Well, "The Other Black Girl" was definitely not what I expected! The book tells the story of Nella, who is the only Black employee at the Wagner Books, an esteemed publishing house, so when the Hazel starts working there, Nella is thrilled. I was expecting a power struggle, the office tensions, and a satirical portrait of the toxic workplace but this book was more than that. It definitely tells it like it is – the racism, the microaggressions, the coping techniques, the code switching – and pulls no punches when describing the publishing as it is now (white and middle class). But I did not expect a thriller, a suspense, a feeling of uneasiness – and this book just keeps on giving! I cannot write more, but the book is told from multiple perspectives and the ending is punchy and unexpected. There is a lot to unpack there, to discuss and I think for Black readers this book will definitely resonate even more.

I was super looking forward to reading this book but I’m afraid it just wasn’t for me.
I understood what the author was trying to achieve and there’s some real thought provoking stuff in there about white privilege, particularly in the publishing world.
But, for me, the pace was just too slow, with all the action taking place within the last few pages and a not altogether believable resolution.
Many thanks to the publisher for gifting me a digital copy to review.

My thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Other Black Girl’ by Zakiya Dalila Harris in exchange for an honest review. After reading the first few pages I was hooked and decided to buy its unabridged audiobook edition for a combined read/listen.

This outstanding debut is at first glance a workplace novel that explores the rivalry between two black women in a predominantly white publishing company. However, it also blends social issues, satire and is a slowly unfolding thriller. It’s definitely a novel that I would recommend to read cold to avoid spoilers.

As for the plot. It is 2018 in New York. Nella Rogers is an editorial assistant at the prestigious publishing house, Wagner Books. From a young age Nella had dreamed of following in the footsteps of Kendra Rae Phillips, a black woman who in 1983 had been the editor of a groundbreaking novel for Wagner Books. Yet a year later Phillips disappeared from the publishing world following a “media spectacle”, while the author had gone on to success after success.

Phillips was the reason that Nella had applied to Wagner: “She wanted to traipse the halls the two women she’d studied diligently in college had traipsed. She wanted to sit at the desk where Kendra Rae Phillips and Diana Gordon had sat when they talked over edits.” Yet after two years Nella is tired of being the only black member of staff; the isolation and the micro-aggressions are wearing on her.

So she is thrilled when another black girl, Hazel, is hired. They have just started to bond and compare their natural hair regimes when a string of events begins to undermine Nella’s position. Newcomer Hazel is suddenly the Office Darling. Then Nella finds a note on her desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW. Other similar notes follow. Could Hazel be behind this campaign? Nella begins to obsess over the possibility of sinister forces in play.

‘The Other Black Girl’ completely blew me away. It evoked memories of the iconic novels of Ira Levin and Jack Finney in which the unwary protagonist becomes increasingly aware of a quiet yet insidious conspiracy. This is likely why the recent film, ‘Get Out’, is cited in its marketing.

Zakiya Dalila Harris has confidently blended elements of science fiction, conspiracy thriller with a razor sharp satire of the publishing industry and serious social commentary on racism, white privilege, and diversity.

On a side note the design team at Bloomsbury U.K. have created an amazing cover, one that utilises an optical illusion to tease the eye. Genius.

After finishing it, I was left stunned. ‘The Other Black Girl’ is an intelligent, thought-provoking genre-bending novel that is also a lot of fun. Definitely one of my top reads of 2021.

There are so many layers to this book. In the main it is the story of Nella, a black girl/woman assistant editor in a publishing company, working in an almost completely white office environment, trying to highlight the lives, ideals, thoughts and struggles of back people in a white or ‘colour-blind’ industry and an institutionally racist country.
It also focuses on Nella’s constant feeling that people around her, whilst saying they believe in equality, and whilst saying they respect her opinions and insights in books they are publishing, actually do not do so. When she confronts an author for racist stereotypical depictions of black opioid addicts, she is given the cold shoulder by her boss, and her colleague Hazel becomes the favoured new assistant. Hazel is ‘the other black girl’ in the office.
This is an incredibly problematic situation for Nella, who wishes to stand by her belief, yet her colleague seems to diminish the problems in the aforementioned book, and glosses over the racism.
The more I think about this book, the deeper it becomes. Nella’s relationship with her white boyfriend, her family and school background, how some people enable the institutional racism are all key components of what makes Nella who she is, and yet there is another dimension to the story which should not be disclosed here because of spoilers.
Hazel’s relationship with Richard, the head of the publishing house, and her role within it, are all subjected to speculation as it transpires that there is ‘more going on’ behind closed doors.
An epic read.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review

The Other Black Girl was one of my hugely anticipated books for this year, and I have to say it wasn't quite what I was hoping for. I really do think that marketing teams need to start thinking more carefully about comps, because quite frankly the only similarity I can think of between this book and The Devil Wears Prada is that both take place in an office. The story (mostly) follows a woman called Nella, who has been working for two years at a fictional publishing house called Wagner and is the only Black woman there. But when a second Black woman gets hired, things don't get better for Nella, they get worse. And then the inevitable happens. Even though I knew it was coming—I won't say what to avoid spoilers, but I guarantee you'll be expecting it, too—that sense of absolute unfairness is pitched exactly right. From there, things keep inching forwards until the story really starts to pick up at the three-quarter mark with a distinctly sci-fi twist. After that it's a race to the finish.

