Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Atria Books (2021), 336 pages
Description
Fiction. African American Fiction. Literature. HTML:A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK Named a Best Book Pick of 2021 by Harper's Bazaar and Real Simple Named a Most Anticipated Book of Fall by People, Essence, New York Post, PopSugar, New York Newsday, Entertainment Weekly, Town & Country, Bustle, Fortune, and Book Riot Told from alternating perspectives, an evocative and riveting novel about the lifelong bond between two women, one Black and one white, whose friendship is indelibly altered by a tragic eventâ??a powerful and poignant exploration of race in America today and its devastating impact on ordinary lives. Jen and Riley have been best friends since kindergarten. As adults, they remain as close as sisters, though their lives have taken different directions. Jen married young, and after years of trying, is finally pregnant. Riley pursued her childhood dream of becoming a television journalist and is poised to become one of the first Black female anchors of the top news channel in their hometown of Philadelphia. But the deep bond they share is severely tested when Jen's husband, a city police officer, is involved in the shooting of an unarmed Black teenager. Six months pregnant, Jen is in freefall as her future, her husband's freedom, and her friendship with Riley are thrown into uncertainty. Covering this career-making story, Riley wrestles with the implications of this tragic incident for her Black community, her ambitions, and her relationship with her lifelong friend. Like Tayari Jones's An American Marriage and Jodi Picoult's Small Great Things, We Are Not Like Them explores complex questions of race and how they pervade and shape our most intimate spaces in a deeply divided world. But at its heart, it's a story of enduring friendshipâ??a love that defies the odds even as it faces its most difficult chall… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
Riley and Jen were best friends from when Jen was first dropped off at the daycare run by Riley's grandmother and that friendship lasted all through high school. And now, in their thirties, although they drifted apart, now that Riley's back in Philadelphia, they are picking up where they left off,
This is the kind of ripped-from-the-headlines novel I usually avoid, but this was for my book club and so I picked it up and found myself liking it quite a bit. It helps that this was written by two authors, Christine Pride and Jo Piazza, and together they managed to make both characters feel fully well-rounded and the novel dug into the story from different angles that embraced complexity and conflict, while also really celebrating female friendship. Piazza has written several books and Pride's background in journalism gave authenticity to Riley's experiences. Towards the end of the book, it felt like the authors were intent on just tying up all the loose threads and the ending felt a little to easy given the sheer intractability of the characters up to that point, but kudos to the authors for being willing to directly address the issue of race in America in a way that is approachable yet unwilling to let the reader get comfortable.
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sharing the same inside jokes and long history. But things have also changed. Riley is coming off of a long relationship and a reporter with a local news team, and Jen is an expectant mother and married to a police officer. And when Jen's husband in involved in the shooting death of a Black boy and Riley is assigned to cover the story, that Jen is white and Riley is black becomes a thing that divides them in ways they'd never talked about before. This is the kind of ripped-from-the-headlines novel I usually avoid, but this was for my book club and so I picked it up and found myself liking it quite a bit. It helps that this was written by two authors, Christine Pride and Jo Piazza, and together they managed to make both characters feel fully well-rounded and the novel dug into the story from different angles that embraced complexity and conflict, while also really celebrating female friendship. Piazza has written several books and Pride's background in journalism gave authenticity to Riley's experiences. Towards the end of the book, it felt like the authors were intent on just tying up all the loose threads and the ending felt a little to easy given the sheer intractability of the characters up to that point, but kudos to the authors for being willing to directly address the issue of race in America in a way that is approachable yet unwilling to let the reader get comfortable.
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LibraryThing member BettyTaylor56
Thank you to Book Club Favorites at Simon & Schuster for a free copy for review.
This is a book that, after reading it, you have to sit and digest it…slowly. It is so powerful. It opens with a tragic scene that stayed in the forefront of my mind throughout the entire book.
Told in alternating
I experienced a myriad of emotions as I read this book and am still mulling them over in my mind. My heart ached for both Jen and Riley. I had moments of anger and frustration. Throughout the book, I was sad that racism is so ingrained in our society, sometimes subtle and other times not subtle at all.
This is the perfect springboard to lead into a discussion of how race can divide us and why change is urgently needed and the nature of friendships. There are a lot of “take-aways” in this book. It is sure to linger in your mind. Perfect for book clubs. Hard to put down. A “must read.”
This is a book that, after reading it, you have to sit and digest it…slowly. It is so powerful. It opens with a tragic scene that stayed in the forefront of my mind throughout the entire book.
