Book Review // Such A Fun Age

Rating: 3/5

Review:

It is always difficult to stay objective when reading a hyped up book recommended by anyone, let alone recommended by Reese (or Jenna or Oprah). I really try to avoid reading reviews on these hyped books because I often fall in the “why is this book so popular?” camp. It happens far too often for me. 

Such A Fun Age was a disjointed, poorly executed, and unfortunate attempt to address stereotypes and implicit bias. The premise had promise, it really did. I was there for the story of Emira. Unfortunately, the author took some pretty heavy racial issues and filled them with so many stereotypes it was difficult for me to overlook. There were so many chaotic times throughout the book because the dialogue was hard to follow. I found myself skimming towards the end. 

Even though I think the execution was poorly delivered, I do believe this would be a great candidate for a book club book. I believe the discussion would help those in the book club take an introspective look at themselves and how they can learn to not have implicit biases.

Synopsis:

"Alix Chamberlain is a woman who gets what she wants and has made a living, with her confidence-driven brand, showing other women how to do the same. So she is shocked when her babysitter, Emira Tucker, is confronted while watching the Chamberlains' toddler one night, walking the aisles of their local high-end supermarket. The store's security guard, seeing a young black woman out late with a white child, accuses Emira of kidnapping two-year-old Briar. A small crowd gathers, a bystander films everything, and Emira is furious and humiliated. Alix resolves to make things right.

But Emira herself is aimless, broke, and wary of Alix's desire to help. At twenty-five, she is about to lose her health insurance and has no idea what to do with her life. When the video of Emira unearths someone from Alix's past, both women find themselves on a crash course that will upend everything they think they know about themselves, and each other." (Amazon.com)