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A review by savvylit
Come & Get It by Kiley Reid
dark
emotional
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
4.0
Kiley Reid's first novel, Such a Fun Age, expertly detailed and revealed microaggressions that ranged from the somewhat subtle to the wildly blatant. Fans of Reid's work will be glad to discover, like I did, that this novel follows in her first work's footsteps. Come & Get It is also a brilliant examination of microaggressions and the intersection of race and class. Honestly, I'd say that Come & Get It is even more critically effective because it details exchanges of money and power that are more casual than those of the employer/employee framework of Such a Fun Age.
Beyond the aforementioned thematic content, one of Come & Get It's other greatest strengths lies in Reid's layered and nuanced characterization. This novel mostly flips between the perspectives of two people at very different positions in life and privilege: Agatha and Millie. Millie is a loveable and youthfully naive protagonist who tries her best to save money while navigating the stresses of her job and daily life. Agatha is a cool-mannered and sophisticated antagonist who initially seems sympathetic but gradually begins to act in an increasingly exploitative manner. Millie and Agatha's lives are juxtaposed yet also overlap in complex and authentic ways.
The only thing that kept me from rating Come & Get It as five stars is that the plot seemed to meander at times - particularly when it came to relationship dynamics with secondary characters. Though the secondary characters are likable and fully fleshed, their side plots ultimately took away from a more consistently flowing narrative.
Many thanks to @putnambooks and @netgalley for the eARC of Come & Get It in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Beyond the aforementioned thematic content, one of Come & Get It's other greatest strengths lies in Reid's layered and nuanced characterization. This novel mostly flips between the perspectives of two people at very different positions in life and privilege: Agatha and Millie. Millie is a loveable and youthfully naive protagonist who tries her best to save money while navigating the stresses of her job and daily life. Agatha is a cool-mannered and sophisticated antagonist who initially seems sympathetic but gradually begins to act in an increasingly exploitative manner. Millie and Agatha's lives are juxtaposed yet also overlap in complex and authentic ways.
The only thing that kept me from rating Come & Get It as five stars is that the plot seemed to meander at times - particularly when it came to relationship dynamics with secondary characters. Though the secondary characters are likable and fully fleshed, their side plots ultimately took away from a more consistently flowing narrative.
Many thanks to @putnambooks and @netgalley for the eARC of Come & Get It in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Classism
Minor: Drug use