I've always been a fan of Nicola Yoon as an author, so when I saw this book, I had to read it. I was not disappointed and I'm very glad I had the opportunity to read it. I think the patrons at my library will absolutely love this book like I did!

Good book with a few slow spots. Overall, I liked the book, but the slower parts did affect the overall experience.

This was very much Get-Out meets Stepford Wife theme. This book kept me going as I wanted to find out what was happening at the "spa" - all in all I thought the characters should have been way more suspicious of their spouses spending time at their local health spa until 10pm or later, first red flag - this had enough suspense to keep me going, although it was frustrating by the amount of gaslighting that was happening constantly to the main character and her friends. I was shocked by the ending - I didn't see that coming and also disappointed that the main character was not able to escape... it seems like as if the author gave in to the idea that it is "better to not be Black" - it was disappointing and down right depressing... the trauma that the author put in of the other characters through "news articles" gave insight into why they were taking this route, or why they found it ideal, but at the same time - the book's final concept is not great for white people or Black people... on the one hand being white means you just get to "forget" and ignore all the traumas that other people face? - A little insulting - and then to completely erase your Black identity? Even changing the boys name to Chace? It was all around sad.

3.75⭐️
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I’m struggling a bit to write the first part of this review. I recognize that I am reviewing as a white-presenting woman of color and that my lived experiences are different from the author’s and Black people’s experiences, so I understand if others don’t agree.

I think that Jasmyn’s insistence on shaming anyone for not subjecting themselves to traumatic videos/news stories really rubbed me wrong. I understood and agreed with her desire to give back and help her community but felt icked out when she expressed that self care is selfish and we should only care for others. That seems super toxic.

"But aren't we more than trauma
and all the things they did to us?" This quote from about 80% into the book sums up the question that should have been asked of Jasmyn much sooner.

I feel like Jasmyn was the only character the author fleshed out. I had forgotten all about Tricia for a large chunk of the book. For someone who is supposed to be so invested in where she comes from, it’s weird that she didn’t keep in touch with a supposedly good friend. I really liked Keisha <spoiler>pre-stepford wife-ified</spoiler>and would have loved to see her character developed more.

Beyond the flat characters, I thought the premise was horrifying. And I think that’s what the author was going for. The last 25% of the book very much felt like a psychological thriller and I enjoyed it. The build up and the character development could have been better for sure though. <spoiler>I’m a little sad with the ending, I wish Jasmyn could have found a way out, but I recognize not all books have happy endings and it definitely added to the creepiness of the book. </spoiler>

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for giving me access to an ARC of this book.

Headline: Be Your Authentic Self no Matter the Trauma

This was one of the best books I’ve read this year. I wasn’t ready for this book at all, but I’m glad I read it. My mental was all over the place I wasn’t sure how to feel in the end.

Let me start with my POV of the author, Yoon is such a thinker and a sister for Social Justice, you can immediately ascertain that from her writing style. A book based on a paradise in California called Liberty, where African Americans thrive and Black men have no fear of racial profiling. Is it freedom or modern day prison illusion?

This book is challenging to review without spoilers or repeating what’s in the synopsis. That’s on me not the author.
A moving title that explores trauma, ambition and race, and makes way for a new vision of being black in America. In exchange for my thoughtful and honest review I received a galley from the publisher.

Yoon's adult fiction debut can be perfectly described as “Get Out” meets “Stepford Wives.” It is deeply unsettling and disturbing, but I was so captivated by it (I read it in one day). While somewhat predictable, the commentary surrounding race is important. The ending was extremely devastating, and it left me with chills.

Nicola Yoon is the only author whose books always make me cry! Yoon’s first adult novel follows a family who moves into a gated all-black community that promises a supportive environment where residents won’t have to feel constantly judged and in danger just by existing. But it’s not easy for Jasmyn to leave that world behind when she still sees the aftermath of racism in the news and in her work as a public defender. While there is a lot of info-dumping on systemic racism in the form of dialogue, it makes sense for main character Jasmyn because she’s a black woman with a black husband, black son, and often works with young black men in her work. I think this would make it great for book club discussion as it might be the first time some are learning about some of these experiences.
While I kind of saw where this was going and was relishing the Twilight Zone vibes, I was not prepared for the devastating ending.
This story has anger, frustration, weariness, but ultimately is a call to honor identity, cherish Blackness, and to keep fighting even when it feels like there’s no way to win.
Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy!

