Pleasant Valley Library Online Book Group discussion

Post your thoughts and comments about Such a Fun Age here!

"A striking and surprising debut novel from an exhilarating new voice, Such a Fun Age is a page-turning and big-hearted story about race and privilege, set around a young black babysitter, her well-intentioned employer, and a surprising connection that threatens to undo them both.

"Alix Chamberlain is a woman who gets what she wants and has made a living, with her confidence-driven brand, showing other women how to do the same. So she is shocked when her babysitter, Emira Tucker, is confronted while watching the Chamberlains' toddler one night, walking the aisles of their local high-end supermarket. The store's security guard, seeing a young black woman out late with a white child, accuses Emira of kidnapping two-year-old Briar. A small crowd gathers, a bystander films everything, and Emira is furious and humiliated. Alix resolves to make things right.

"But Emira herself is aimless, broke, and wary of Alix's desire to help. At twenty-five, she is about to lose her health insurance and has no idea what to do with her life. When the video of Emira unearths someone from Alix's past, both women find themselves on a crash course that will upend everything they think they know about themselves, and each other.

"With empathy and piercing social commentary, Such a Fun Age explores the stickiness of transactional relationships, what it means to make someone family, and the complicated reality of being a grown up. It is a searing debut for our times."

Hi Everyone,

Have any of you had the chance to start Such a Fun Age, or have finished reading it? If so, what do you think of it?

Here are some questions to consider, for discussion -

The book is told from the viewpoints of Emira and Alix - two very different women. What did you think of them and their perspectives, and their relationship to each other and to Briar?

What did you think of the reveal that (view spoiler)[ Kelley had been Alix's high-school boyfriend (hide spoiler)] and how that affected each of the characters afterward?

In the video posted to our book group page, "Introducing Kiley Reid," the author says she hopes that readers can take away that "people are complicated" and that "racial biases [and] class biases exist very harmoniously within really kind gestures and authentic love for someone." Do you think she succeeded in that with the story?

Kiley Reid said in the video that she's working on a potential TV/movie adaptation of Such a Fun Age, and also on her second novel. Would you be interested in seeing the adaptation and would you want to read more of her work?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and opinions!

So it's the end of the month, but we'll leave this thread open in case anyone would like to comment on Such a Fun Age. Hope to hear from some of you!