This has been on my TBR ever since it was released and I'm so glad I finally read it. I'd only heard the main point of the plot as being about a woman who babysits another family's child and thought it wouldn't really be for me, but it turned out to be a very thought-provoking read that kept me up at night trying to creep another chapter in before I feel asleep.
Emira's a 25 year old Black woman working as a babysitter for Alix Chamberlain, a white woman who's made her riches through inspiring other women. When she takes Alix's daughter Briar to a supermarket late at night as part of her job, Emira's stopped by a security guard and accused of kidnapping her. A white bystander videos the entire exchange, and offers to put it out there so Emira can show the world what happened.
This book is something that I tore through, but has sat with me and I think will continue to sit with me for a long time now. It challenges and discusses the idea of the 'white saviour' in our modern world in nuanced and distinct ways throughout the book. Racial stereotypes are challenged, and microaggressions are shown in a very clear way. It also covers fetishization, interracial relationships, intersections of class and race, and Black female friendships.
This is a book I'm so glad to have read, and is definitely an important read. I gave it 5 stars and I'd recommend it if you're a fan of Angie Thomas' The Hate U Give, or fiction about relationships like Diana Evans' Ordinary People and Candice Carty-Williams' Queenie.
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