On a structural level, things get a bit lost. I think Harris is simply trying to do too many things at once, with too many perspectives across two different timelines. This makes the reading experience feel a bit crowded. It also stops you from understanding the stakes: even though the blurb—hell, the title of the book—points to what you're getting, it's not until over half way that things kick off between Nella and Hazel-May. That's the moment at which you start to really get into Kendra-Rae's storyline, too, which was the most interesting strand even from the prologue. This is not to say that the office interactions aren't done well, though, or that the tension doesn't build; I've been in those offices and had those same conversations with bosses who are completely affronted when you even think to mention that they have be doing something culturally insensitive or, god forbid, *racist*. Harris gets it spot-on. The scene with a full-company meeting is excruciating. The twist was really well-plotted, too, and its ramifications really interesting on a cultural level.

Ultimately, The Other Black Girl is a book which takes on not only what happens when it's you and your community against the world, but how we navigate those politics within our communities, too.

3.5 stars

My thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book has completely captivated me and been one that I have been both unwilling and unable to put down.

This is a book that really spends time painting the scene of the office politics and how things are. The Devil Wears Prada comparison is perfect for a cut throat and competitive environment. The author has painted such a clear picture that I have been able to feel as though I have been there with the characters.

This is a book which does develop slower than I usually prefer. However, I love the unique premise of this novel and the author’s writing style has completely pulled me into the pages of this one. It has definitely been one that I have found unpredictable and unwilling to put down.

This is an intense and thrilling read which I have been completely hooked by. The characters are well-written and on the whole quite likeable. As a complete bookworm and book lover, I instantly wanted to read a book about the fictional book publishing world. I haven’t been disappointed and love how the author has weaved the themes of how black people are treated within the work place.

This has been a fantastic read from start to finish and I am definitely not disappointed! I am already keen to re read this book. It is a definite five star read that I have devoured from cover to cover.

Thanks to NetGalley for granting me early access to this in exchange for my honest thoughts. The Other Black Girl was not quite what I expected, but it is definitely a book I’d recommend.
Nella, our main character, works at an established publishing company in New York. She dreams of becoming an editor and would love to see her boss do more to represent the voices of black Americans. But two years after starting at Wagner she remains on the periphery of events, and little seems to be changing in her white world of publishing.
When Hazel joins the company, Nella is thrilled to learn she is black...and imagines a more racially enlightened working environment. What happens is far from the picture Nella had in mind.
From the outset Hazel seems to settle into the company. She makes friends easily and her opinions are sought by those who’ve overlooked Nella in the past. Hazel is confident, proud of her black background and keen for others to know about it...in some ways the very opposite of Nella, who has had a very different upbringing.
For a substantial part of the book it felt like a case of someone who’d become complacent in their environment resenting a new face stirring things up a little. When Nella starts to receive anonymous notes suggesting she leave the company and is in danger, she starts to second-guess Hazel and is convinced she’s a target of racial abuse.
Once we shifted into this arena, there was more of a thriller feel to the book. It was obvious something odd was happening, that someone knew about it and that Nella was in the middle of something explosive. When we finally learned what it was, I was rather taken aback - wondering if that could really happen - and whether Nella would stand up for what she believed to be right, or whether she’d maintain the facade and become complicit in perpetuating what many might want to challenge but don’t see the need to rock the boat.

Nella Rogers is the only black employee at the publishing house where she works. She is overjoyed when a black woman, Hazel, is employed as another editorial assistant. Her happiness, however, is short lived when she begins to feel that Hazel is undermining her and turning other colleagues against her. Nella's insecurity and paranoia increase when she begins to receive anonymous notes telling her to leave her job. As the novel progresses you start to understand what is going on and it is suitably chilling.

This is quite a dark read. There are themes of racism, unthinking racism, tokenism, a lack of diversity and a need to fit in; these were the thought provoking aspects of the novel. On the other hand there is something quite bizarre happening which does require a suspension of disbelief although it is clearly a metaphor.

