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The Other Black Girl

The Other Black Girl

  • Downloads：8264
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-06-02 08:31:47
  • Update Date：2025-09-07
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Zakiya Dalila Harris
  • ISBN：B08MWT6YC1
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary

*Running Time => 12hrs。 and 30mins。*

'Get Out' meets 'The Devil Wears Prada' in this electric debut about the tension that unfurls when two young Black women meet against the starkly white backdrop of New York City book publishing。

Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books。 Fed up with the isolation and micro-aggressions， she’s thrilled when Harlem-born and bred Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers。 They’ve only just started comparing natural hair care regimens， though， when a string of uncomfortable events elevates Hazel to Office Darling， and Nella is left in the dust。

Then the notes begin to appear on Nella’s desk: LEAVE WAGNER。 NOW。

It’s hard to believe Hazel is behind these hostile messages。 But as Nella starts to spiral and obsess over the sinister forces at play， she soon realizes that there’s a lot more at stake than just her career。

A whip-smart and dynamic thriller and sly social commentary that is perfect for anyone who has ever felt manipulated， threatened， or overlooked in the workplace， 'THE OTHER BLACK GIRL' will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last twist。


©2021 Zakiya Dalila Harris。 All rights reserved。 （P）2021 Simon & Schuster， Inc。 All rights reserved。

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Reviews

Leonie Hinch ，

Thank you to Netgalley， Bloomsbury Publishing and Zakiya Dalila Harris for my arc of The Other Black Girl in exchange for an honest review。Published 1st June 2021Nella has been fed up of being the only black girl in the ultra white world of publishing in New York。 So she’s ecstatic when new girl Hazel-Mae joins and she finally has someone to help her defend the micro aggressions and racism embedded into the publishing world。 But no sooner have the girls started bonding then Nella begins to find Thank you to Netgalley， Bloomsbury Publishing and Zakiya Dalila Harris for my arc of The Other Black Girl in exchange for an honest review。Published 1st June 2021Nella has been fed up of being the only black girl in the ultra white world of publishing in New York。 So she’s ecstatic when new girl Hazel-Mae joins and she finally has someone to help her defend the micro aggressions and racism embedded into the publishing world。 But no sooner have the girls started bonding then Nella begins to find notes threatening her and telling her to leave Wagner Books， and as Hazel’s career flourishes and Nella’s declines she begins to wonder if the other black girl could be the one sending the notes and trying to sabotage her…Wow。 It’s hard to say what I made of this book！ It’s such a mix of genres it’s hard to pin down exactly what was going on all along。The positives for me were definitely that it’s the first book to have got me engrossed in a long time。 I found myself thinking about it at work during the day and looking forward to picking it up and finding out more in the evening。 The initial feeling is a bit like The Devil Wears Prada competition in a cut throat publishing world with a sinister edge。 But then it develops into something more sci-fi and horror-like。 I really liked Nella’s character and Hazel made a fantastic nemesis。 The characters were well written， the setting perfect and the right amount of edgy tension was always present。The only negative for me is that I felt more explanation could have been present。 The ending was quite ambiguous and open ended and didn’t really provide any proper answers。 Which after all that build up I would have preferred。 。。。more

Kerry ，

After reading the blurb， I was super excited to read this book。 I did enjoy it and it was a good story line， although it was a bit slow at some points。 I feel like it needed something extra to give it that "wow factor" that keeps me reading until late in the night。 It definitely does have "The Devil Wears Prada" vibes and I could imagine the different characters around the office。 Overall， Zakiya Dalila Harris should be commended for her style of writing。 It was very thought provoking and this After reading the blurb， I was super excited to read this book。 I did enjoy it and it was a good story line， although it was a bit slow at some points。 I feel like it needed something extra to give it that "wow factor" that keeps me reading until late in the night。 It definitely does have "The Devil Wears Prada" vibes and I could imagine the different characters around the office。 Overall， Zakiya Dalila Harris should be commended for her style of writing。 It was very thought provoking and this novel was very original and full of emotion。 Thank you to Zakiya Dalila Harris， NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for the opportunity to read and review this book。 。。。more

