Two Sides of a Story

“The one thing she still had was the freedom to follow the narrative that suited her best.”

Image result for such a fun age

Kathryn Phillips

26-year-old black babysitter Emira Tucker’s life is thrown into a confusing spiral when a police officer wrongly accuses her of kidnapping the white child she’s looking after. The child’s mother is Alix Chamberlain, a feminist author who reluctantly moved away from the hustle of New York to start a family with her news reporter husband, Peter. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid tackles themes of racism, classism, and privilege as it follows the complicated lives of the two women and their relationship with each other.

The thing that makes this book so good, in my opinion, is the format it’s written in and how that enhances the message. Specifically the fact that each chapter alternates between Emira and Alix’s perspective. I have seen this in a lot of books, but I think it’s especially powerful in Such a Fun Age because it not only gives you information about the characters, but it also teaches you something about yourself. I think which character you sympathize with or connect with the most says a lot about your privilege.

This format also teaches an important lesson about being able to understand other people’s perspectives and look past our own desires. Alix Chamberlain’s downfall is never stopping and thinking about how her words and actions come across to Emira. Never once in her constant pursuit of trying to befriend Emira does she stop and think about whether she wants to be friends with her at all. As Emira puts it, “[she] knew that Mrs. Chamberlain wanted a friendship, but she also knew that Mrs. Chamberlain would never display the same efforts of kindness with her friends as she did with Emira.” 

While reading Such a Fun Age, I learned a lot about myself and how I need to improve in terms of how I view my own privilege. I definitely recommend reading Such a Fun Age for its clever storytelling, complex characters, and important message.

Comments

  1. Kelby SvendsenFebruary 4, 2021 at 9:02 PM

    This book sounds very informative, and I think it is good for books to tackle racism, especially when they have a powerful message. I am also a fan of stories that swap between different character's points of view, I would love to read this book!

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  2. Tessa !February 11, 2021 at 7:32 AM

    I recently read Such a Fun Age, and I think you did a great job describing it! Switching between Emira and Alix's points of view really showcased Alix's privilege and strange obsession with Emira. The plot of the story was also fascinating with the way Alix's past came back in certain characters. I thought that reading it made me think about my own mindset and privilege too, which is a powerful and important effect of the book.

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  3. EleanorMarch 10, 2021 at 8:34 AM

    I enjoy novels that have unusual formats. I think it is interesting to see the view points of the characters separately and how they change throughout the book. I think this is an effective way to showcase topics like racism because you are able to clearly understand the thoughts and feelings of the characters.

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