Told in alternating
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chapters from the perspectives of best friends Riley and Jen, this tragic story plays out while mirroring current events. Riley is a news reporter; Jen is married to a police officer. Best friends, one black, one white. Race has never been an issue for them. But now they must struggle with it as events threaten their friendship. Jen’s husband shoots an innocent black boy, and Jen is assigned to report on the incident. Two different viewpoints of the same incident. Can their friendship survive this? I experienced a myriad of emotions as I read this book and am still mulling them over in my mind. My heart ached for both Jen and Riley. I had moments of anger and frustration. Throughout the book, I was sad that racism is so ingrained in our society, sometimes subtle and other times not subtle at all.
This is the perfect springboard to lead into a discussion of how race can divide us and why change is urgently needed and the nature of friendships. There are a lot of “take-aways” in this book. It is sure to linger in your mind. Perfect for book clubs. Hard to put down. A “must read.”
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LibraryThing member brangwinn
When Justin Dwyer is shot by the husband of Riley Wilson’s best friend, a friendship that date back to early childhood is threatened. Justin Dwyer and Riley are Black. Her friend, Jen and her law enforcement officer husband are white. Riley is a news reporter for a Philadelphia TV station and is
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thrust right into the thick of the story. How can Riley keep her professional approach to the story and how can she keep the friendship going with Jen? For me, though, what is most important is how can people like me possibly make a connection to Black experiences. How can Jen understand what its like to be called the names Riley is called. How can we understand what it is like to have relatives who were shot violently by whites? Can well-intentioned white people ever understand. Riley is a excellent voice for the problems and she and Jen try to resolve issues that a part of America today. Alternating between Jen’s point of view and Riley’s point of view. While issues are not resolved completely, the book shows how honest dialogue is important in confronting issues of race. Show Less
LibraryThing member shazjhb
An amazing book examine race in US through the eyes of best friends. So much to recommend in this book. Being Black is terrible but being a poor white can be challenging as well. Very sad story but so true.
LibraryThing member bookwyrmm
This stunning novels shows all of the shades of grey in a tragic moment of systemic racism.
LibraryThing member DrApple
This isn't a book I would have chosen on my own (It was a book club read.). I must say I really enjoyed it though. It takes the Black Lives Matter movement and personalizes an incident which impacts both main characters - a Black TV journalist and her best friend a white policeman's wife.
LibraryThing member Hccpsk
We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza is the type of book that is going to sell like hotcakes and be read by a lot of people — and for good reason. It tells a very timely story about the two sides of tragedy with a page-turning plot and more than passable writing. The novel goes
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back a forth between two best friends — one white one black —who end up on opposite sides of a police shooting. Written by two authors — one white one black — may be gimmicky, but Pride and Piazza manage to really emphasize and explore a lot of the innate racism in American culture through the women’s friendship. There’s definitely too much preachy, internal explanation from both characters; a focused edit that trusted the authors to show and not tell would have gone a long way to making this a much better book, but that is not what We Are Not Like Them is all about. Still, an excellent read for young adults and others looking for a contemporary novel that explores themes of racism, friendship, and family. Show Less
LibraryThing member reader1009
fiction / the impact of the shooting of an unarmed Black teen by police officers, as told from points of view of a Black news reporter and her best friend, a white woman and pregnant wife of one of the police officers (written in partnership with a Black author and a white author).
This wasn't that
This wasn't that
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strong of a story for me but I appreciate what it was trying to do and I hope that it does bring some understanding to readers about the complexities and complications on both sides of the issue. Show Less
LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
We Are Not Like Them, Christine Pride, Jo Piazza, authors; Marin Ireland, Shayna Small, Kevin R. Free, Chanté McCormick, narrators.
This book, written by a black and a white author, is about two friends, one black and one white. Besties since childhood, both born into a less than stellar
Riley becomes a rising media star and Jen, married to a cop, is finally pregnant after many unsuccessful attempts. The most important help came from Riley, when she lent her the money to continue IVF. Her financial assistance was the charm, and Jen was very visibly pregnant when they met for dinner. Unfortunately, that night she abruptly leaves when she receives the most awful news, the news that haunts the nightmares of the spouses and family of policemen. So begins a grave challenge to their friendship and their secrets. Riley is going to be the journalist investigating the murder of an unarmed black teen who was shot by a cop for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Kevin Murphy, Jen’s husband is one of the shooters, and his bullet was the deadly one.
When Kevin’s partner for the night, Cameron, an inexperienced, poorly trained, young policeman, rounds the corner, he doesn’t stop to check the description of the person they are seeking; he sees Justin reach into his pocket to get his phone, shouts to Kevin, he’s got a gun, and shoots. Then Kevin rounds the corner, and without checking to see if it was the armed robber they were seeking, he fires to protect his partner. He assumed, wrongly, that Cameron had identified and fired at the armed robber. Justice for this outrageous death is demanded, and the reader is put to the test to discover what he/she believes is justice. Does Justin’s mother, Tamara, deserve this pain? How can that loss be justified? Does Kevin deserve to be the scapegoat? Can that be justified? Will Cameron step up and tell the truth about what happened?