Never Without a Book ，

The Other Black Girl is a truly suspenseful and satirical story。 It takes you on a twisty journey and lets you know what’s going on before you even start。 Nella starts receiving anonymous notes from Hazel which tell her to leave Wagner。 She also finds herself suspicious of Hazel due to how Hazel is around her。 The back story is also crucial to the overall plot。 It provides insight into the characters and their backgrounds， and it establishes the sinister undercurrent at play。A lot of the time it The Other Black Girl is a truly suspenseful and satirical story。 It takes you on a twisty journey and lets you know what’s going on before you even start。 Nella starts receiving anonymous notes from Hazel which tell her to leave Wagner。 She also finds herself suspicious of Hazel due to how Hazel is around her。 The back story is also crucial to the overall plot。 It provides insight into the characters and their backgrounds， and it establishes the sinister undercurrent at play。A lot of the time it’s a bit foreboding， but as the story goes on it gets more exciting。 This book talks about how racism still exists in the publishing industry and how it can affect the success of Black people。 Thank you， Bloomsbury， for the gifted copy via net galley。 。。。more

Arianna Mclaughlin （arianna。reads） ，

Thank you @simonschusterca for my gifted copy to read and review。Pub day: June 1， 2021When I saw this book was described as Get Out meets The Stepford Wives and set in the punishing world， I knew I wanted to read it！This debut is a cleverly constructed book that uses satire to explore systemic racism and Black female identity in the very white New York publishing world。 I’m a big fan of satire and it’s definitely important to know going into the book that it’s satire vs。 a thriller。Nella is the Thank you @simonschusterca for my gifted copy to read and review。Pub day: June 1， 2021When I saw this book was described as Get Out meets The Stepford Wives and set in the punishing world， I knew I wanted to read it！This debut is a cleverly constructed book that uses satire to explore systemic racism and Black female identity in the very white New York publishing world。 I’m a big fan of satire and it’s definitely important to know going into the book that it’s satire vs。 a thriller。Nella is the only Black girl at publishing house， Wagner， until Hazel arrives。 At first Nella is excited。 But things start to change。 Hazel becomes the firm favourite and makes some questionable moves。 Nella receives threatening notes that tell her to leave Wagner and make her look deeper into her new friend and the publishing house。I loved Nella’s POV and character arc。 I was also really interested in Kendra Rae and Diana （especially in the past） and could have read a book just about them！ And the setting in the publishing world was a total win for me。At times， I struggled to keep track of the different timelines and connections between all the characters。 And it is a slower paced book。 Less action， more day-day lives and character interaction。But that being said， the book totally kept my attention and I read it all in one day。 And the ending 🤯。 Definitely read it a few times！I also encourage you to seek out #OwnVoices reviews of the book。 。。。more

Nelda Brangwin ，

Two Black girls amid a sea of white faces are editorial assistants at Wagner books。 The slow buildup of the story might make a reader give up， but don’t because it is a look at institutionalized racism that keep non-white employees from advancing。 Could I identify with Nella and Hazel， of course not。 I’m white and used to success but everyone should read this debut novel to see another perspective of the career world。

Jenia ，

Hm not sure what I think about it。 I think I liked the themes and general idea， but the way it was written felt kinda clunky to me。

Steph ，

I wanted to love this book， but it felt like the beginning of a great story with a lot of missed opportunities。 I spent the first 70% of the book waiting for something to really happen。 Then things happened so fast， but without any explanation at all。 There were a lot of people who seem very important to the plot （Kendra， Richard， even Hazel） that I didn't understand how they were involved， why they were involved， what role they played， how they did it。We could have spent less time setting up Ne I wanted to love this book， but it felt like the beginning of a great story with a lot of missed opportunities。 I spent the first 70% of the book waiting for something to really happen。 Then things happened so fast， but without any explanation at all。 There were a lot of people who seem very important to the plot （Kendra， Richard， even Hazel） that I didn't understand how they were involved， why they were involved， what role they played， how they did it。We could have spent less time setting up Nella's life and more on the meat of what was happening and how deep it went。It's unfortunate because I think there is an amazing idea here。 And I loved the end scene， it gave me chills。 。。。more

