Overall, what did you think of In Every Mirror She's Black? (no spoilers in this thread, please)
Created: 09/02/21
Replies: 18
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I enjoyed this book very much. Many issues facing society today were explored including race, immigration, gender/gender equality in the workforce and at home and relationships, both with family and interpersonal platonic and sexual relationships.
I particularly enjoyed that a good deal of the book takes place in Sweden - it was interesting to read about the Scandinavian "culture" and stereotypes. I found the writing very descriptive and was able to visualize many of the places/buildings/residence, which added to the allure of the storylines.
The book's format of alternating chapters from the perspectives of each of the three women is one of my favorites and the author did an outstanding job of telling these women's stories. The dominant theme of what it means to be a Black woman living in a white/male dominated world was extremely compelling.
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I was not as crazy about this book as everyone else. I just couldn't "get" Jonny and his hold on Brittany along with how he could run a company when he was never there. He seemed very empty and disengaged and I don't know how he had so many people tip toeing around him. His parents were horrendous!
I think I wanted to read this book because I'm a white woman that wants to understand the lives of black women and what they go through every day. I felt like the author picked two characters (Brittany and Kemi) that were alike, but Muna had completely different experiences related to being a refugee. I just felt that there wasn't a strong tie between the three of them and there was a lot of jumping around.
So maybe I picked up the book for the wrong reasons and had the wrong expectation for the book.
Join Date: 12/22/11
Posts: 154
I enjoyed this book.
It appealed to me on the story level, the emotional level, and the sentence level.
It is a portrait of a particular culture and Black women’s experience in this culture.
I liked that it spoke truth to the experience, there is the extravagance of imagination in the characters presented in the storyline, it has an emotional punch and is written with grace and dignity.
My one nitpick is that a couple of times it seemed to be that the author used the character to fit the situation/cliché but it did not affect my overall reading experience.
Join Date: 05/14/11
Posts: 119
This was a hard book to read because of the unlikeable characters and the truth in the troubles the women experienced. It is very current and cleverly placed outside the U.S.A. "Romantic" fiction is not high on my list but I chose the book as part of my determination to better understand having a different color of skin from the majority. I have lived in a foreign country and know how difficult it is without that added "difference". And yet. Women always have the same difficulties wherever they are. So. I go back and forth on liking this book and not liking this book.
Join Date: 04/20/17
Posts: 32
While reading this book, I was frustrated and angry with what seemed to be the over inclusion of Jonny. However, after reflection and rereading the author’s note at the beginning of the book, I realize that all three women, despite their background, socio-economic class and ambition, the purpose of Johnny’s character was to ensure that they remain unappreciated, uninvited, invisible and without a voice. The book clearly shows how easy it is for confident women to be undermined, especially when placed in new surroundings without a supportive network. Being a Black woman in a community (country) that is almost 100% white provides the reflection of incompetence and invisibility to always be Black. I enjoyed this novel and it’s contribution to understanding immigrants in another culture.
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This wasn't a great read for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the settings and learning about the different cultures (especially the foods and holiday traditions). The three women had interesting story lines, but the connections between them were weak. The part I disliked most was the ending. It seemed completely rushed.
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