The novel is a pretty heavy-handed interpretation of Caucasian behavior with the cops portrayed as the villains, as they prey upon the victims in the black population, a population that seems suddenly out for revenge, if not justice, in order to set an example and bring some real changes to what they perceive is a corrupt system determined to kill them. The closing of the ranks by the police, to protect their own, is also depicted, but not in such great depth as the side of the black population that feels completely helpless and victimized. There is no attention given to the crime ridden neighborhoods that may contribute to the cause of the knee jerk reaction or to the lack of respect for the police, coupled with the open defiance often displayed. The idea of prosecutors, media reps and observers simply wanting blood revenge is not truly explored because, as with the current news environment, only one side is often given the louder voice.
Authentically, the pain of a parent losing a child for no reason other than mistaken identity, is laid bare, but the other side, showing the willful criminal behavior that leads to the knee jerk reactions of police is glossed over. That is my main criticism of the book which is otherwise a penetrating look into a system that needs reform, a culture that needs reform, and a way is needed to make friendships across color, religious, gender, etc., lines more accessible.|
The idea of Jen’s pregnancy reinforces the Tamara’s pain for the loss of her child, but Jen does not truly recognize it because she is so overwhelmed by the danger her husband faces. Was he a bad cop or the victim of circumstances and the scapegoat or the victim of a witch hunt? Was public sentiment influenced unduly and unfairly by the protests? Are protests generally peaceful? Many of the characters seemed driven by their own selfish ambitions. Many seemed blind to the suffering of others. Common prejudices, however, were not ignored, but rather well illuminated by the interaction of the two best friends when their friendship was challenged and put to the test. Could it survive? Could either understand the plight of the other? Do they both harbor secret resentments? Is the novel authentic? Is it a fact that only those who are not black have the privilege of not thinking about race? If so, how can that be addressed?
For me, the book does raise conflicting thoughts. I have been called pejoratives by blacks. I never even knew what a cracker was until I went to work teaching in a special service school, at my own request, at the age of 20. I never expected the kids to destroy my brand-new car with a wire brush, a car I went into debt to purchase to avoid the roaches on the buses. I never expected the kids I loved, in the after-school center, to rob me, but I was robbed. This took place decades ago, and things have not gotten better. More recently, when I moved, I was robbed by the only black member of the team. When I asked where the box I set aside was, with a straight face he answered, oh, I put it in the truck. My husband told him not to go and get it. I never saw it again, and it had all the precious things my mom had given me. They cannot be replaced. I never reported it because my husband thought it best not to, for many reasons. The culture must change in society. I do not want to be a mark, either. Should I blame every black person? I don’t think so.
We don’t have what is called systemic racism, unless it is admitted that it is on both sides, because I certainly felt preyed upon. I wanted so much to have a positive influence and to elevate the possibilities for all my students, but in the end, I was transferred after I was assaulted. There is bad behavior by some in all cultures. Don’t paint everyone with the same evil brush.
I think that after reading this book, many readers may feel conflicted. The book definitely exposes the problems with our police departments and the sentiment of the residents in the neighborhoods involved in police incidents that require investigation. How the very violent and painful events are interpreted often depends on witnesses, their perception, the media’s interpretation, the emotional responses of victims, and the very crucial investigation that is often tainted by public opinion, marches and rioting and input by the very organizations being investigated. There is a code of silence in the neighborhood and in the police departments. After reading the book I was deeply moved by the story. Although it was meant to be even handed, it did lean toward the idea of police brutality more heavily than the reasons for it, since it didn’t expose the oxymoron idea of justified vs. unjustified murders of unarmed black young men. Murder is murder, after all. At the end, though, I wondered if policemen should have malpractice insurance as doctors do, since humans make mistakes, sometimes with horrific results, even when their good intent goes awry. Because of the necessity of a split-second decision by someone committed to uphold the law and protect society or because of a lack of training which places the fault elsewhere, is the unintended consequence of the act of a first responder equal to the crime of someone willfully committing one? What punishment for the crimes of either accused is fair and justified? Why does it seem like police are often trigger happy in crime ridden neighborhoods? Is it because they are afraid of losing their own lives? Should they, therefore, be involved in police work? Why are young unarmed men often shot by policemen/women? Is there a way to correct the perception of their neighborhoods being crime-ridden without the necessary change in the culture of those neighborhoods deemed dangerous? Is it wise to give the police less power and the potential criminal more power because of public sympathy rather than make an effort to prevent the crime. The “defund the police” movement has increased crime everywhere, so should there be a better strategy? This book raises many questions for all people, no matter where they live and without regard to race. This book is an excellent one for discussion; it screams out for discussion.