Karen Rós ，

Where do I start？？This book got me out of a month-long reading slump （I don't think I can blame the weather 🌧 entirely， but it's tempting）。 I don't generally read thrillers and horror， but I'd been seeing the LEAVE PUBLISHING NOW proofs on social media， and I just knew I had to read this one。 This was incredible。 Less of a thriller and more of a literary horror， I just could not put it down。 I was so anxious to find out what the hell was going on and whether Nella would be able to fight back or Where do I start？？This book got me out of a month-long reading slump （I don't think I can blame the weather 🌧 entirely， but it's tempting）。 I don't generally read thrillers and horror， but I'd been seeing the LEAVE PUBLISHING NOW proofs on social media， and I just knew I had to read this one。 This was incredible。 Less of a thriller and more of a literary horror， I just could not put it down。 I was so anxious to find out what the hell was going on and whether Nella would be able to fight back or escape。 This is a cleverly constructed novel from the title to the end - you think this is just going to turn out to be a psychological thriller about the other Black girl in the office， but what it is is a whole entire horror novel where OBGs （Other Black Girls） are both a symptom and a cause。 What I thought especially horrifying was how the transformation into an OBG was done: （view spoiler）[through hair products specially designed for Black hair， distributed by Black women， to subdue and 'fix' Black girls to make them complacent and appealing to white people and work environments。 （hide spoiler）] The reveal is gradual， told through 1st person chapters （flashbacks and present） and 3rd person present chapters， weaving together a narrative and setting up a conspiracy that spans decades。I grabbed this for the publishing setting and while it was mostly just a setting it was still horrifying from a publishing perspective - with prominent figures in publishing being at the centre of the conspiracy （incl。 an old white man at the head of a respected publishing house）。 It is disgusting how easily these people at the top manipulate the Black women who work for them and orchestrate for them to be converted， all in the name of making them 'easier' to work with。。。for white people。I hoped against hope that Nella would resist the conversion。。。（view spoiler）[but she didn't。 （hide spoiler）] It's heartbreaking and horrifying， especially when you consider that this horror is rooted in real life。 Racism *is* horror。 Strongly recommended。 。。。more

Lucy ，

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC。Wow， this book is un-put-down-able！ The plot is sso sharp and fast-paced that you just have to read the next chapter。 Harris does a great job of highlighting the microagressions and 'soft' racism that Black women have to deal with every day in the workplace。 The hair grease used to soften the edges seems to be a stand in for white privilege and fragility， forcing these women to be less than they are in order to 'fit in'。 This book owes a lot to Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC。Wow， this book is un-put-down-able！ The plot is sso sharp and fast-paced that you just have to read the next chapter。 Harris does a great job of highlighting the microagressions and 'soft' racism that Black women have to deal with every day in the workplace。 The hair grease used to soften the edges seems to be a stand in for white privilege and fragility， forcing these women to be less than they are in order to 'fit in'。 This book owes a lot to Jordan Peele， and also strikes a similar note to Kiley Reid's Such A Fun Age。 Harris is one to watch。 。。。more

Jonathan Lee ，

"Nella was about as ready to give up publishing as she was to give up health insurance and paid vacations and summer Fridays。" This was just one of the sentences I underlined in this gloriously enjoyable book — a reading experience that is full of fun， but also has real bite。 It's by an author who worked as an assistant at a big publishing house in Manhattan until recently （she did give up those summer Fridays。。。） Yes， THE OTHER BLACK GIRL skewers the publishing world and its work （or lack of it "Nella was about as ready to give up publishing as she was to give up health insurance and paid vacations and summer Fridays。" This was just one of the sentences I underlined in this gloriously enjoyable book — a reading experience that is full of fun， but also has real bite。 It's by an author who worked as an assistant at a big publishing house in Manhattan until recently （she did give up those summer Fridays。。。） Yes， THE OTHER BLACK GIRL skewers the publishing world and its work （or lack of it） around diversity。 But like all great office novels （AND THEN WE CAME TO THE END sprung to mind， along with some early chapters of Raven Leilani's wonderful LUSTER） this is a book in which work is a microcosm within which we find the wider world reflected — in all its many shades of longing， hope， prejudice， connection， and aspiration。 。。。more