I think there will be a lot of chatter about this book and for me that is a good thing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My mind is still reeling from this one, and I'm not sure I'll be able to provide a very insightful review as I'm just not sure what I made of it. I'd been looking forward to reading this since those tantalising proofs were sent out last year and I can see why it got people talking. The first half felt like a much-needed and relevant comment on diversity and inclusion in the publishing industry (or the lack of it). I can see why some reviewers have said it can feel slow, but I enjoyed the world- and character- building. However, the last quarter or so swerved more into fast-paced horror/mind-boggling territory, which I wasn't expecting and isn't normally my thing, though it had my hooked. By the end my head was spinning! I think there's lots of people who will love this book though, especially if you're drawn to the Get Out comparison.

When the only black employee at Wagner Books gets a fellow black worker she thinks that things are looking up. How wrong could she be. Hazel makes her life hell and Nella even gets notes demanding that she leaves. This story has an underlying twist that nobody could predict. Read it to find out.

“Well meaning white folks were sometimes far worse than white folks who wore their hearts on their sleeves” Zakiya Dalila Harris
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Happy Publication Day to The Other Black Girl! @zakiyadalilaharris
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Nella is an editorial assistant at Wagner, which is a successful publishing house. She’s the only black employee on the publishing and editorial floor and experiences microaggressions on a daily basis. Then, along comes The Other Black Girl- Hazel. Nella is elated that there is another black woman in this predominantly white company, but is there more to Hazel than meets the eye?
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The themes of this book had me interested from the outset- racism and tokenism in the publishing industry, white privilege in the workplace- very relevant issues and I hope this book sparks some much needed conversations by it's readers.
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Thank you to @netgalley @bloomsburypublishing for my ARC.

The Other Black Girl is a slow-burn of a book but with such a huge twist that I couldn't help flying through the pages. It's a chilling and deeply unsettling book packed with wry social commentary and a shocking conclusion. This book is wholly original and full of so many painful truths about the publishing industry.

So much menace builds within these pages and it really makes Get Out the perfect comparison. This novel was nothing like what I expected and it was better for it. The Other Black Girl is truly genre-bending and I really can't wait to see what the author does next.

I received this digital copy in exchange for an honest review, thanks to Bloomsbury.

The Other Black Girl is the first book since The Binding that I’ve desperately wanted a physical arc of, but just like with The Binding I ended up with a digital copy instead. The concept of the physical arc was just so beautifully executed, and when I found out that this was a thriller set in the publishing industry I knew I had to read this early.

This review is actually going to be kinda short because I don’t want to risk accidentally spoiling any part of this excellently constructed thriller. Zakiya Dalila Harris perfectly executes a slow-burn that leads to a deeply unsettling ending, and it’s worth mentioning that this book is much more like Get Out than The Devil Wears Prada; think insidious and dark thriller rather than seductive office drama. The Other Black Girl really is a slow-burn that favours a building sense of menace around Nella, Hazel, and their office rather than a fast-paced thriller and it works perfectly. Watching as Hazel invades Nella’s life, as she gets on better with her boss and friends at the company, and Nella’s reputation plummets as her paranoia rises. The rising sense of menace is so well executed that I was gripped despite not a whole lot actually happening, and I was desperate to uncover the mystery behind the arrival of Hazel.

The Other Black Girl also highlights the tokenism and microaggressions that Nella experiences at her all-white office, but as one of those white girls in publishing I’m not going to comment on whether or not this was executed well. It did add to Nella’s feeling of “otherness” in the workplace, and threw a glaring light onto the continuing lack of diversity in the publishing industry.

Harris has constructed an excellent slow-burn thriller with a unique concept that had me rushing towards the end, The Other Black Girl is an uncomfortable read but it’s so worth it!

Recommend: If you’re a lover of slow-burn thriller with some excellent social commentary thrown in then this is worth the read.

This book has been super hyped! I feel like I have been aware of this book since the start of the year, and was surprised that it still had not actually been released in the UK - as it seems to have been everywhere for so long. THAT is how you do a marketing campaign haha!

I loved that this book was set around a publishing company. I am fascinated with the world of books and publishing, so it's always a setting I am intrigued by.

This book was so many things - so I'm struggling with my review for this. Not because I didn't enjoy my reading experience, but because it links so many genres, and says so many different things.
So, the book is a slow build - something that would usually frustrate me, but I was loving the characters and so was happy to just plod along with it, intrigued how things would develop.

I feel that this book has a lot of interesting and political points to make about race and the idea of casual racism. As a white female, it made me stop and think about if I have ever unintentionally said or done anything. It definitely was an eye opener in that aspect - and it didn't take anything away from the overall plot by making these statements. It just made the book stand out and made it so much stronger.

One of the things I didn't enjoy was the ending. I felt the pacing sped up to full throttle and things got a bit too out of control and the plot (for the first time) felt a little far-fetched.

This book would be great book club read as there is just so much to discuss and debate.
I think it needs a second read to truly pick up everything this book does.

I definitely recommend this book - but it will leave you speechless - in a good way!

This is definitely not the story I was expecting after reading the blurb, nothing like it in my opinion.