This book, written by a black and a white author, is about two friends, one black and one white. Besties since childhood, both born into a less than stellar
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environment, one, Riley Wilson (Laroya), at least had the advantage of coming from a home of more stable values. On the other hand, Jennifer Murphy did not have the attention of a loving parent, but benefited from the love of Riley’s family and Gigi, Laroya’s grandmother, the matriarch who could always be counted on for advice and compassion. Riley went on to college, fully funded, while Jen was financially unable to do so.Riley becomes a rising media star and Jen, married to a cop, is finally pregnant after many unsuccessful attempts. The most important help came from Riley, when she lent her the money to continue IVF. Her financial assistance was the charm, and Jen was very visibly pregnant when they met for dinner. Unfortunately, that night she abruptly leaves when she receives the most awful news, the news that haunts the nightmares of the spouses and family of policemen. So begins a grave challenge to their friendship and their secrets. Riley is going to be the journalist investigating the murder of an unarmed black teen who was shot by a cop for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Kevin Murphy, Jen’s husband is one of the shooters, and his bullet was the deadly one.
When Kevin’s partner for the night, Cameron, an inexperienced, poorly trained, young policeman, rounds the corner, he doesn’t stop to check the description of the person they are seeking; he sees Justin reach into his pocket to get his phone, shouts to Kevin, he’s got a gun, and shoots. Then Kevin rounds the corner, and without checking to see if it was the armed robber they were seeking, he fires to protect his partner. He assumed, wrongly, that Cameron had identified and fired at the armed robber. Justice for this outrageous death is demanded, and the reader is put to the test to discover what he/she believes is justice. Does Justin’s mother, Tamara, deserve this pain? How can that loss be justified? Does Kevin deserve to be the scapegoat? Can that be justified? Will Cameron step up and tell the truth about what happened?
The novel is a pretty heavy-handed interpretation of Caucasian behavior with the cops portrayed as the villains, as they prey upon the victims in the black population, a population that seems suddenly out for revenge, if not justice, in order to set an example and bring some real changes to what they perceive is a corrupt system determined to kill them. The closing of the ranks by the police, to protect their own, is also depicted, but not in such great depth as the side of the black population that feels completely helpless and victimized. There is no attention given to the crime ridden neighborhoods that may contribute to the cause of the knee jerk reaction or to the lack of respect for the police, coupled with the open defiance often displayed. The idea of prosecutors, media reps and observers simply wanting blood revenge is not truly explored because, as with the current news environment, only one side is often given the louder voice.
Authentically, the pain of a parent losing a child for no reason other than mistaken identity, is laid bare, but the other side, showing the willful criminal behavior that leads to the knee jerk reactions of police is glossed over. That is my main criticism of the book which is otherwise a penetrating look into a system that needs reform, a culture that needs reform, and a way is needed to make friendships across color, religious, gender, etc., lines more accessible.|
The idea of Jen’s pregnancy reinforces the Tamara’s pain for the loss of her child, but Jen does not truly recognize it because she is so overwhelmed by the danger her husband faces. Was he a bad cop or the victim of circumstances and the scapegoat or the victim of a witch hunt? Was public sentiment influenced unduly and unfairly by the protests? Are protests generally peaceful? Many of the characters seemed driven by their own selfish ambitions. Many seemed blind to the suffering of others. Common prejudices, however, were not ignored, but rather well illuminated by the interaction of the two best friends when their friendship was challenged and put to the test. Could it survive? Could either understand the plight of the other? Do they both harbor secret resentments? Is the novel authentic? Is it a fact that only those who are not black have the privilege of not thinking about race? If so, how can that be addressed?
For me, the book does raise conflicting thoughts. I have been called pejoratives by blacks. I never even knew what a cracker was until I went to work teaching in a special service school, at my own request, at the age of 20. I never expected the kids to destroy my brand-new car with a wire brush, a car I went into debt to purchase to avoid the roaches on the buses. I never expected the kids I loved, in the after-school center, to rob me, but I was robbed. This took place decades ago, and things have not gotten better. More recently, when I moved, I was robbed by the only black member of the team. When I asked where the box I set aside was, with a straight face he answered, oh, I put it in the truck. My husband told him not to go and get it. I never saw it again, and it had all the precious things my mom had given me. They cannot be replaced. I never reported it because my husband thought it best not to, for many reasons. The culture must change in society. I do not want to be a mark, either. Should I blame every black person? I don’t think so.
