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mrsthrift's review against another edition
It was hard for me to accept that Khalil had no awareness of any of the stuff Maria was thinking and doing.
jaclyncrupi's review against another edition
4.0
Some of the sharpest satire I've read in ages. It reminded me of other excellent racial satires such as Mislaid, Delicious Foods, Welcome to Braggsville and The Sellout. I gulped down the first third of this book only to have it slow down on me in the middle but it came home strong and I loved the weird ending. Senna takes us deep into the weird mind of her ambivalent protagonist Maria and it's a fun and frustrating place to be. I was happy there.
maddiebelloff's review against another edition
4.0
One of the most disturbing, gripping books I’ve read recently. Reminded me of I” Love Dick” and “My Year of Rest and Relaxation” and “The Vanishing Half”
kee523's review against another edition
medium-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
3.25
Odd. Didn't like the characters, but enjoyed the biracial point of view
hollydyer328's review
challenging
funny
mysterious
reflective
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
4.0
Strangely enough, I liked this one. Story moves quick with good writing and VERY complex characters. Maria is definitely strange, and there are some big cringe moments, but as a mixed-race person I could understand where her motivations were coming from. Danzy Senna does a great job of writing about the mixed-race experience and the nuances and complexities around identity and belonging in a binary Black/White America, and she embraces the messiness of that reality while also tipping into craziness! The ending was more ambiguous than I’m willing to go and I wish she added an extra 50 pages to resolve what ends up happening. But I get that the point isn’t what happens in the end but how we got there.
pria42's review against another edition
3.0
Definitely an interesting look at what it means to be biracial but the book just doesn’t do the topic justice. Maria is beyond unlikable and Khalil is two-dimensional at best. Maria mentions, via Gloria and Lisa granted, how perfect he is but it seems like he is completely oblivious to Maria’s obviously problematic state of mind.
shay43geek's review against another edition
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Stalking, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexual content and Toxic relationship