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Gemma ，

This book started strongly for me as I liked the protagonist Nella， I liked the insight into her experiences as the only Black woman working in an editorial team at prestigious publishing house Wagner Books and I liked the tension that was created when new starter Hazel， the other black girl of the title， puts Nella on her toes and causes her to negotiate the line between comradery and competitiveness。 All of these elements set the book up well and made for a promising start to the story。 Unfort This book started strongly for me as I liked the protagonist Nella， I liked the insight into her experiences as the only Black woman working in an editorial team at prestigious publishing house Wagner Books and I liked the tension that was created when new starter Hazel， the other black girl of the title， puts Nella on her toes and causes her to negotiate the line between comradery and competitiveness。 All of these elements set the book up well and made for a promising start to the story。 Unfortunately it went a bit downhill for me from there。 The pacing in this book is way off with two thirds of the book feeling very slow， repetitive and quite dull and then the "action" ramping up and feeling quite rushed in the final third。 There is far too much time spent "setting the scene" and building the mystery and not enough time allowed for the explanation at the end so it made for quite a frustrating read overall。 The resolution to the story was too absurd for my tastes too and didn't do justice to the nuanced and clever details and observations which featured through much of the story。 I am disappointed that I did not enjoy this book as much as I was expecting to but can appreciate why other readers have liked it a lot more than me。 Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the ARC。 。。。more

Vofat96762 ，

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Elaine ，

The original blurb for “The Other Black Girl”， the debut novel by Zakiya Dalila Harris described it as Get Out meets The Devil Wears Prada， and this is one of the reasons that piqued my interest。 The yellow cover with two broken teeth on an Afro pick was the other reason I thought this book would be an interesting read。 I have to say the book did not disappoint at all。Despite micro aggressions， white privilege， office politics and racism and diversity in the workplace being central themes， the b The original blurb for “The Other Black Girl”， the debut novel by Zakiya Dalila Harris described it as Get Out meets The Devil Wears Prada， and this is one of the reasons that piqued my interest。 The yellow cover with two broken teeth on an Afro pick was the other reason I thought this book would be an interesting read。 I have to say the book did not disappoint at all。Despite micro aggressions， white privilege， office politics and racism and diversity in the workplace being central themes， the book was laugh out loud in places。 It was also relatable for me as I have often been the only Black person in white spaces。 The excitement conveyed when you see someone who looks like you entering your workplace hoping and praying that they will give you the nod， and being disappointed when they don’t acknowledge you was so well explained here。 I believe， non Black people would also enjoy reading the book， as the writing is clever and thought-provoking。 It will also make people rethink their own behaviour and prejudices without being preachy。Set in the world of publishing， the book is not only funny but also a thriller， and possibly science fiction。 As the reader you are rooting for Nella （the protagonist） and become more and more suspicious of the Other Black Girl， Hazel。 The narrative style also introduces other characters who you’re not quite sure how they fit into Nella’s world but the twist brings everything together。I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what else Harris writes， and due to the originality of the story， as well as it not being a stereotypical Black book I hope her work is recognised in forthcoming book awards。***Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for this ARC in exchange for an honest review。***To read my full review as well as other book reviews please visit my blog。 。。。more

Grace J Reviewerlady ，

So very different and， at times， a bit strange and unsettling！Nella Rogers works in publishing at Wagner Books where she feels very much the token black girl。 She’s fed up with never really feeling a part of things so when the other black girl turns up in the cubicle next to hers， Nella is delighted。 Just as a friendship begins to bloom， there is a succession of things which leave Hazel as everyone’s best friend and Nella as public enemy number one。 Then Nella begins to receive little notes tell So very different and， at times， a bit strange and unsettling！Nella Rogers works in publishing at Wagner Books where she feels very much the token black girl。 She’s fed up with never really feeling a part of things so when the other black girl turns up in the cubicle next to hers， Nella is delighted。 Just as a friendship begins to bloom， there is a succession of things which leave Hazel as everyone’s best friend and Nella as public enemy number one。 Then Nella begins to receive little notes telling her to leave Wagner; is Hazel really going to be that obvious in her take-over， or is there more to this than meets the eye？Who knew the world of publishing could be so cutthroat？ Everyone I deal with is always so nice！ There are more than one narrators in this book， and for quite some time I didn’t know what the connection was。 On several occasions I was reading on assuming I was still with one person when I suddenly realised it was someone else now。 It’s really hard to put this one aside; it’s a compelling read and one where I was almost afraid to miss a word in case it altered something and I missed it！ For a long time I wasn’t really sure what was going on， then it got even more complicated and by the end I was left wondering what happened to some of the characters。 From time to time I had the chilling feeling of glimpses of The Handmaid’s Tale and the Stepford Wives。 Weird and sinister with an almost futuristic feel to it， it was strangely enjoyable。 I thought I had hair problems – I shall look at anyone with black hair with a new admiration from now on！ A spirited， potent read and one I’m sure will make this author one to note for future。 For me， I’m happy to give this one 4*。 。。。more