We don’t have what is called systemic racism, unless it is admitted that it is on both sides, because I certainly felt preyed upon. I wanted so much to have a positive influence and to elevate the possibilities for all my students, but in the end, I was transferred after I was assaulted. There is bad behavior by some in all cultures. Don’t paint everyone with the same evil brush.
I think that after reading this book, many readers may feel conflicted. The book definitely exposes the problems with our police departments and the sentiment of the residents in the neighborhoods involved in police incidents that require investigation. How the very violent and painful events are interpreted often depends on witnesses, their perception, the media’s interpretation, the emotional responses of victims, and the very crucial investigation that is often tainted by public opinion, marches and rioting and input by the very organizations being investigated. There is a code of silence in the neighborhood and in the police departments. After reading the book I was deeply moved by the story. Although it was meant to be even handed, it did lean toward the idea of police brutality more heavily than the reasons for it, since it didn’t expose the oxymoron idea of justified vs. unjustified murders of unarmed black young men. Murder is murder, after all. At the end, though, I wondered if policemen should have malpractice insurance as doctors do, since humans make mistakes, sometimes with horrific results, even when their good intent goes awry. Because of the necessity of a split-second decision by someone committed to uphold the law and protect society or because of a lack of training which places the fault elsewhere, is the unintended consequence of the act of a first responder equal to the crime of someone willfully committing one? What punishment for the crimes of either accused is fair and justified? Why does it seem like police are often trigger happy in crime ridden neighborhoods? Is it because they are afraid of losing their own lives? Should they, therefore, be involved in police work? Why are young unarmed men often shot by policemen/women? Is there a way to correct the perception of their neighborhoods being crime-ridden without the necessary change in the culture of those neighborhoods deemed dangerous? Is it wise to give the police less power and the potential criminal more power because of public sympathy rather than make an effort to prevent the crime. The “defund the police” movement has increased crime everywhere, so should there be a better strategy? This book raises many questions for all people, no matter where they live and without regard to race. This book is an excellent one for discussion; it screams out for discussion.
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LibraryThing member nancyadair
We Are Not Like Them is a novel with a unique presentation. The novel is told in alternating chapters, in the voices of two characters. Riley and Jen have been best friends since childhood, meeting when they were color-blind and innocent. Riley is African American, from a family of strong women who
Riley was awarded a scholarship to university. Jen’s tax-evading mother wouldn’t fill out the FASA. Jen worked up to an office job, while Riley went into broadcast journalism. It was the beginning of a distance between them, although the cracks had already been there. For Jen was color-blind and never considered what Riley faced in a racist world, and Riley kept the hard part of her life from Jen. The girls were unable to talk about race.
Part of our friendship, of any relationship really, is the tacit agreement to allow a generous latitude for flaws and grievances.[…]It’s a paradox, loving someone precisely because you know them so well, inside and out, and at the same time nursing a small fantasy that they can be different in the specific ways you want then to be.
from We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza
The authors are friends, black and white, and conceived of the novel as a way to talk about “the ways race can divide us despite our very best intentions.” Riley gives voice to how people of color experience white people’s ignorance rooted in white privilege. Jen thinks about the advantages Riley had that were denied to her, like a full scholarship, and is aware that Riley has closed off parts of her life. Riley not only has shut out Jen, but she walked away from her white boyfriend instead of talking to him about her concerns. “You can’t trust white people,” Riley’s grandmother taught. Riley can’t tell Jen or her boyfriend about her brother’s arrest, or about the racism she has endured.
I felt the honesty of these characters as they struggle to maintain their friendship under the most horrendous situation imaginable. Jen is finally pregnant after Riley loaned her the money for one more try at a successful pregnancy. Jen’s cop husband shoots and kills an innocent, unarmed, black teenager who dies. Jen knows her husband is a good man, but can Riley forgive him for murdering an innocent boy of color? Jen’s husband is filled with guilt but believes he followed protocol, trusting his new partner. Riley is reporting on the incident, interviewing the victim’s mother, trying unsuccessfully to keep her personal and professional life separate.
The authors state they “probed their blind spots and beliefs” in this novel. And in doing so, they have created a moving novel about friendship and race. I dare anyone to read it and not have their view changed.
Readers will enjoy this novel for its emotional story line and the female friendship. For book clubs, the novel will generation great discussions about race and about the nature of friendship.
I personally enjoyed the Philadelphia setting.
Thank you to Book Club Favorites at Simon & Schuster for a free copy for review.
