A review by theblushbookworm
We Are Not Like Them by Jo Piazza, Christine Pride

emotional 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

Come for the friendship, stay for the social justice; the authors’ inside joke tagline for this novel encapsulates it perfectly! Jen, who’s White, and Riley, who’s Black, have been best friends since childhood, but when Jen’s cop husband plays a part in the murder of a young Black boy their lives are torn apart. This novel reminded me of “Such A Fun Age” in the alternating perspectives of White and Black women though the dynamic is very different. Riley ‘s struggles as she processes this event and tries to tell the story as an objective journalist was the most interesting part of the read for me. Jen felt a little one-dimensional at times, but then she’d hit me with a line of dialogue that showed her nuance. Jen was one-dimensional to brilliantly serve the purpose of illustrating the thinking of unconscious racism. Overall this is a must read for me, but check trigger warnings!
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