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A review by charmaineac
If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say by Leila Sales
5.0
If you check out the other reviews, it is clear that this is a controversial book. And it's MEANT to be. I think Leila Sales expressed a lot of her own concerns, hesitations, and difficulties writing about race while coming from a privileged white background. There was a line somewhere during Revibe where Winter expressed some sentiment that I could see applying to Sales herself in a very meta way.
I think this book makes you more conscious about what you put out there online. It makes you reflect on how you treat people, and to understand that a lot of awfulness gets broadcasted publicly... and a lot of it doesn't, especially when public opinion has agreed that someone is evil.
There were two key turning points in this book. One, the scene in the convenience store, and two, the phone call in the bathroom. The first, I think, made Winter check her privilege and understand systemic racism a little better. The second taught her what it really means to apologize. Interestingly, I do think Revibe was right in trying to instill that in its attendees. The problem is that it only works when it comes from an internalized place — people have to truly feel repentant, not just say what they need to say to make a problem go away. I'm sure this is true for anyone going through a rehabilitation program; the desire for change has to come from within. Winter learned that in her own way.
I also liked the nuance of Emerson's struggles in the book as well. What a nice touch, and an interesting detail that helped Winter remember that the world doesn't revolve around her. As always, Leila Sales remains one of my favourite authors.
I think this book makes you more conscious about what you put out there online. It makes you reflect on how you treat people, and to understand that a lot of awfulness gets broadcasted publicly... and a lot of it doesn't, especially when public opinion has agreed that someone is evil.
There were two key turning points in this book. One, the scene in the convenience store, and two, the phone call in the bathroom. The first, I think, made Winter check her privilege and understand systemic racism a little better. The second taught her what it really means to apologize. Interestingly, I do think Revibe was right in trying to instill that in its attendees. The problem is that it only works when it comes from an internalized place — people have to truly feel repentant, not just say what they need to say to make a problem go away. I'm sure this is true for anyone going through a rehabilitation program; the desire for change has to come from within. Winter learned that in her own way.
I also liked the nuance of Emerson's struggles in the book as well. What a nice touch, and an interesting detail that helped Winter remember that the world doesn't revolve around her. As always, Leila Sales remains one of my favourite authors.