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gave her a good foundation. Jen is white, the child of a unwed teenaged mother who was flighty and neglectful. When Jen walked into Riley’s mother’s day care, she discovered friendship, a family that embraced her, another home. They girls grew up and did all the typical teenage things, sharing all their teenage angst.Riley was awarded a scholarship to university. Jen’s tax-evading mother wouldn’t fill out the FASA. Jen worked up to an office job, while Riley went into broadcast journalism. It was the beginning of a distance between them, although the cracks had already been there. For Jen was color-blind and never considered what Riley faced in a racist world, and Riley kept the hard part of her life from Jen. The girls were unable to talk about race.
Part of our friendship, of any relationship really, is the tacit agreement to allow a generous latitude for flaws and grievances.[…]It’s a paradox, loving someone precisely because you know them so well, inside and out, and at the same time nursing a small fantasy that they can be different in the specific ways you want then to be.
from We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza
The authors are friends, black and white, and conceived of the novel as a way to talk about “the ways race can divide us despite our very best intentions.” Riley gives voice to how people of color experience white people’s ignorance rooted in white privilege. Jen thinks about the advantages Riley had that were denied to her, like a full scholarship, and is aware that Riley has closed off parts of her life. Riley not only has shut out Jen, but she walked away from her white boyfriend instead of talking to him about her concerns. “You can’t trust white people,” Riley’s grandmother taught. Riley can’t tell Jen or her boyfriend about her brother’s arrest, or about the racism she has endured.
I felt the honesty of these characters as they struggle to maintain their friendship under the most horrendous situation imaginable. Jen is finally pregnant after Riley loaned her the money for one more try at a successful pregnancy. Jen’s cop husband shoots and kills an innocent, unarmed, black teenager who dies. Jen knows her husband is a good man, but can Riley forgive him for murdering an innocent boy of color? Jen’s husband is filled with guilt but believes he followed protocol, trusting his new partner. Riley is reporting on the incident, interviewing the victim’s mother, trying unsuccessfully to keep her personal and professional life separate.
The authors state they “probed their blind spots and beliefs” in this novel. And in doing so, they have created a moving novel about friendship and race. I dare anyone to read it and not have their view changed.
Readers will enjoy this novel for its emotional story line and the female friendship. For book clubs, the novel will generation great discussions about race and about the nature of friendship.
I personally enjoyed the Philadelphia setting.
Thank you to Book Club Favorites at Simon & Schuster for a free copy for review.
Show Less
LibraryThing member EllenH
Exploration of race relations, friendship, and policing. So well done! NIce balance of thinking from another perspective and readability.
LibraryThing member Onnaday
I can relate to the scene at GiGis funeral where the family breaks out in riddles and jokes, laughing at the punchlines. This was hilarious and brought me back to my father’s funeral when the immediate family was riding in the hurst on the way to the cemetery and we were reminiscing about our
Everyone grieves differently and there are expectations for proper etiquette on what is normal for reacting to death, but the norm is not always for everyone.
Witnessing the climate change in racial violence and the competitive deaths of unarmed black men in a systemic war on equality and within the police forces, we are dealing with "Culpable deniability," and the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a 46 year old black man and was arrested for allegedly buying cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill. While in police custody when a series of actions by officers turned fatal. The novel is reminiscent of that factual event, however in deserving blame.
"sometimes you're just as culpable when you watch something as when you actually participate..."
The black race is still demanding justice since slavery and the emancipation of blacks, asians, jewish, and indigenous people. I liked the comment Riley made to Jen, “It’s a privilege to never think about race, I don’t have that privilege.” It seems the uprising of racial, sexual and democracy unrest is overpowering our lives. Nothing will ever change for blacks, while white people will go about their lives like say…”just behave already and listen to the police.”
At some point the storyline turned into a relationship novel. This was an unexpected and somewhat disappointing turn in the story. I wanted it to get back to what is happening to Kevin, Jen's husband and Justin’s family, her deceased teenage son, in light of his death. I was thirsty for their viewpoint. I found myself lacking empathy for Jen, and her family. In my opinion, the relationship between Riley and Corey, an interracial relationship was such a disconnect to the storyline that I felt rushed to read past it.
Despite the way I felt about this book, overall it was an interesting story to be told that reflects on the black versus white issues. The book can be a window to understand bonds between best friends, family ties and emotional stress, gender injustice, and racial inequality. It evokes sorrow and grief of losing a child to a violent fatal death. This was a great collaboration between two accomplished writers.
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road trips in the car from Texas to Michigan and played car games that we made up, such as how many license plates we see from other states, or the name of the song and artist playing on the radio. My aunt, my Dad’s only sibling who was riding in the limo with us, didn’t get it and thought of us as disrespectful for laughing instead of crying.Everyone grieves differently and there are expectations for proper etiquette on what is normal for reacting to death, but the norm is not always for everyone.