I found the pace very slow. The last few chapters and the epilogue is where it all happens. It just felt like a bit of a slog to get there. I was still intrigued enough to keep on reading.

Overall I found this a thought provoking read and the author conveyed an important message.

TL;DR Recommendation:
Amazing plot but just a little meh and a very slow read.

So, you know, I’m probably going to be massively outnumbered on my thoughts of this, but this book just wasn’t my friend. Here’s what you’re in for:

✨ One 26-year-old Nella who’s the only Black person in the office
✨ A LOT of microaggressions
✨ The Other Black Girl comes in and rocks the boat massively
✨ A weird mystery that you most definitely will not see coming

Nella is fed up and tired. After shouldering the weight of white guilt on her shoulders during her publishing career, she just wants people to listen to her and take her god damn feedback – especially when they outright ask for it. Diversity town halls have slowly diminished into cancellation and that promotion constantly just seems out of reach.

And then one day she smells it – cocoa butter. There’s another Black girl (Hazel) on the floor and she’s here for a job interview. After bonding over hair routines, Hazel quickly shoots past her to become the popular one in the office leaving Nella in the dust.

Before long, notes start to appear on her desk telling her to leave Wagners. A freaked-the-fuck-out Nella is now on a mission to find out WTF is going on.

I LOVED the premises of this book and it’s massively important to get these stories (even if the end takes a wild twist) out there. However, it’s a very, very, VERY sloooooooOooOoooOOw read and really doesn’t get going until the final 20%. With my attention span being in the gutter, it was a bit of a struggle bus to read and took me far too long to get through.

It also felt like a toe-dip into the thriller world. Literally mega confused when what I thought was an office story went a little whack at the end. I’m so on board with things going a little tits up, yet the tension wasn’t quite there for me. I’m not saying I expect fisty-cuffs at dawn type shit but just needed a bit more to fall in love with it.

The concept of this book is amazing, original and will 100% be EVERYWHERE this summer. It just missed the mark a bit for me. I really hope Zakiya goes full thriller next time.

Hands down the best book I have read this year. This book is so original, grips you from the start and keeps you tearing through the pages.

So strong has the anticipation been for this novel that you’d be forgiven for thinking it had come out in 2019 rather than this June. Harris’s debut is the perfect choice for book clubs who only pick the buzziest of reads, and here it’s completely deserved. Twenty-something Nella is clinging on to her assistant’s job at a prestigious – and extremely white – New York publishing firm, in the hopes of eventually being made editor.

As the only black employee, she is exhausted of only being allowed near books with black characters, and of the tone-deaf attitudes of her co-workers. When Hazel joins as another assistant, Nella thinks she’s finally found an ally in this black, glamorous girl. But things are about to get very dark before they get better. Publishing’s dominance by upper-middle class white women is also very much a UK issue, and Harris’s gripping story offers plenty to chew on – especially in areas that we can’t mention for fear of spoiling the fun. Released 1 June, and available to pre-order now.

Thank you to Netgalley, Bloomsbury Publishing and Zakiya Dalila Harris for my arc of The Other Black Girl in exchange for an honest review.

Published 1st June 2021

Nella has been fed up of being the only black girl in the ultra white world of publishing in New York. So she’s ecstatic when new girl Hazel-Mae joins and she finally has someone to help her defend the micro aggressions and racism embedded into the publishing world. But no sooner have the girls started bonding then Nella begins to find notes threatening her and telling her to leave Wagner Books, and as Hazel’s career flourishes and Nella’s declines she begins to wonder if the other black girl could be the one sending the notes and trying to sabotage her…

Wow. It’s hard to say what I made of this book! It’s such a mix of genres it’s hard to pin down exactly what was going on all along.

The positives for me were definitely that it’s the first book to have got me engrossed in a long time. I found myself thinking about it at work during the day and looking forward to picking it up and finding out more in the evening. The initial feeling is a bit like The Devil Wears Prada competition in a cut throat publishing world with a sinister edge. But then it develops into something more sci-fi and horror-like. I really liked Nella’s character and Hazel made a fantastic nemesis. The characters were well written, the setting perfect and the right amount of edgy tension was always present.

The only negative for me is that I felt more explanation could have been present. The ending was quite ambiguous and open ended and didn’t really provide any proper answers. Which after all that build up I would have preferred.

After reading the blurb, I was super excited to read this book. I did enjoy it and it was a good story line, although it was a bit slow at some points. I feel like it needed something extra to give it that "wow factor" that keeps me reading until late in the night. It definitely does have "The Devil Wears Prada" vibes and I could imagine the different characters around the office.
Overall, Zakiya Dalila Harris should be commended for her style of writing. It was very thought provoking and this novel was very original and full of emotion.
Thank you to Zakiya Dalila Harris, NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for the opportunity to read and review this book.