Reviews with content warning for Racism - When No One Is Watching

Reviews tagging 'Racism'

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole

387 reviews

bechlette47's review against another edition

There was a lot more cursing than I expected. The audiobook is 8+ hours, and 5 or more was just building up. It was a bit slow for me. I looked up the ending, and I feel like a made the right choice. Just wasn’t for me.

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munky15's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

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surlamer7803's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny informative mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Really well written and very well researched book that I found to be unexpectedly informative and educational but done so in a way that was enhancing to the story and overall entangling. Loved the theme and thrills of this book - done very differently to others of the genre which was very refreshing. Very much enjoyed the climactic and satisfying conclusion as well.

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boba_nbooks's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Spice Rating: 🌶️ / 5

On the surface, When No One Is Watching is thriller novel, but when you start to dig into the material, you find that the author weaves the important subjects of racism and gentrification into the suspense.

Sydney has lived in Brooklyn all her life, but the neighborhood she knows and loves is transforming before her eyes as more and more white people are moving into homes that have been owned by Black families for years. One of those people is Theo, who moved into one of the homes with his long-term girlfriend with the intent of flipping the house and reselling it. In order to keep the history of the neighborhood at the forefront, Sydney decides to create her own historical tour and asks Theo to help her dig into the rich past of the area. But the further they look, the more suspicious behaviors and conspiracies they uncover, and the pair becomes unsure of who they can trust.

This novel is definitely a slow burn. There is a lot of build-up before the tension comes to a head at the very end. Throughout the story, you're unsure of who you can trust--including both our main narrators, Sydney and Theo. I think the themes could've been more poignant and the ending could've been more realistic than leaning into science-fiction.

When No One Is Watching brings the vital issues of racism, injustice, and gentrification to the forefront of its story. These subjects were what brought the most chilling themes to me, and if you're wanting to learn more about them through a thrilling ride, I'd definitely recommend this novel to you.

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dwiparto's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

A horror story focused on gentrification… The most horrifying part is how realistic/plausible the story is.

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blrosey's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I loved this book. I cried, laughed, got angry and cheered. It was a roller coaster ride but once we made it to the top, it turned out to be an amazing experience. For someone to write about something affects community was beautiful, sad and hopeful all at once.

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