“I don’t need you to be mad that it happened. I need you to be mad that it just like... happens.”

About two women, Alix and Emira. Alix is your typical “influencer” type Mum. Lots of social events, lots of money and lots of free things. Emira is a 26yo babysitter for Alix’s family who is trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life.

When Alix calls Emira at 11pm one night to get the toddler out of the house as the police are coming to investigate an incident, Emira of course accepts. When she’s at the grocery store with 3yo Briar, she’s stopped by the security guard accusing her of kidnapping this child. An older lady see’s a black woman out late in party clothes with a white child and immediately alerts the security guard. (This scene was so shocking to read! My heart was racing!) After Alix finds out, she makes it her mission to help Emira, which leads to a set of events that spiral out of control.

Such a Fun Age was extremely well written; a true experience in putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, a book that employs us to question if our “good” deeds are genuine or rather, just a performance to convince others, and maybe even ourselves, that we’re better people than we actually are. A book that deals with things like the real meaning of diversity, how racism has real impact, why stereotypes are harmful and how privilege affects all of this.