Lou ，

The Other Black Girl is both a thought-provoking and enthralling thriller about an African-American woman navigating a nearly all-white workplace inspired in part by the author’s similar experience in the New York City publishing world。 Young， ambitious and hard-working editorial assistant Nella Rogers has now worked for prestigious publishing imprint Wagner Books in New York City for two years and has been the only black person present for the extent of her tenure so far。 Depending on her mood The Other Black Girl is both a thought-provoking and enthralling thriller about an African-American woman navigating a nearly all-white workplace inspired in part by the author’s similar experience in the New York City publishing world。 Young， ambitious and hard-working editorial assistant Nella Rogers has now worked for prestigious publishing imprint Wagner Books in New York City for two years and has been the only black person present for the extent of her tenure so far。 Depending on her mood she has a few different feelings about it but one thing she always feels is like an outsider。 So when a seemingly fashion-conscious black girl appears on her floor， she is excited and glad to finally have an ally， someone she can relate to and someone who understand the adversity she feels。 Hazel-May McCall is Wagner’s newest editorial assistant and the calm and assured woman becomes a friend to Nella。 Initially， they share stories and get along swimmingly， even discussing the mostly-ignored racial politics in the office， but it isn't to last。 Nella continues to struggle when she gets mistaken for Helen-May ”the other black girl” as if their only trait was the colour of their skin and she suffers through a reading of a bestselling white author’s manuscript with a black character who is one-dimensional and more of a stereotype than a real person but her criticisms fall on deaf ears。 Hazel’s introduction is presumably a nod to the need for the firm to be inclusive and an attempt from the all-white higher-ups to show they treat everyone as equals; the ”Diversity Town Halls” scheme claims to tackle racism head-on but does nothing of the sort。 A short time later， Nella begins to receive anonymous notes with one reading: “Leave Wagner。 Now”。She soon realises that there's something not quite right about Hazel。 Her superiors treat her as one of them， something they have never done with Nella in the whole time she's been employed there。 She seems to be adored and praised by those higher up in the company and she posits that the reason may be because Harlem-born Hazel fits perfectly with their stereotype of a black person; for starters， she was born to parents who were ardent civil rights activists。 Who is writing these notes and for what purpose？ Is it Hazel？ Nella begins a deep dive to search for answers and uncovers a dangerous conspiracy more ubiquitous than she could've ever known。 This is a riveting genre-bending psychological thriller crossed with a social satire and with touches of horror， magical realism and sci-fi where micro-aggressions and gaslighting turn the ‘civilised’ atmosphere of a publishing company into a slowly unravelling horror。 It is about race， though I think anyone who has worked in a corporation will find themselves identifying with the narrator’s questioning of her colleagues’ authenticity and her own self-belief。 It’s uncategorisable， but most importantly it’s a funny and pointed takedown of a self-proclaimed progressive culture that is also a page-turner。 It's nuanced， with characters who are so skilfully painted and full of life they leap forth off the pages and the dark humour adds a little lightness to a bleak topic。 Sharp and full of insights about race， class and gender， this gripping， twisty read will keep you on your toes until the end。 This is a totally fresh and intelligent take on the thriller genre which also has plenty to say on a burning issue of our time。 Highly recommended。 。。。more

Erin ，

A strong 4 stars - this was great。 The slow-burn， with an impending sense of fuckery， worked so well for me。

Rebecca ，

Thanks to the publisher， via Netgalley， for an advance e-galley for honest review。This story takes an incisive look at workplace racism and tensions， particularly within the publishing industry （though it is relevant across workplaces and industries）。 As pieces come together in this story it becomes ever more strange and intriguing， and it's a race to the finish to find out exactly what is happening and how the pieces connect。 Worthy of the praise it's been receiving！ Thanks to the publisher， via Netgalley， for an advance e-galley for honest review。This story takes an incisive look at workplace racism and tensions， particularly within the publishing industry （though it is relevant across workplaces and industries）。 As pieces come together in this story it becomes ever more strange and intriguing， and it's a race to the finish to find out exactly what is happening and how the pieces connect。 Worthy of the praise it's been receiving！ 。。。more

