Such a Fun Age

In terms of plot, I think Such a Fun Age is wonderfully successful. There are quite a few threads running throughout, and they're all tied together rather nicely. Some of these threads may have relied on convenient plot points, but I don't think they were too far out of the realm of possibility. There were definitely times when these threads came together, and I found myself at the edge of my seat in anticipation.

Characters were a bigger problem for me. And this is quite likely a case of failing to separate authorial intent from the actions of the characters. There seemed to be judgement about the actions of some characters who behaved badly, while others never even received a talking to. Zara, for instance, is a terrible friend. She doesn't allow Emira the time or space to make her own decisions during stressful situations. She's constantly interfering, making choices that completely alter the course of Emira's life. But I never got the impression from any of the characters that Zara's actions were anything but exemplary. Zara is just one example. Overall, I wasn't a fan of many of these characters, either in construction or in the way they were developed.

There's a great idea in here, peeking its head out often throughout this novel. Overall, I like this exploration of those who strive toward performative “wokeness,” but I'm not sure this novel completely succeeds in fully delivering the message.