I couldnt turn the pages fast enough in the second half of the book. ', Harriss debut novel is unique and creative, it defies being categorized into just one genre. Heres how it works. That's a hard question. Warning: This interview contains spoilers. Throughout the film, Finney's little sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) has apparent visions in her dreams, and while at first it seems her father doesn't want to acknowledge that they are real - as. As much as the premise was promising, I found the novel underbaked and overall a missed opportunity." The Black protagonist tries to save the white people in the story from zombies. When Cheryl finds out that her younger daughter is putting her life in jeopardy, she gets upset. There were a lot of plot holes, one-dimensional characters, and many characters were introduced and didn't contribute at all to the plot. I absolutely love books that cover workplace politics and drama, and this was spot on. Industry professionals are tweeting their support of guild members. I actually, strangely, had an easy time once it got to the publishing stage. I wrote that scene of her in the cubicle at the very beginning of chapter one when I was sitting at my cubicle. Young Nella Rogers is a poorly paid editorial assistant at Manhattan-based publishing house Wagner Books in 2018. I had to go back to the print copy a few times to figure out some plot points I missed, but all in all this is a great debut." If you choose the second path, as a young Black woman, you'll own your identity, but you'll never sit in the corner office you'll cause too much friction along the way. It's not a coincidence that the central conceit of the. Defeated and somewhat relieved, Nella finally consents to conversion. 7th District AME Church: God First Holy Conference 2023 - Facebook You have to hypnotize the reader into believing the story is one thing then you change the rules, and thats scary. In the Epilogue, Nella becomes a Lead Conditioner who arrives in Portland, Oregon to fix Shani. Without nuance, the novel could too easily be read as an exaggeration of reality, which reduces the urgency of issues it calls out. @bookcooklook, A post shared by holly b | bookcooklook (@bookcooklook) (opens in new tab). Just when she resolves to sweeping her uneasiness under the rug, another Black girl Hazel joins the company. Zakiya Dalila Harris began writing The Other Black Girl while working as an assistant editor at Knopf Doubleday, and her textured observations of the overwhelmingly white world of publishing,. Then after a bit, the book took a turn that I wasnt really expecting. Paulina Jayne Isaac is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia. I mean, it really goes into my own ideas that I have about I mean, it's not only publishing, I think it's a lot of industries that are mostly white where we commodify Blackness, where you only need this one version of this thing for this one purpose. Both films were written and directed by . My Thoughts and views on Totsukuninoshoujo (The girl from the other I felt hopeless. Does she actually believe shes helping other black women with it? I knew for sure that there were going to be these two Black women in this very white workplace, and I knew there would be something wrong with one of them, Hazel that shed be off. It is not fair to market this book asDevil Wears PradameetsGet Outbecause its legitimately neither. I knew that would be what connected them, but it's funny because the grease itself didn't become an actual part of the book until I was talking to my partner about it. Book club questions for The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris will unravel all the key plots and character development in this twisty thriller. At one point, Nella describes the drama about a junior staffer getting their own office (rather than an open cubicle) and I laughed to myself because I definitely remember discussions like that happening back in the day. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. I wanted the reader to understand why Nella would go under in the way that she did, because weve already seen her get really excited about Hazel and their friendship and then the friendship fizzles out. But I wanted to play around with a third option in the book, too: that Nella might fail but that her failure could be a kind of success, a way to finally be in control. You\'ll receive the next newsletter in your inbox. (Im notorious for this lol.). Why wouldnt they listen to Nella? I've always been behind the scenes and that's partly why I like being a writermy words can speak for themselves. But after getting to know the main characters, Nella and Hazel, I was left feeling that it also was largely about the power of female friendship and the different ways people navigate the Black experience. I love the meta-sardonicism of a publisher budgeting for a marketing spree on a book that calls out racism in the publishing industry. It's a love letter to Black women and an . Having two bundt cakes in the house can be dangerous, but not as dangerous asIll end this review there to avoid any spoilers!" Occasional chapters seem to rise out of nowhere, but they are actual plot thickeners, devices that will ultimately take 'The Other Black Girl' toward a kind of sad and wholly earned brilliance. So, so that that part of looking around the table and not seeing anyone who looked like me, that part was very real. It was George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and COVID-19, obviously. But leaving that device unnamed, here, does not mean its effects can't be discussed. Im not reading to make sure everyones okay.. Chapter 1. What started out as a slow-burn psychological thriller, morphed into a Jordan Peele-esque social thriller, and I am here for it. Then the unexpected happens as Hazel becomes elevated in the company and Nella is being pushed outbut by who?!! "It really hits home how many spaces dont allow Black women to really show up as their authentic selves.". It was still early on in the querying stage, but it definitely got to me and made me worry. If you prefer to read in print, you can also find this article in the June 7, 2021, issue of I wont get into all of the details, but he settled out of court. 