Such a Fun Age

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2019)

This novel gave new meaning to the phrase “it’s complicated.” Even having read the reviews I did not foresee how this story would turn out and how messy it would be. It’s about more than a young black woman’s experiences of different kinds of racism. It’s also about being 25 in today’s America, specifically in Philadelphia. We do live in a world with a huge gap between economic classes and races  – one that many white people have the privilege of not seeing, but people of color experience every day. Reid makes her points by example without being too heavy-handed. Every reader can identify with some aspect of the story and its characters. Plus, you keep reading because you want to know how it turns out. Readers should not seek out paid employment with the Green Party, as the main character does – the real Green Party can’t afford to pay people. But we appreciate the shout-out.

I am adding a new feature to my blog: links to the independent bookstore site Bookshop.org. You can purchase this book from an independent bookstore (instead of always giving Amazon your money) by using this link. Or you can put it on hold at your local library, as I did.