Such A Fun Age – Kiley Reid

Such A Fun Age is the debut novel of American author Kiley Reid. It might look like a sweet summer read, but underneath lurks a serious critique of race, class, and good intentions. The fine folks at Bloomsbury were kind enough to send me a copy for review.

Emira is a young woman still struggling to find her feet. As she stumbles through her twenties, she makes ends meet with a baby-sitting job, employed by the feminist advocate and “personal brand” Alix.

One night, at a supermarket, Emira is pulled up by security, suspected of kidnapping the young (white) child in her charge. The whole incident is filmed by a witness, Kelley, but he swears to Emira that he’ll never release the footage.

As love blooms between Emira and Kelley, she discovers that he and Alix are connected in a way she never could have predicted. Each has their own account of their history, and their own opinions about what’s best for Emira’s future.

Such A Fun Age is a bait-and-switch in the best possible way. It’s gripping without bloodshed, it’s insightful without being moralistic, and it’s the kind of book you won’t be able to stop thinking about after you reach The End.

Read Such A Fun Age on audiobook via Libro.fm here. (affiliate link)