Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

 

Summary (from the publisher): A striking and surprising debut novel from an exhilarating new voice, Such a Fun Age is a page-turning and big-hearted story about race and privilege, set around a young black babysitter, her well-intentioned employer, and a surprising connection that threatens to undo them both.

Alix Chamberlain is a woman who gets what she wants and has made a living showing other women how to do the same. A mother to two small girls, she started out as a blogger and has quickly built herself into a confidence-driven brand. So she is shocked when her babysitter, Emira Tucker, is confronted while watching the Chamberlains’ toddler one night. Seeing a young black woman out late with a white child, a security guard at their local high-end supermarket accuses Emira of kidnapping two-year-old Briar. A small crowd gathers, a bystander films everything, and Emira is furious and humiliated. Alix resolves to make it right.

But Emira herself is aimless, broke, and wary of Alix’s desire to help. At twenty-five, she is about to lose her health insurance and has no idea what to do with her life. When the video of Emira unearths someone from Alix’s past, both women find themselves on a crash course that will upend everything they think they know about themselves, and each other.

With empathy and piercing social commentary, Such a Fun Age explores the stickiness of transactional relationships, what it means to make someone “family,” the complicated reality of being a grown up, and the consequences of doing the right thing for the wrong reason.

Review: Emira Tucker is a 25-year-old black woman who accepts a part-time position babysitting a toddler for a wealthy family. When she is out late one night babysitting, she is confronted by a security guard in a high-end supermarket and accused of kidnapping the little girl. The encounter is filmed, Emira is humiliated, and her employer awkwardly tries to make things right. Her employer, Alix Chamberlain, goes out of her way to try to befriend Emira and prove just how not racist she is. But Emira is wary of Alix's desire "to help." 

Wow, there is a lot to unpack here. This novel is a searing social commentary on casual daily racism and misguided attempts by whites eager to prove that they aren't racist. It also is an insightful depiction of transactional relationships. No matter how much Alix insists that Emira is just like family and how welcome she is in their home, she is ultimately someone who is paid to care for her child. Finally, this novel is a meditation on the privilege that comes with wealth. Emira is broke, desperate to pay her bills and pay for health insurance and her choices are guided by this reality. Alix, with her wealthy background and plush circumstances, has no clue what that feels like. Her manipulation of Emira is particularly galling in the light of the fact that she is a wealthy white woman and Emira is a poor black one. 

Overall, I found the white characters in this novel deeply problematic. Alix and Emira's boyfriend Kelly both fight over Emira like a dog with a bone, both convinced that they are the ones that know what's best for Emira. No one seems to consider just listening to what Emira feels is best for her. Their actions are deeply troubling and unethical, particularly the actions by Alix.  

On the other hand, I didn't particularly care for Emira as a character either. She is sullen and uncommunicative with everyone, including her boyfriend and friends. Given the interactions between Alix and Emira, it was hard to understand why Alix is so obsessed with Emira and desperate to befriend and impress her. The one redeeming quality of Emira is that she is portrayed as this babysitting savant that is the only person on earth who sees and values Briar for herself. Despite constantly worrying about money, she makes no attempts to do anything about it until her friends practically force her to begin looking for a better job. I also didn't understand the attraction between Emira and Kelly, beyond the fact that Kelly seems to have a thing for dating black women, or at least according to Alix's internet stalking. 

This is a timely read and navigates the sticky race and class dynamics that are laced throughout our society. While I didn't like the people portrayed in this novel, it did make me think and was a well written literary debut. 

Stars: 3