Witnessing the climate change in racial violence and the competitive deaths of unarmed black men in a systemic war on equality and within the police forces, we are dealing with "Culpable deniability," and the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a 46 year old black man and was arrested for allegedly buying cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill. While in police custody when a series of actions by officers turned fatal. The novel is reminiscent of that factual event, however in deserving blame.
"sometimes you're just as culpable when you watch something as when you actually participate..."
The black race is still demanding justice since slavery and the emancipation of blacks, asians, jewish, and indigenous people. I liked the comment Riley made to Jen, “It’s a privilege to never think about race, I don’t have that privilege.” It seems the uprising of racial, sexual and democracy unrest is overpowering our lives. Nothing will ever change for blacks, while white people will go about their lives like say…”just behave already and listen to the police.”
At some point the storyline turned into a relationship novel. This was an unexpected and somewhat disappointing turn in the story. I wanted it to get back to what is happening to Kevin, Jen's husband and Justin’s family, her deceased teenage son, in light of his death. I was thirsty for their viewpoint. I found myself lacking empathy for Jen, and her family. In my opinion, the relationship between Riley and Corey, an interracial relationship was such a disconnect to the storyline that I felt rushed to read past it.
Despite the way I felt about this book, overall it was an interesting story to be told that reflects on the black versus white issues. The book can be a window to understand bonds between best friends, family ties and emotional stress, gender injustice, and racial inequality. It evokes sorrow and grief of losing a child to a violent fatal death. This was a great collaboration between two accomplished writers.
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LibraryThing member Amzzz
A touching and challenging book looking at two best friends with very different connections to and perspectives of a police shooting of an unarmed Black teenager.
LibraryThing member StressedRach
This was a very powerful book to read, Told from Jen and Riley’s points of view. Jen is white, Riley is black, now this is not something I would normally write because race does not mean anything to me, people are human beings and deserve to be treated the same regardless of their race and
They have been best friends since kindergarten and still are now. A black teenage boy is shot by police and Jen’s husband, a police officer was involved. Riley is covering the story as she is a television journalist. As things unfold, we see how different it is between black and white and how things are perceived by both.
Will Jen and Riley’s friendship last, will justice be served? Well, you will have to read the book to find out.
I thought this was written in a great way, it tells it from both sides and it was so poignant, especially with what has been going on recently that it needs to be read. It certainly opened my eyes more to the discrimination black people have to face all the time.
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colour. However, this is a prominent factor in this book.They have been best friends since kindergarten and still are now. A black teenage boy is shot by police and Jen’s husband, a police officer was involved. Riley is covering the story as she is a television journalist. As things unfold, we see how different it is between black and white and how things are perceived by both.
Will Jen and Riley’s friendship last, will justice be served? Well, you will have to read the book to find out.
I thought this was written in a great way, it tells it from both sides and it was so poignant, especially with what has been going on recently that it needs to be read. It certainly opened my eyes more to the discrimination black people have to face all the time.
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LibraryThing member dwcofer
The premise of the book is simple. A white police officer shoots and kills an unarmed black teenager. The officer’s wife, Jen, is a life-long friend with Riley, the TV station reporter covering the story, who is black. This event tests their friendship, thus the book’s conflict. Jen is also
There are many issues I have with the book. The story is interesting, but since it mostly focused on the relationship between Jen and Riley, it dragged at many points. There were times I just did not want to pick the book back up and read it. It was the same thing over and over, repeated so many times it became frustrating and annoying. Jen mad at Riley and Riley mad at Jen, ad nauseam.
Another issue I have with the book is the number of characters. I counted over 100 (107 to be exact) characters. That is ridiculous. It took me 4 pages of notes to keep track of all the characters. As the book is just over 300 pages long, that is a NEW character being introduced every three pages on average. Way too many. Most of the characters were mentioned once, never to return. It was not necessary to mention by name every minor character, especially those in the past lives of Jen and Riley.
I would have enjoyed the book more if I could have read it from more than two perspectives. I would love to have had chapters from Kevin, Jen’s husband and Tamara, the mother of the murdered teenager. Restricting the story to just that of Jen and Riley limited the potential of the book.
Probably the greatest issue I have with the book is the overt racism in the book. ALL the black characters hated white people and ALL the white character hated black people. That is not realistic. There were so many stereotypes in the book that are just not true to life. All the black characters wanted to talk about was race, and how downtrodden they are, and that white people put them down constantly. The use of the N-word was ubiquitous throughout the book and totally unnecessary. The black characters made comments like “white people gonna do what white folks do” and that ALL white people are privileged, which is not so. And the white characters were just as bad, characterizing ALL blacks as lazy, stupid, and criminals, which is not so. And after being accused of being a racist, Jen dropped the “My best friend is black” comment, which was just ridiculous. We could have done without all the racist comments in the book. There was more focus on what color a person’s skin is than on their character, which was disappointing. Dr. King’s dream of a person being judged on their character and not their skin color is set back decades by this book which judges people by their skin color.
