Book Review | “One of Our Kind” by Nicola Yoon
Exposing the Reality of Racism in America Through a Thrilling Mystery.
This novel made me angry and I hope it makes you angry too. This story is “Get Out” meets “Stepford Wives” and highlights the vast disparity between the white and black experience.
We follow the main character, Jasmyn, and her family’s journey into a new neighborhood, entering the next chapter of their life in a boujee, all-black neighborhood, called Liberty.
At first, Jasmyn soaks in the safety and luxury of not having to worry about her son being killed by a cop or the constant onslaught of macro and microaggressions or having to be conscious of one’s behavior at all times. Jasmyn and her family can live the way most white people live, in peace and sans the extra weight of repression that people of color have to carry otherwise.
They only have to worry that their child receives a good education, that they’re good at their jobs, and that they can afford their lifestyle, all while delighting in the fruits of their labor and the finer things in life.
Essentially, they get a sneak peek into what it’s like for automatic equity and privilege, receiving the benefit of the doubt from the police, store clerks, the government, and everyone.
But there’s an interesting dichotomy at play, Jasmyn is torn between her new life and the reality of being black in America.
As Jasmyn tries to settle into her new life in an upscale neighborhood, safe from the dangers of the real world, a black man has just been murdered by the cops and his young child has also been shot, fighting for life in the intensive care unit.
Jasmyn is outraged by this latest murder and all of the other continued threats and injustices, yet no one in her new world seems to share that same concern except for a few new friends, Keisha and Charles.
Jasmyn can’t comprehend why the people of Liberty are not as devastated as she, and even more so when Keisha and Charles about-face.
Jasmyn’s gut is telling her something isn’t right in Liberty. Is she misreading the situation or is something sinister at play?
Nicola Yoon gives a detailed depiction and variety of what people of color deal with every single day, all the while weaving the examples seamlessly into an intriguing mystery.
It’s hard to ignore the wildly different experiences of white people and people of color, but that’s the point.
And you shouldn’t ignore it or shy away. White people, I’m talking to you.
In the telling of Jasmyn’s story, Yoon effortlessly compares imbalances based on race, money, power, and privilege, spotlighting the inequity in America and how unburdened white people get to be. That’s privilege.
Yoon, both loudly and subtly, calls attention to this privilege throughout the novel whilst also painting an accurate portrayal of how scared white people are of racism. She doesn’t straight out state this, but I am stating it.
They are so scared to be considered “racist” that somehow that label has become the focus over anything else. So many white people are afraid of how they are perceived, superseding the core issues of how others are treated and experience this world, becoming an obstacle to real, meaningful change.
Yoon highlights to the reader all the ways people of color have fought for equality and the different strategies employed over the last 400 years and yet, equality still does not exist.
“One of Our Kind” is a mystery/thriller on the surface but on a deeper level, examines racism in America.
Without spoiling, the very end of the book closed the loop for me, bringing the entire picture into focus.
Nicola Yoon creates a world where fighting racism is taken to the extreme, asking the reader “When is enough, enough?” and imploring us to ask ourselves, “What will it take to end racism?”
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ultimately, a disturbing pseudo-sci-fi tale but not as disturbing as what POC deal with in real life every single day.
Purchase your copy HERE.
As a writer and reviewer whose experiences are shaped by a white background, I approached this book with the utmost respect for the black stories and characters it portrays. I acknowledge that there may be nuances and depths to these experiences that I may not fully grasp. This review is written with the intention to appreciate and learn from the richness of narratives that are different from my own, and I encourage readers to seek out reviews written by black critics and voices to gain a more complete understanding of the book’s significance within their community.
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