novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
RATING: 4 STARS
2018; Harper Perennial/HarperCollins Canada
(Review Not on Blog)
I found Morgan Jerkins' collection of essays very engaging and quick to read. Jerkins takes on big topics like race and feminism and disarms her readers with humour and compassion. She relates her experiences as a black feminist woman in America so that we see her perspective but also that this not just an anomaly. I don't live in the US and I am not black but there were moments as I read this book and knew that exact feeling. (I am a Canadian of Indian- India -background). I hope some day to write like Jerkins and look forward to more of her writing.
***I received an eARC from EDELWEISS***
2018; Harper Perennial/HarperCollins Canada
(Review Not on Blog)
I found Morgan Jerkins' collection of essays very engaging and quick to read. Jerkins takes on big topics like race and feminism and disarms her readers with humour and compassion. She relates her experiences as a black feminist woman in America so that we see her perspective but also that this not just an anomaly. I don't live in the US and I am not black but there were moments as I read this book and knew that exact feeling. (I am a Canadian of Indian- India -background). I hope some day to write like Jerkins and look forward to more of her writing.
***I received an eARC from EDELWEISS***
melliermoon's review against another edition
3.0
I have mixed feelings about this book. When I bought it, I thought that I was going to absolutely love it because of how acclaimed she is for such a young writer and was excited to get someone else's perspective. However, much like some of the other reviews, I found it difficult to follow Morgan in some her essays. Although she made everything connect in the end, I got lost in between so many times.
While I agreed with a lot of what she said in regard to wanting to emulate the white girls [in her school] in order to fit in, some other points she made also seemed extreme. I'm not sure if it's because I grew up as a mixed child, raise by a white women... but I couldn't bring myself to agree (even though I really wanted to).
It's definitely an interesting read and, while it wasn't my favorite, I'm sure others will fall in love with the rawness of her writing. She literally bares all.
While I agreed with a lot of what she said in regard to wanting to emulate the white girls [in her school] in order to fit in, some other points she made also seemed extreme. I'm not sure if it's because I grew up as a mixed child, raise by a white women... but I couldn't bring myself to agree (even though I really wanted to).
It's definitely an interesting read and, while it wasn't my favorite, I'm sure others will fall in love with the rawness of her writing. She literally bares all.
crystal_reading's review against another edition
4.0
I appreciated hearing Jerkins' perspective on living in the U.S. as a Black woman & feminist. I'm still sitting with and thinking about this book and likely will for quite some time.
paperschemes's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
cokechukwu's review against another edition
2.0
There are fragments of gems here. When Jerkins is good, she’s stellar. The best essay was “Human, Not Black,” about her time studying abroad in Japan and finding anonymity and freedom as a foreigner. But much of the rest is either a disorganized mess, frustratingly superficial, or overly dramatic. Jerkins is obviously a talented writer, but she lacks the maturity and wisdom to really grapple effectively with the issues she raises. I was also surprised by the amount of thinly veiled disdain for black women that aren’t as wealthy and educated as her. On a less substantive note, I found the list essays off-putting and lazy. This is a book, not Buzzfeed. 2.5 stars.
kenwashburne88's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
tetiana's review against another edition
4.0
A phenomenal collection of linked essays about living as a black woman in America. Jerkins’s writing voice is incisive, evocative, and honest – she examines race and gender, exposing how misogyny, racism and exclusionary white feminism intertwine into one insidious entity that harms black women in today’s society every day. Very educational.
dominic_t's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
This is a really great essay collection. The essays are really personal and vulnerable. I particularly liked "Human, Not Black" and "Who Will Write Us?".
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Rape
jennylemon's review against another edition
5.0
Vulnerable-honest-thoughtful-and I really feel like she was born to be a writer. I look forward to seeing more from her, especially as she gets older (because omg, it makes me feel old to say, but she is a baby).