Nailah ，

Wow what a book！ Almost a satirical expose centred on the publishing industry， this is a no holds barred exploration of identity， competitive environments， experiences as a black woman in the workplace， privilege， and race。 It is better that readers go into this book not knowing too much about the plot， as personally I think that will spoil the enjoyment and understanding of it。 With so many complex themes interwoven， it would be easy for the story to become lost， but I really feel the author ha Wow what a book！ Almost a satirical expose centred on the publishing industry， this is a no holds barred exploration of identity， competitive environments， experiences as a black woman in the workplace， privilege， and race。 It is better that readers go into this book not knowing too much about the plot， as personally I think that will spoil the enjoyment and understanding of it。 With so many complex themes interwoven， it would be easy for the story to become lost， but I really feel the author has handled this well in The Other Black Girl。It is badged as The Devil Wears Prada meets Get Out and when we first meet twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers， you might be fooled into thinking it is just about office dynamics at publishing house Wagner Books。 Nella is the only black person working at Wagner and is excited when she sees another black girl has joined the company – Hazel。 Suffice to say this excitement is short lived。 When Nella later receives a mysterious note with the words “LEAVE WAGNER。 NOW。” the Get Out element really starts coming into play and we move from contemporary fiction into the psychological thriller realm， supported by the stories of Shani， Kendra Rae and Diana。。 Nella is a solidly crafted character and I think many women will be able to relate to her experiences。 I found there were points where I really understood her actions， and others where I was frustrated by her decisions – when she lets her guard down or doesn’t assert herself enough but I think that makes her all the more realistic， and it keeps you fully invested in her journey and world。 I particularly enjoyed the dramatic irony of Nella’s partner Owen ensuring he was not “The Dumb Fool” by checking she wasn’t putting herself in harm’s way， when in fact Nella would in fact herself later become “The Dumb Fool” whilst we the reader frantically begged her to open her eyes。The structure really allows the story to slowly unfold。 It is told in four parts but with multiperspective elements and shifts in time， which serve to flesh out the more complex elements of the plot – particularly towards the climax of the story where you might find yourself a bit hazy， shocked and wondering what is really going on。 With so much happening， I think it’s paced nicely as anything else would not have allowed enough time for explanation。 Knowing that Zakiyah Dalila Harris has put “really large chunks” of her own lived experience into the book really enhanced my reading of it。 It is accessible to readers of all backgrounds but as a black woman there were many elements of it that particularly resonated with me。 I think for example that the focus on and significance of hair in the story will really land with readers in different ways。 For me the overriding emotion whilst reading was just this deep sense of unease， which completely drew me in。 Dark， deep， terrifying， and then some， I would say this is a psychological thriller but in a refreshing and unexpected way， as I don’t think I have read anything else like it。 From the acknowledgments I see it is already being adapted for TV and think it will translate brilliantly on screen。Can’t wait for more books from this author！ Thanks to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for my ARC。 。。。more

Travis Doss ，

I enjoyed the book。 It was different and unique。 I'm sure I'm definitely not the target audience here。 Where I was expecting a bit more of an eye opener to a different culture or industry it was slow story that built to an ending that could have been a bit more satisfying。 I still have questions as to the who and why but maybe those aren't meant to be answered but to leave the reading feeling a bit of unease with the reasons。 I enjoyed the book。 It was different and unique。 I'm sure I'm definitely not the target audience here。 Where I was expecting a bit more of an eye opener to a different culture or industry it was slow story that built to an ending that could have been a bit more satisfying。 I still have questions as to the who and why but maybe those aren't meant to be answered but to leave the reading feeling a bit of unease with the reasons。 。。。more

M ，

**SPOILERS** I had high hopes for this title and actually bought a hardcopy。 The author barely succeeds in showing how difficult it is for Black women in an all-White workplace - I think it's much worse。 The ending left me sick to my stomach; the author betrayed her protagonist - the OBG's win - so sad - Nella didn't deserve this。 I can't decide if the author is calling out Black Women who work in publishing， perpetuating the trope that women can't get along in the workplace， or showing how some **SPOILERS** I had high hopes for this title and actually bought a hardcopy。 The author barely succeeds in showing how difficult it is for Black women in an all-White workplace - I think it's much worse。 The ending left me sick to my stomach; the author betrayed her protagonist - the OBG's win - so sad - Nella didn't deserve this。 I can't decide if the author is calling out Black Women who work in publishing， perpetuating the trope that women can't get along in the workplace， or showing how some Black women sell out their values order to be successful。 Is hair cream a metaphor for White supremacy？ I don't get it。 。。。more

