Such A Fun Age - Review

The affluent Alix, a pro letter-writer turned influencer and mother of two is struggling to maintain the image of her old New York life after moving to Philadelphia and seeks a babysitter for her toddler Briar. She finds the perfect match for her daughter in 25-year-old Emira. The only catch is that the (very) white Alix’s new babysitter is black. 

After Alix’s news anchor husband is accused of racial bias, their house is egged and window broken in the middle of the night, causing Alix to pull Emira away from a friend’s birthday and keep Briar away while things are sorted out with the police. But just when Emira and Briar are enjoying their browse through the grocery store, Emira is accused of inappropriate behavior and kidnapping by the white shoppers. Suddenly cornered by store security and with self-proclaimed ally Kelley filming the situation close by, Emira must navigate her way through an all-white space as she is too often forced to in this novel. 

Such A Fun Age explores the perspectives of both Alix and Emira, and in doing so, depicts the “well-intentioned” white liberal mindset and the difficulties of finding yourself in your late 20s when everyone around you seems to have it figured out. Crafted with incredible dialogue and internal monologue, this novel puts you in the center of every uncomfortable situation and makes you question your intentions, the goodwill of others, and just how quickly the lines between allyship, being a “white savior,” a fetishist, and a flat-out racist can blur. There is also hilarious toddler dialogue that will make you love Briar just as much as Emira does, numerous groups of friends that you will surely find your own quirky group in, and the greatest procrastination #goals I have ever seen. With 5/5 storytelling and a 4/5 story, Such A Fun Age never drops the ball and is just as terribly funny as it is relevant.