Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for gifting me a digital ARC of the adult debut novel by Nicola Yoon. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 3.5 stars.
Jasmyn and King Williams move to the planned Black community of Liberty, California, hoping to find like-minded people, a place where their growing family can thrive. Where all the police and shopkeepers are Black, so they don't have to deal with profiling. King settles in at once, embracing the Liberty ethos, including the wellness center at the top of the hill, which proves to be the heart of the community. But Jasmyn struggles to find her place. She expected to find liberals and social justice activists striving for racial equality, but Liberty residents seem more focused on booking spa treatments and ignoring the world’s troubles.
I was really anxious to read this book - it was billed as a Stepford Wife/Get Out thriller. I really liked the way this book made me more aware of all the struggles of Black people in everyday life. I liked the tension of wondering just exactly what was going on, although you definitely could make some good guesses. But take this from an older white woman - while all white people were definitely portrayed as racist, it felt like it also did a disservice to Black people. It seemed to stress only negatives about being Black. While Jasmyn was trying to do all she could to advocate for her race, she put down others she felt weren't doing enough. She was judgy of the way other Black women wore their hair. And the ending? Well...while obvious, it is sad to think that would be what Blacks need to be truly happy. So definitely a mixed bag for me!
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