There were a number of loose ends in the book. What eventually happened to Riley and Corey? We are not told. What happened to Jen and Kevin after they left town? We are not told.
Finally, the ending was ridiculous. Everybody comes together in a Kumbaya moment, everyone gets what they want, and we all live happily ever after. I was totally disappointed with the ending.
This book was a great disappointment. I had planned on reading the next book by these authors, but after reading this one, I have no desire to read anything else by these two authors.
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pregnant. The story is told from alternating viewpoints of Jen and Riley.There are many issues I have with the book. The story is interesting, but since it mostly focused on the relationship between Jen and Riley, it dragged at many points. There were times I just did not want to pick the book back up and read it. It was the same thing over and over, repeated so many times it became frustrating and annoying. Jen mad at Riley and Riley mad at Jen, ad nauseam.
Another issue I have with the book is the number of characters. I counted over 100 (107 to be exact) characters. That is ridiculous. It took me 4 pages of notes to keep track of all the characters. As the book is just over 300 pages long, that is a NEW character being introduced every three pages on average. Way too many. Most of the characters were mentioned once, never to return. It was not necessary to mention by name every minor character, especially those in the past lives of Jen and Riley.
I would have enjoyed the book more if I could have read it from more than two perspectives. I would love to have had chapters from Kevin, Jen’s husband and Tamara, the mother of the murdered teenager. Restricting the story to just that of Jen and Riley limited the potential of the book.
Probably the greatest issue I have with the book is the overt racism in the book. ALL the black characters hated white people and ALL the white character hated black people. That is not realistic. There were so many stereotypes in the book that are just not true to life. All the black characters wanted to talk about was race, and how downtrodden they are, and that white people put them down constantly. The use of the N-word was ubiquitous throughout the book and totally unnecessary. The black characters made comments like “white people gonna do what white folks do” and that ALL white people are privileged, which is not so. And the white characters were just as bad, characterizing ALL blacks as lazy, stupid, and criminals, which is not so. And after being accused of being a racist, Jen dropped the “My best friend is black” comment, which was just ridiculous. We could have done without all the racist comments in the book. There was more focus on what color a person’s skin is than on their character, which was disappointing. Dr. King’s dream of a person being judged on their character and not their skin color is set back decades by this book which judges people by their skin color.
There were a number of loose ends in the book. What eventually happened to Riley and Corey? We are not told. What happened to Jen and Kevin after they left town? We are not told.
Finally, the ending was ridiculous. Everybody comes together in a Kumbaya moment, everyone gets what they want, and we all live happily ever after. I was totally disappointed with the ending.
This book was a great disappointment. I had planned on reading the next book by these authors, but after reading this one, I have no desire to read anything else by these two authors.
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LibraryThing member rmarcin
I found this book to be an interesting look at a friendship that is tested and strained when a young black unarmed teen is shot by a police officer. The friends, Riley, a successful Black woman and reporter, and Jen, a white pregnant housewife married to a cop, have been friends since childhood.
This book does a good job of showing what each of the women are thinking and what those thoughts are grounded in. It shows that we are all coming from a different place as we try to understand the intricacies of friendship and race.
I enjoyed the book, and felt the pain of each woman. I look forward to reading more by this pair of authors.
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Now, when Jen's husband is one of the cops involved in the shooting, they wonder if their friendship can withstand the stress. This book does a good job of showing what each of the women are thinking and what those thoughts are grounded in. It shows that we are all coming from a different place as we try to understand the intricacies of friendship and race.
I enjoyed the book, and felt the pain of each woman. I look forward to reading more by this pair of authors.
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LibraryThing member Mav-n-Libby
This was definitely a heavy book. It was a Once Upon a Book Club Book. I feel like the twist was at the beginning of the book because I really didn't see it coming. One friend is black and she's a journalist. The other friend is white and she's married to a white cop, who then shoots an innocent
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black kid who was 14. This really brought up great topics and really got me thinking of things I may say or do, that I don't think are racist, but could be construed as being ignorant or just not realizing how it can sound. Like saying "I don't see color." But then it's really taking away their black skin and their heritage. Almost like when someone says "all lives matter" and taking away "black lives matter." The book is about family relationships, whether you're related or not, and how you can talk about things even when you don't know how. Very touching story. There were times I felt the story was a little slower, which is why I gave it 4 stars. But this book will definitely stay with me for quite some time. Show Less
Physical description
336 p.; 9 inches
ISBN
1982181036 / 9781982181031