GIRL, WOMAN, OTHER tells the stories of 12 black British women and nonbinary people. Each chapter follows a different character, though they are all connected, whether by blood or friendship. Each traces a life from childhood to adulthood, following them as they try to find themselves and their place in the world.

This book is a joy to read. Don't let the idea of minimal punctuation deter you - it makes the book flow, echoing the feeling many of the characters have that their lives and the world are rushing by. Each chapter explores a different aspect of what it means and feels like to be black and assigned female in England today, digging deep into entrenched attitudes of racism, sexism, homophobia, and more. It is multilayered and intensely thoughtful while remaining easy to read.

My one reservation with this book is the way it's marketed as the stories of "12 women," when one character, Morgan, identifies as nonbinary and, from what we see in their chapter, has never identified as a woman. I took it to be mostly done for the sake of simplifying the jacket copy, but upon closer inspection, Morgan is the least developed and integrated character in the book. It's quite a shame, because their chapter is the only place in the book where the lines of gender are explored.