Sam Whittaker ，

The Other Black Girl is one of the most original novels I’ve read for a while。。 Nella works for an highly prestigious publishing house in New York， as their only black employee she constantly finds herself fighting prejudice and struggles to fit in。 She is delighted when Hazel arrives， they quickly bond and she feels that the tide of discrimination is turning in her workplace。 Events quickly take a sinister turn， Hazel seems to assimilate so quickly and Nella feels she is being pushed to the sid The Other Black Girl is one of the most original novels I’ve read for a while。。 Nella works for an highly prestigious publishing house in New York， as their only black employee she constantly finds herself fighting prejudice and struggles to fit in。 She is delighted when Hazel arrives， they quickly bond and she feels that the tide of discrimination is turning in her workplace。 Events quickly take a sinister turn， Hazel seems to assimilate so quickly and Nella feels she is being pushed to the side - then the anonymous notes telling her to get out start arriving。。。The Other Black Girl is an excellent， thrilling and brilliantly written novel。 It also provided me with a fascinating education into Black politics， life （and hair products） in America。 Thank you to #netgalley and #bloomsburybooks for allowing me to review this ARC 。。。more

Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader ，

Zakiya Dalila Harris has penned an extraordinary literary psychological thriller for her debut。 Nella and Hazel meet when they work in side-by-side cubicles- in book publishing！ They are Black women working in the predominantly white publishing industry， and this is a tense story that continues to build from the very start。There’s satire， genre-bending， and so much to think about here， and I don’t want to give anything away。 The twists are unexpected， and I was along for the ride and completely Zakiya Dalila Harris has penned an extraordinary literary psychological thriller for her debut。 Nella and Hazel meet when they work in side-by-side cubicles- in book publishing！ They are Black women working in the predominantly white publishing industry， and this is a tense story that continues to build from the very start。There’s satire， genre-bending， and so much to think about here， and I don’t want to give anything away。 The twists are unexpected， and I was along for the ride and completely invested。 This book at its heart is focused on the experience of Black women in the workplace by exploring racism， stereotyping， microaggressions， and discrimination。I can’t help but be excited about what literary work this talented and refreshing author will bring us next！I received a gifted copy。Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www。jennifertarheelreader。com and instagram: www。instagram。com/tarheelreader 。。。more

Alice ，

This is a mind-blowing novel that does not fit neatly into a genre， nor does it make for easy reading --though it is completely gripping。 It’s a thriller with a dose of horror – and also an exposé as it blows open the ‘whiteness’ of the publishing industry while also exploring the complexities of the Black experience and race politics in publishing and elsewhere。 It is even more powerful given Harris’ explanation in the acknowledgements that ‘large chunks’ of her own experiences are ‘woven throu This is a mind-blowing novel that does not fit neatly into a genre， nor does it make for easy reading --though it is completely gripping。 It’s a thriller with a dose of horror – and also an exposé as it blows open the ‘whiteness’ of the publishing industry while also exploring the complexities of the Black experience and race politics in publishing and elsewhere。 It is even more powerful given Harris’ explanation in the acknowledgements that ‘large chunks’ of her own experiences are ‘woven throughout’ the book。Nella Rogers works as an editorial assistant at Wagner Books， and she is the only Black person employed in a professional position。 She is ambitious and principled as she faces daily micro-aggressions， tokenistic ‘diversity training’ and powerful authors and editors who are uninterested in understanding their own biases。 Then Hazel-May McCall， another Black girl， is hired; initially Nella is thrilled as there is finally someone who will understand the nuances of Nella’s experiences on a daily basis – but Hazel acts differently around her white employers， and seems to have doors opened for her。 When anonymous threatening notes begin to arrive on her desk， Nella feels vulnerable and suspicious。The story is largely told from Nella’s perspective though there are several other characters whose inner monologues and experiences are shared， adding to the mystery element of the novel; I found myself waking up in the middle of the night trying to fit different pieces of the puzzle together – a sure-fire sign of a well-plotted book。 It is also beautifully written; while I read it the first time for plot， I feel I need to go back again and read it again， savouring the evocative details and the rich language。 Hair was a motif throughout the book， and I found it fascinating: Harris rightly decided to use hair-linked lingo that white people like me may not understand， but I sure do want to find out more – and I am now hankering for the delicious smell of cocoa butter。 To sum up: a clever， provocative novel that may leave you feeling uncomfortable， and a great read that will leave you hungry to hear more from debut author Zakiya Dalila Harris。 。。。more

