“Such A Fun Age” Book Review

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

“Such A Fun Age” is the debut novel from writer Kiley Reid set to be released in January 2020. The novel follows the story of a young black woman named Emira who is living in a post collegiate limbo and has a babysitting job to make ends meet. She babysits for a white family, and doesn’t think anything of it until one night when she is confronted by racism from a stranger. The situation evolves and then everything around Emira starts to change. She is forced to examine her relationships and navigate tumultuous interpersonal dynamics which fluctuate as the story progresses. Will she stay babysitting for the little girl who she has grown to love or is it time to move on and finally grow up?

Right from page one, author Kiley Reid’s story will capture your attention and never let it go. She writes in a way that is easy to read but manages to convey the emotions and messiness of real life. The author does this by giving multiple points of view during the same events. The technique allows the reader to form a complete picture of what each character is thinking and their attitudes or feelings.

One of my favorite aspects of the book was the endearing relationship between Emira and Briar, the little girl she takes care of. As a parent, I read these portions of the book and was smitten by their obvious affection for one another. Briar is an adorable character and Emira is able to reach her in a way that the other adults around her cannot. This connection melted my heart and made me even more invested in Emira’s story.

Recommendation: Easy to read and yet thought provoking. This one is a must read!