'Another Girl' releases on Tuesday -- September 14, 2021. There will be spoilers so for more context about the book, check out my spoiler-free review first. Women, Black women especially, arent allowed to get dark there are many amazing writers doing this work, but its not mainstream. Now that she's undeniably been cursed with human feelings, there's no telling what's in store for Cherry. At last, she'll have a co-worker she can lean on when it comes to the pressures she's felt, someone to take coffee breaks with and maybe even learn and get promoted with, a true equal. "This is a satire and a mystery thriller. She is the only Black employee at Wagner Books and shes rightfully tired of it. THE OTHER BLACK GIRL by Zakiya Dalila Harris RELEASE DATE: June 1, 2021 In Harris' slyly brilliant debut, a young editorial assistant is thrilled when her glaringly White employer hires another Black womanbut it soon becomes clear there's something sinister about the new girl, who isn't what she seems. As with herNew York Times-bestselling debutThe Mothers, Brit Bennett offers an engrossing page-turner about family and relationships that is immersive and provocative, compassionate and wise. And so many people were commenting on the coolness of it. I don't know how this would work. Part 2 opens with a flashback to the October 1983 release party for Diana Gordons novel Burning Heart. Then the notes begin to appear on Nellas desk: LEAVE WAGNER. And I knew that I wanted my protagonist, Nella, to fail. Its such a part of us. Its one of those comments where you're trying to seem like an ally, but you're also diminishing the facts. She's tired of being just about the only Black person in the room or really any room at Wagner. I love to read and review various genres with a focus on contemporary fiction, historical fiction with some mysteries/thrillers and also select nonfiction and memoirs. Mortgage fee structure change will arrive May 1: Here's what to know Marie Claire is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. A thrilling realization follows: Nella is no longer the only Black girl at the company. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Book Club Questions for Bella Cigna by Wendi Dass, Q&A with Liv Stratman, Author of Cheat Day, Book Club Questions for Leading Men by Christopher Castellani, Preview: The Third Hotel by Laura van den Berg, 10 Book Club Books to Read in Summer 2023, Book Club Questions for Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano, Review: Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano, Book Club Questions for The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes, Book Club Questions for Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, (Updated April 2023) Reeses Book Club Picks: Entire List, Book Club Questions for Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, Book Club Questions for Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. The star figured prominently in the Dominion lawsuit. Could it be?!! This is another question I don't get asked. What do you think end up happening to Nella afterward? I really wanted this book to live up to the hype but it wasn't at all what I expected it to be. Alsoyou have to stop calling everything under the umbrella of race horrorGet Out. Most recently, she was the Managing Editor at Coveteur, where she oversaw the sites day-to-day editorial operations. That's where it kind of lost me--clever idea, but because I wasn't expecting it it felt a bit over-the-top. Unlike many novels about contemporary American Black life which celebrate the longstanding African American upper classes, Harris's book doesn't hesitate to call out the patriarchal distinctions upon which those upper classes also rest. Hazel-May doesn't share Nella's yearning for a close, supportive office pal. And honestly, it deserves. Did you think it was an interesting plot twist or did you not like it? Her Black coworkers from other floors seem to favor Hazel, and Vera asks Hazel to assume Nellas usual tasks. I think pitching to agents was the nerve-wracking part. Theres a lot to unpack in this book. Your ultimate guide to the (arguably) best film genre: the romantic comedy. Part 1 ends on a cliffhanger: Is Nellas career at Wagner, like Kendra Raes, now over? The most gripping TV drama of the year is happening behind closed doors. They make a difference into whether or not a place feels inclusive. Punctuating these scenes are two chapters told from the perspective of Shani, a woman whose career Hazel sabotaged before coming to Wagner. It already controls us in some waysthat's not always bad, but it has a hold on us. I read that bookby Celeste Ngand then watched the adaptation. If you'd like me to review your book, contact me! One day, this all changes when Hazel walks in. If youve read it and want to discuss, send me an email so we can chat! I fortunately did not have it nearly as bad as Nella does. Want more stories like this one? Was there any awkwardness with writing a book about racial bias within publishing as a former publishing professional? Rent. I could see her as [other characters] Diana or Kendra Ray, especially Kendra Ray. Frustrated by the bad publicity from Kendra Raes interview, Diana connects her lover, Richard Wagner, with her childhood friend, Imani, to develop a chemical formula that can numb the prefrontal cortex, thus making Black women more compliant. But overall, I thought it was a strong, but not perfect, debut and Im looking forward to seeing what she writes next." And throughout this book, I really wanted readers to question their own prejudices, their own kind of analysis of certain interactions. Tucker Carlson ousted at Fox News amid lawsuit alleging sexism : NPR I knew Nella and Hazel would connect over hair; Nella feels as though she has been on the outside of Black culture and Blackness her whole life, and I wanted this to be the thing the women would bond over. I think of it this way: When I go into small stores or really, any store, I always make sure my hands are out of my pockets. I have a few qualms that fettered my experience with the novel. Harris says Nella is fascinated by Hazel. Exactly. It makes black people amendable when it comes to working with white people and removes any guilt. What did you think as you read that reveal? Harris, who sold her manuscript while she still worked as an editorial assistant at the venerable Alfred A. Knopf, Publishers, in Manhattan (where else? Or more likely, since she was pretty sure none of them had accidentally stumbled into the natural hair care aisle there was another Black girl on the thirteenth floor.". They can't exactly put into words what it is, but there's a feeling. I knew what was happening pretty early on, but there were some details that I definitely didnt guess. All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors. Enter new employee Hazel, who is Black, self-possessed and savvy in a way Nella has always aspired to be. To give you an idea of just how buzzy The Other Black Girl is, consider this: There was a 14-way bidding war among publishing houses to land the book, leading to a reported seven-figure deal for Harris.