I want to preface that I really wanted to like this book. I heard mixed things about it and just wanted it to exceed my very mid-level expectations. However, the story is so underwhelming. It’s just incredibly boring. It takes until the last 150 pages for there to really be any real conflict. And there’s no “action” until the last 40-50 pages. There isn’t even any real build up to anything. And the ending is a bit confusing. 

Nella is the only black worker at a white publishing house. She’s been an assistant for two years, and she’s about 26 years old. Then one day, the company hires another assistant, Hazel, who is also a young black woman. Hazel thrives in the publishing company despite Nella having worked there for longer and it seems Hazel’s opinion is valued over Nella’s despite her lack of experience in the field. Nella struggles with her identity as a black woman since she grew up in the suburbs of Connecticut and was referred to as an “Oreo” growing up and she’s self conscious about the fact her long term boyfriend is white. She has a lot of anxiety about not appearing black enough to other black people while also thinking she’s too black around her white co-workers. Yet Hazel is able to come into the office and everyone loves her. Then Hazel begins undermining Nella. She’ll agree an author’s distasteful and stereotypical depiction of a black character is problematic, then tell their superiors she thinks the character is great despite what others (*looks at Nella*) might say. And of course, since Hazel is saying what they want to hear and clearly she speaks for all black people (rolls eyes), their white coworkers eat up her words and give her more responsibilities and moves further than Nella. 

However, Hazel’s slights don’t really escalate beyond that, yet Nella allows her actions to get under her skin. Which I can understand that black women don’t necessarily need to elevate one another but making a point to tear each other down is definitely not okay. It’s a huge betrayal since Hazel went out of her way to gain her trust. 

The “build up” of suspense is supposed to be these ominous notes telling Nella to leave her job, but really they didn’t seem threatening after the first one. It did seem like someone was trying to get her to leave before shit hit the fan but in like the worst and illogical way possible? “The Resistance” is barely explained and after finishing the book I can’t figure out what they’re trying to achieve. Harris constantly talks about the past while in the middle of something presently happening and it’ll take pages before it comes back to what’s happening now and it just gets a bit confusing, I’m not sure if that’s the point but it just got annoying. 

Another thing is Nella isn’t really likable at all. She’s pretty self absorbed even before Hazel enters the scene. And I could see her decision a mile away by the end of the book so it wasn’t shocking but still disappointing. I can understand how caring about the social movement can be extremely taxing, especially when it directly affects you and your loved ones, and it would just be easier to just not constantly care about those things (i.e. micro aggressions, police brutality, etc.). I can understand her choice but also not? If that makes sense. 

The book is described as Get Out meets Devil Wears Prada but I’m not really seeing it. The book also makes a couple Get Out references which is kind of meh. I’m also not really sure why black thrillers are constantly being compared to Get Out. Like amazing movie, but not everything has to be like Get Out to be good. 

I will say for this book it did stress me out (not exactly the suspense I wanted to feel but I digress) because the horror is rooted in racism which is genuine horror the black community has lived through for hundreds of years. These are very real things that black women face daily. The idea that black individuals have to constantly hide pieces of themselves and/or be totally complacent to get anywhere in their professional field is incredibly stressful and taxing and is, unfortunately, the reality of our current society. 

I can’t give this book anymore than a 3/5 rating, but it’s not terrible. I like some elements and scenes in the book and the potential is there.