Dedra ~ A Book Wanderer ，

Wow。 Brilliant。 Review to come。

Sherri ，

Started out slow and I had a hard time getting started。 Halfway through the book， I could not put it down。 I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway。

ReadingWhileMommying ，

This book has been blurbed as "Get Out Meets The Devil Wears Prada。" I have to say， it's pretty spot-on！Nella Rogers is a 26-year-old editorial assistant who's been working at Wagner Books in New York City for two years。 While relatively happy with her job， she's also had trouble getting her bosses to take diversity seriously。 As the only Black employee at Wagner， she's tried to hold Diversity Town Halls， but after they are no longer mandatory， none of her fellow employees show up。 A hope for a This book has been blurbed as "Get Out Meets The Devil Wears Prada。" I have to say， it's pretty spot-on！Nella Rogers is a 26-year-old editorial assistant who's been working at Wagner Books in New York City for two years。 While relatively happy with her job， she's also had trouble getting her bosses to take diversity seriously。 As the only Black employee at Wagner， she's tried to hold Diversity Town Halls， but after they are no longer mandatory， none of her fellow employees show up。 A hope for a more diverse publishing house--both its employees and the books it publishes--becomes more of a possibility when a new Black girl named Hazel is hired。 Nella's hopes of warming to Hazel and working together to bring an enlightened sensibility to Wagner are soon dashed when Hazel becomes the office star and Nella becomes the office pariah。 One particular issue is the adverse reaction Nella gets after giving feedback to one of Wagner's biggest authors about the racial stereotypes inherent in his new novel。 Then， the notes start coming。 "LEAVE WAGNER NOW，" the first says。 Could Hazel be behind the missives？The politics of race in a place of business， in particular a publishing house， is the theme running through this book。 How Nella has to consistently work twice as hard as her white colleagues to get ahead is the one thread of the theme， while the behind-the-scenes nuggets about how publishers navigate deciding to publish （or more likely not） books by Black authors is the other。 Like general issues of racism， these two threads run the gamut from migroaggressions to blatant racism。 FYI: Zakiya worked at a publishing house before leaving to write this book， so I'm sure there's many truths in it。 One example: How editors put African authors ahead of African-American authors and consider publishing the former "enough" when it comes to "being diverse。" About halfway through the novel， the narrative goes OFF THE RAILS。。。but in a good way。 Suddenly， these real issues of racism and lack of diversity veer into horror territory and Nella's inner turmoil becomes even more fraught as she tries to navigate the sinister forces at play。 Who really is Hazel？ Why does she seem to immediately get the respect of Nella's bosses， while Nella has had to work for it and still comes up lacking？ And who is imploring her to quit her job？ Harris does a wonderful job with this debut！ It's engaging， revelatory （I knew publishing had a diversity problem but some of the microaggressions mentioned here were especially galling）， clever， twisty， and fun。 Highly recommend！ 。。。more

Jenn Lawrence ，

I'm going to need to percolate on this one for a while。 I'm going to need to percolate on this one for a while。 。。。more

Blue Cypress Books ，

A genre-defying， timely tale of caution about the Black experience in the workplace。 The novel blends contemporary drama， thriller and horror （think Get Out） all while handling heavy lifting on subjects like BLM and what it lies at the heart of family and friendship。

Margaret McCulloch-Keeble ，

I don't really know what I just read。 For over half of it I was thinking it was political， full of the unconscious bias many of us are guilty of （uncomfortable as it is to admit this） then it suddenly became something entirely。 Somewhere on the blurb it compares it with 'Get Out' but I've never seen the film， so the nearest comparison I can make （and I realise it's not good enough） is Stepford Wives。 I don't really know what I just read。 For over half of it I was thinking it was political， full of the unconscious bias many of us are guilty of （uncomfortable as it is to admit this） then it suddenly became something entirely。 Somewhere on the blurb it compares it with 'Get Out' but I've never seen the film， so the nearest comparison I can make （and I realise it's not good enough） is Stepford Wives。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Other Black Girl

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Other Black Girl&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Other Black Girl&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0