Such a Fun Age - Kiley Reid - 5 Stars and Favorite

[Jeremiah]

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
5 Stars and Favorite
Audiobook

In the midst of a family crisis one late evening, white blogger Alix Chamberlain calls her African American babysitter, Emira, asking her to take toddler Briar to the local market for distraction. There, the security guard accuses Emira of kidnapping Briar, and Alix's efforts to right the situation turn out to be good intentions selfishly mismanaged.

At one point I honestly wondered if it was really possible that a book could be longlisted for the Booker Prize and also be picked for a book of the month selection for a book club. Those two classifications are at opposite ends of the book spectrum. Not that there is anything wrong with either end of the spectrum or somewhere in between. But mass appeal and enjoyment do not often mix with high quality writing and a poignant message.

I was pleasantly surprised that as I finished the novel this morning, I no longer had that question. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Such a Fun Age was deserving of being both a Reese's Book Club pick and a longlisted novel for the Booker Prize. It is a unique novel that both speaks to the masses but is incredible in its stature.

If 2020 in America has pointed out anything it is the lack of authenticity in our narratives. Please don't confuse what I am saying as being synonymous with the red herring of "fake news". Our culture, in America, has an authenticity problem. It is not right or left, it is not black or white, it is across the board. We create our story and then try to make the facts fit in it. I was completely impressed with how Kiley Reid pointed to this devastating truth in this novel. The main character's (Alix) entire existence relies and revolves around her maintaining her own narrative that is devoid of authenticity. The reader is completely sucked into this false narrative, even sympathizing with its creator, until it is finally splayed open and our naivete is revealed.

The other point that I thought was so poignant in this novel was that equality and fair treatment do not have to look like huge successes. We, as a society, often degrade people of color at least in the subtext of our conversations with this idea that "well, we have been on the civil rights movement now for 50 years or so. But despite that, people of color are still living in run down houses in the ghetto, they are still not going to college or taking K-12 seriously, they are not moving out of their crime ridden neighborhoods, etc." We go into the courtroom and immediately establish the context that "they were rolling the deuce in their 'black man's car' when all of this started," as if the crime was different because of which neighborhood it was committed in. The point made in this novel, that equality is still achievable even if you are working in a minimum wage job was huge. That civil rights still matter even if you don't want to stop working in a service industry was so important. I was blown away by this thought that we have to stop thinking that equality only comes when you move to a better paying job. No, equality comes in how we treat those that serve us. Equality comes in how we respect those that love us. Equality comes in how we allow people to use their skills that God gave them and honor what they bring to this world.

Finally, as a long standing feminist, I appreciated the fact that Kiley Reid clearly demonstrated that a strong woman can come in many forms. I am all for our communities being filled with female business owners. I love to see female owned business and give my hard earned money to them. But I also recognize that a stay at home mom that is running her house and raising her children is no less a successful woman. She has a mind of her own and she is adding value to the world. This novel really pointed out the fact that earnings, recognition, and status do not indicate how independent and successful a woman (or any person, for that matter) truly is in this life.

This novel was a clear five stars for me and likely one of my top three books of the year.

[Jen K]

Great review! I really liked this one as well. She touched on so many sensitive topics but it was done so skillfully.