Such a Fun Age
Fiction
G.P. Putnam's Sons
December 31, 2019
Advanced reader copy
320
Publisher via BookExpo
Alix Chamberlain is a woman who gets what she wants and has made a living showing other women how to do the same. A mother to two small girls, she started out as a blogger and has quickly built herself into a confidence-driven brand. So she is shocked when her babysitter, Emira Tucker, is confronted while watching the Chamberlains’ toddler one night. Seeing a young black woman out late with a white child, a security guard at their local high-end supermarket 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 it 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.
With empathy and piercing social commentary, Such a Fun Age explores the stickiness of transactional relationships, what it means to make someone “family,” the complicated reality of being a grown up, and the consequences of doing the right thing for the wrong reason.
My review:
I didn't know a lot about this book going into it, but it was one of the buzz book titles being highlighted at BookExpo this past summer (and they usually don't steer me wrong). As I started reading, I immediately got caught up in the drama surrounding Emira at the grocery store. My mind jumped to this being a book about race relations and racial inequality, which it was, but it was also a lot more than that. It's also about what defines a family, and when is it ok to become more involved in an employee's life. It's also about standing up for someone when they may not want your interference. And finally it's about a mid twenties woman who needs to determine the direction of her life, and how she gets there through some pretty big obstacles.
I thought the writing was good, the story flowed without a lot of superfluous information. There were characters who were likable, and many who were not (three year old Briar melted my heart). The only flaw for me was that I am so far removed from being twenty something that a lot of the girlfriend interactions were eye roll inducing. That however, is a problem with me and not the way the book portrays the characters.
I really enjoyed this one, it has a bit of something for everyone, even an oldie like me!
I like your review, we agree on several points, thanks for sharing your thoughts.
This is certainly one of the buzzy releases right now. I'm glad to hear it is living up to expectations!