The Other Black Girl : Book review

 




Book review

Title: The Other Black Girl
Author: Zakia Dalila Harris
Genre: Thriller/Mystery/Horror

The Other Black girl is a story about how a mere office rivalry between two colleagues ends up on a dangerous note.

Nella Rogers is the only black girl in an all white publishing house-Wager Books. She longs for another black girl in the office with whom she can share her woes and pressures about being black in the American workplace. When Hazel joins Wager Books, Nella is delighted at first. However the new black girl does not project the same need for companionship. Over time, Nella realizes that Hazel is showcasing one upmanship at every given opportunity. When Nella starts to receive anonymous notes asking her to leave Wager books, things begin to take a dangerous turn. The plot unfolds into layers that go beyond just mere office politics. 

The pacing in the initial part of the book is slow, focussing largely on the build up of the office setting and the various dynamics. It's written mostly in third person from the point of view of Nella. Occasionally, there are chapters that delve into the first person from the point of view of other characters which initially throws you off. Ultimately you realize that these little interjections are devices used by the author to thicken the plot and shift it out of the focus of office politics. Some of the subplots however remain underdeveloped. 

Readers are given a glimpse into the dark and murky world of publishing where authors disappear after publishing a best seller, the price one has to pay for success and sticking to their core principles.  Harris subtly induces the  element of horror lurking in the backdrop of the story. 

The main basis of the plot focuses on the plight of contemporary American black girls. The author unabashedly calls out the patriarchal system, prejudices and nepotism that  is largely prevalent in the society. The character of Nella tugs your heartstrings. From the time she yearns for a fellow black girl companion, feeling snubbed by her colleagues, dropping down the popularity chart for speaking her mind, being upstaged by Hazel to putting herself on the brink of danger.  

 With its compelling plot, complex characters and shift between timelines, The Other Black girl no doubt makes an interesting read.
-- 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

100 meters : Movie Review

Image
Watched this inspiring Spanish film over the weekend on Netflix!  100 meters is a based on a true story of a man named Ramon who is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He is told that he will be able to even walk 100 meters in the next one year. Determined to prove this wrong, he takes up the challenge of doing the grueling Ironman race which involves 2.4 miles swimming, 112 miles biking and 26.2 miles running.  With the help of his father in law with whom he initially shares a shaky relationship with, he begins to train relentlessly. Ramon faces challenges on the way and is almost pushed to the brink of being bed ridden. He overcomes every hurdle with grit and a positive frame of mind. It remains to be seen if he actually finishes the race.  This movie struck a chord in many ways. A triathlon is not just a race-its a humbling journey which alters your life forever. The training period is especially a challenging one as it demands a lot out of you. The film showcases the importance of f
Read more

The Chennai resistance

Image
-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=3cd78548-4240-47c3-a608-8432df372190 Mentality of a Chennaite is something that never fails to amaze me and other people of different cities. This city has a rich cultural heritage and people indeed try their best to preserve it as much as possible. However in spite of globalization descending upon them, with BPOs lurking at every corner, with the Burgers and pizzas invading their eateries, the typical chennaite will go by his time tested staple food. Times have changed, and Chennai itself is now invaded by population from other cities not only in India but form the world, thanks to the IT boom and the automobile hub centre that it has become. One can see the metamorphosis almost everywhere; old buildings have given way to modern architecture, arterial roads choked to the brim with modern vehicles, individual bungalows replaced by the apartments. Only the age old temples have withstood this onslaught, but they too
Read more

My friend Ganesha: Friendship with God

Image
-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=b7ab149a-5f35-4861-8859-6a890ddb71fe Loneliness often propels one to longingly seek a friend. Times like these often push us into a solitary stance or we find our solace in the road to spirituality striking an unspoken friendship with God. My friend Ganesha is one such film which depicts this divine friendship between a child and the elephant faced God and takes you down the mythological lane. The movie revolves around a family consisting of Ashu, his parents, aunt and the maid Gangubhai who places her sincere devotion in Lord Ganapathy. Ashu is a lonely child devoid of any friends and to top it all he is bullied by his counterparts at every given opportunity. To make matters worse, his parents who are caught up with the corporate lifestyles hardly spend time with him. One day he ends up saving a little mouse from the harsh rains. On sharing this with the maid, leaves her enthralled enough to tell him of being the
Read more