have Alix who is a rich white woman who is used to having everything handed to her, but thinks that she is very moderate and of the people. On the other hand we have Kelly, who immerses himself so much in the world of his Black friends and love interests that he thinks he’s being an ally when it comes off as more of a fetish. At the centre of all this, we have Emira, who just just trying to live her life and figure out what she wants to do with it. Both of the white characters have agendas revolving around Emira, but they don’t have the conscious realisation that they are using her.
Such a Fun Age explores racism, classism, parenting, Millennial and Gen Z’s economic survival, micro aggressions, and so much more. Even the title has two meanings, one related to Emira’s charge Briar, and the other as an overall umbrella for the age we live in. Both tongue in cheek, of course.
There’s nothing I can think of that would’ve improved this book, or made it a better read. The setting is solid, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with the occasional flashback to other locations nearby. The characters are all well developed and multifaceted, and their individual motivators and agendas really drove the story. This is a character-driven novel more than it is a plot-driven novel, but there is a loose plot around the racist incident at the beginning of the book and what Emira is going to do with the footage. Again, this all plays out really well and the timeline is steady. The writing is good, the narrator did an excellent job reading it, all in all this is a fantastic read on both a technical level and a personal enjoyment level.
Besides those praises, this book makes me think and watch myself. Such a Fun Age has two white people who genuinely believe they are doing the right thing for the right reasons. They remind me to make sure that I am being respectful of the people around me, particularly people of color, and not interfering where I’m not wanted. There is a line between supporting someone and trying to be a white saviour, and Such a Fun Age explores toeing over this line extremely well.
This book is just as essential a read for those on the antiracist path as are non-fiction books about systemic racism and the flaws in our prison system. Such a Fun Age reminds readers that the issues aren’t all on a large scale that we can’t affect – many of them are in the small gestures and in the way we speak to and treat one another, and we need to learn to be more respectful of the privacy and rights and humanity of others.
I absolutely recommend this book to all readers who are comfortable with more complex writing at an adult level. There is a little sexual content, and a racist incident, but overall this is an accessible book without a lot of trigger warnings outside of racism and it is important fiction read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Vomit, and Stalking
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol
mathildarech's review
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
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
4.5
this book. just wow.
this book combines a great story with many social and current issues. such as race, privilege, money, savior complex, fetishization of poc (especially women) and much more.
It is thought provoking in a way I have never experienced before.
The story is told from two different points of view (a white woman and a black woman), which I really liked and punctualizes the problem even more.
this book combines a great story with many social and current issues. such as race, privilege, money, savior complex, fetishization of poc (especially women) and much more.
It is thought provoking in a way I have never experienced before.
The story is told from two different points of view (a white woman and a black woman), which I really liked and punctualizes the problem even more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Minor: Racial slurs, Death of parent, and Stalking
juliebean666's review
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Stalking, and Toxic relationship