The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris.
Synopsis
Get Out meets The Stepford Wives in this electric debut about the tension that unfurls when two young Black women meet against the starkly white backdrop of New York City book publishing.
Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. Fed up with the isolation and microaggressions, she’s thrilled when Harlem-born and bred Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers. They’ve only just started comparing natural hair care regimens, though, when a string of uncomfortable events elevates Hazel to Office Darling, and Nella is left in the dust.
Then the notes begin to appear on Nella’s desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW.
It’s hard to believe Hazel is behind these hostile messages. But as Nella starts to spiral and obsess over the sinister forces at play, she soon realizes that there’s a lot more at stake than just her career.
A whip-smart and dynamic thriller and sly social commentary that is perfect for anyone who has ever felt manipulated, threatened, or overlooked in the workplace, The Other Black Girl will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last twist.
My Thoughts
The premise of this book really interested me, but I just had trouble getting into the flow of the reading. I had difficulty staying interested, but I wanted to finish so I could find out what happened at the end.
I found the alternating narrators hard to follow and the foundation wasn't there to have a good understanding of how they fit into the rest of the story. I read this book as a buddy read here on Goodreads and an interesting point was brought up in our chat about the consideration of from what angle/perspective and motivation we were viewing one aspect of the novel from and whether the notes Nella received were a warning or a threat. It all depends on how you look at the situation.
This book is a good pick for a book club and can lead to some good discussion. I read this book as a buddy read on Goodreads and it presented many good conversation points for our group.
My Rating: 3/5
⭐⭐⭐
Book Details
Author: Zakiya Dalila Harris
Publisher: Atria Books.
Publication Date: June 1, 2021.
Genre: Fiction. Literary Fiction. Thriller. Suspense. African American & Black - Women.
Edition: Paperback.
Pages: 368.
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