"This is a satire and a mystery thriller. I could go on and on and on about this book because as a Black woman, Ive been where Nella (the main character) has been. Her job is threatened but the very essence of Nella is also at stake. It's honestly overwhelming. I just didnt know exactly how. The most recent example: The Other Black Girl by first-time author Zakiya Dalila Harris, a former editorial assistant at Penguin Random House. Ad Choices, Zakiya Dalila Harris Always Knew the Ending for The Other Black Girl, I love hearing people talk about whether or not they saw it coming., 50 Best Mothers Day Gifts to Buy This Year, Kendall Jenner Paired a Sheer Top and a Tiny Shearling Miniskirt for Date Night With Bad Bunny, Emma Stone Just Unveiled Her Most Dramatic Hair Transformation Yet. Or more likely, since she was pretty sure none of them had accidentally stumbled into the natural hair care aisle there was another Black girl on the thirteenth floor.". Before Shane disappears though, she needs a few questions answered. Glamour may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. And the endthere's just so many places it could go if the story and the show were to [continue]. 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. "FinishedThe Other Black Girlthis week and I thought it was gooooood. The book centers on 26-year-old Nella Rogers, an editorial assistant at the fictional publishing house Wagner Books, who's relieved when another Black woman, Hazel, finally starts working at the otherwise all-white company. They try and fail to use the formula on Kendra Rae; however, decades later the trio successfully employs a network of Lead Conditioners like Hazel to convert young Black women all over the country. 'Black Girl Missing' Ending Explained - Was Lauren Baker Found Alive? That last Hulu adaptation I saw was Little Fires Everywhere. hide caption. I enjoyed it when I started, but it beat me down. There is something sinister about the way Hazel is ousting Nella while also using their shared Blackness to sow familiarity. Marrying the Ghost of Karl Lagerfeld at the 2023 Met Gala. I go back and forth. Nellas boss asks for her opinion on the latest book from the bestselling author Colin Franklin. Why did the author choose hair grease for the social lubricant? This entirely unique genre-bender keeps the reader on its toes as you struggle to comprehend, along with Nella, the horrors that slowly begin to unfold. *Sorry, there was a problem signing you up. Why did Nella eventually take the social lubricant? When Cheryl finds out that her younger daughter is putting her life in jeopardy, she gets upset. 2023 Met Gala Carpet Is Approved by Your Dentist. Read an excerpt from the bookhere (opens in new tab). Punctuating these scenes are two chapters told from the perspective of Shani, a woman whose career Hazel sabotaged before coming to Wagner. I had to go back to the print copy a few times to figure out some plot points I missed, but all in all this is a great debut." Why did Diana work with Imani on distributing the hair grease? Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. TOBGis precisely opposite ofGet Outit is about a scary rupture in race solidarity. One of the best scenes in The Other Black Girl takes place in a salon, with dozens of women of different ages trying out new coiffures. Its smart, bold, and twistythe final twist made me audibly gasp. Worst of all, Nella starts receiving threatening notes telling her to leave Wagner, which feed her anxiety and paranoia. I knew that hair would be the thing that connected Nella to Hazel because Nella had a really complicated relationship with her hair, just like I did. I think what I really found fascinating about Get Out and a lot of Key & Peele sketches is that they're able to get at the ridiculousness of this idea that we're in a postracial society, which is another phrase I think most people dont use anymore for good reason. I wanted to plant a moment of horror right at the beginning as a way of pointing to Nellas transformation at the very end. I also knew that Hazel would be some kind of robot. Warning: This interview contains spoilers. Im always twisting my hair with grease and talking about hair products taking care of Black natural hair is such a big part of my identity. Nella is excited to get to know her new co-worker and become friends, however, she soon receives a note saying, "Leave Wagner Now.". As Nella struggles to find her footing and retain her position, it becomes more increasingly, alarmingly clear that something far more sinister, something that Nella can scarcely imagine is going on. Reading guide for The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. Looking well beyond issues of race,The Vanishing Halfconsiders the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a persons decisions, desires, and expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and realms in which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their origins. Was there any awkwardness with writing a book about racial bias within publishing as a former publishing professional? Its one of those comments where you're trying to seem like an ally, but you're also diminishing the facts. When Shane and Eva meet unexpectedly at a literary event, sparks fly, raising not only their buried traumas, but the eyebrows of the Black literati. This email will be used to sign into all New York sites. Being the only one means a lot of things for Nella. Unapologetic. There can be shades of it. "Unfortunately, I could relate to the isolation, racial microaggressions, and frustration of being the only Black girl in an organization," saysone reviewer (opens in new tab). At last, she'll have a co-worker she can lean on when it comes to the pressures she's felt, someone to take coffee breaks with and maybe even learn and get promoted with, a true equal. I loved how the first thing Nella realized about Hazel was the smell of the Brown Buttah hair product. Thats people being people. I sat down with Harris via Zoom to talk about her inspiration for the novel, natural hair at work, the book's upcoming Hulu adaptation, and the truly shocking ending. Nella finds a folder with files on a handful of Black women, herself included, with detailed notes about conversion. Looking forward to more from @zakiyadalilaharris!" Review: 'The Other Black Girl,' By Zakiya Dalila Harris : NPR In July, we're readingSkye Falling (opens in new tab)by Mia McKenzie. @lifeaholocislander, A post shared by Deborah (She/Her) (@lifeaholocislander) (opens in new tab). Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris. Rent. The cut scene picks up right after the funeral and shows Cal, Merrin, and Greez discussing their plans for the future. I couldnt turn the pages fast enough in the second half of the book. The black child offers Albert the same ultimatum of giving her the soul and becoming Shiva or dying with his final moments and memories. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. I really wanted to get at those spaces of unspoken subtext and microaggressions. A New York Times best seller, The Other Black Girl is being adapted into a limited series for Hulu. If youve read it and want to discuss, send me an email so we can chat! This story was edited for radio by D. Parvaz and Samantha Balaban, and adapted for the web by Petra Mayer. Weve seen her get embarrassed at the office. The Other Black Girl Delivers a Humorous but Unflinching Take on the Racist Microaggressions of Publishing By Larissa Irankunda Jan 14th, 2021, 10:20 am For Black women, tokenism is a very . There are a lot of people who could have done it. I knew for sure that there were going to be these two Black women in this very white workplace, and I knew there would be something wrong with one of them, Hazel that shed be off. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, She could have any role. So much of this book isnt fiction; being a cis-white female afforded white-privilege, I dont presume to assume I even remotely know what it is like to live in the everyday reality of a person of color, but I believe this mirrors the unacceptable reality that people of color face every day in and out of the workplace. Let's talk about hair in the book because it played such a crucial role. Do you think that the idea of not being able to put that feeling of racism into words is something Black readers will relate to? A lot of it is exaggeration. And then one morning, Nella looks through a small crack in a cubicle and sees what she calls "the flash of a brown hand. Shes fed up with the isolation and microaggressions in her day-to-day life, so shes thrilled when Harlem-born and cool-as-can-be Hazel starts working in the cubicle next to her. ', Inspired by Nella and her frenemy Hazel, I made this HAZELnut N(ut)ELLA bundt cakesurprisingly intense and not as sweet as it appears, I think it would do these characters proud. @bookcooklook, A post shared by holly b | bookcooklook (@bookcooklook) (opens in new tab). They play into respectability politics and code switch fluently. Mentally, I felt betrayed. Harris, who sold her manuscript while she still worked as an editorial assistant at the venerable Alfred A. Knopf, Publishers, in Manhattan (where else? It's not that easy to be able to point out, especially to well-meaning white people, liberals. Marie Claire is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. In the end, "girl" may be just as important as "Black." It captures the slow burn and nuance of what its like to be a Black woman in a white space when another Black woman enters. The Other Black Girl Summary and Study Guide | SuperSummary Book Review: 'The Other Black Girl,' by Zakiya Dalila Harris - The New Its a commentary on race-relations, and challenges what it means to lobby for and ensure diversity in the workplace, all while keeping you guessing at what will happen next. I thought this novel was amazing! Why did the book start off with the prologue from Kendra Raes perspective as she fled the city? Nella and Hazel are at the center of Zakiya Dalila Harris's debut novel The Other Black Girl (full disclosure: Harris is the sister of our own Aisha Harris, one of the hosts of Pop Culture. Dressed as Karl Lagerfelds beloved cat, Choupette. Defeated and somewhat relieved, Nella finally consents to conversion. Theres a lot to unpack in this book. But she soon starts to suspect that Hazel is competitive with her. 2K views, 27 likes, 7 loves, 18 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Dbstvstlucia: DBS MORNING SHOW & OBITUARIES 25TH APRIL 2023 APRIL 2023 No. You can order the book on Amazon here. Her Black coworkers from other floors seem to favor Hazel, and Vera asks Hazel to assume Nellas usual tasks. Money was very, very, very tight before the book, even with my partner sharing the rent. This entirely unique genre-bender keeps the reader on its toes as you struggle to comprehend, along with Nella, the horrors. (@tbretc) (opens in new tab). Without nuance, the novel could too easily be read as an exaggeration of reality, which reduces the urgency of issues it calls out. You\'ll receive the next newsletter in your inbox. Tucker Carlson ousted at Fox News amid lawsuit alleging sexism : NPR It started as a slow burn as Nellas life as the only Black person at Wagner Books was described. I wanted the reader to care about her and root for her, but I also wanted to show the price of working in these white corporate spaces.