This book had potential but I feel missed the mark. I can see the point Nicole Yoon was trying to make but, in my opinion, fell flat. I admire that she's bringing more awareness to racial injustices

Yes, this was a stepford wives meets get out type thriller type of storyline. I was intrigued and pulled in but the ending was predictable. It was enjoyable.

Jasmyn and King move to a town that was built to a black that is solely black- owned luxury community. After moving there, it seems as if everyone is disconnected from current events. Everyone seems rather focused on the towns wellness center.

However, the main character was rather unlikable at times. Nicole Yoon bring awareness to racial injustices but I felt as if in the end turning black people white rather defeated the purpose of the story. I'm curious to see what others think.

I really love Yoon's writing and this book is no exception. The concept is very much true to its "Get Out + Stepford Wives" pitch, so you have a pretty good idea that whatever's happening in Liberty is no good and that Jasymn, our hero, is in some serious danger.

The execution of this book was, for me, a little odd though, and the ultimate reveal is contentious. I have a feeling both will lead to much discussion when this book is released.

Interesting, this book doesn't dive too deeply into Liberty and it's wellness center. That's a shame, since the skeleton of the story is scary, visceral, and powerful. (It would make for a great movie adaptation)

Instead the storyline more serves as window dressing for the main character's thoughts and education about racism in America. Jasymn launches into conversational speeches and internal/external monologues throughout the book, like the one that's almost a word-for-word retelling from the book Caste.

At first, I dug these educational snapshots because they seemed like a good primer for clueless white people. (If that is, in fact, one of the audiences for the book) However, since these educational interludes come so fast and furious, they seemed a little forced at times. EVERY conversation Jasmyn has ends up being about racism, which seemed to do a disservice to her character--that she was less of a full realized person and more of a greek chorus of sorts. And those interludes sometimes affect the flow of the story.

Ultimately this a book about a traumatic event (rooted in historical racial trauma) with no sense of hope or escape, just white people presented as a monolithic predator who can never be stopped. This book doesn't really read as sci-fi because it's so rooted in reality, but one almost wishes to categorize it as such in the hopes that the ideas in this book never come to fruition.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another great read from Nicola Yoon!

I knew something was going on as I had read the comparison of this book and Get Out. However, I couldn’t have guessed this was it!

I thought the writing was good and I enjoyed the story + characters. There were two negatives for me were the negative portrayal of any/all Black characters outside of Liberty and a couple of things about the ending. (I won’t mention them as to not spoil the ending)

Advance reader copy provided by NetGalley + Knopf but all opinions are my own.

At first, this book rubbed me the wrong way. The FMC Jasmyn came on so strong with her fight for black people. I get it. I know people like that, but it was to the point where she was overbearing, bossy, and sometimes rude with how she spoke to people. Mainly her husband at times. As the story went on I got used to her personality. I understood her fight, her wanting to fight for others, and not wanting to forget her roots and where her family came from now that they have more money than they ever imagined.

I felt as though this book was the pure definition of “all skinfolk ain’t kinfolk” which one of the other characters mentioned. Everybody fights for the rights/equality of black people in different ways and this showed the two different perspectives.

As for this being Nicola Yoon’s first Adult book and it being a psychological thriller, it didn’t really do it for me. It was slow, which is not uncommon, but it was a slow build up not really build up to anything. There were no twists and turns. The ending wasn’t surprising at all.

Overall, the book brought up a lot of views of racial issues, inequality, police violence, amongst other things. I enjoyed the conversations between the characters and some of the points made, but the “thriller” aspect was low.

Solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Net Galley & Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC for the opportunity to read this novel.

*** I received the ARC for this book in exchange for my honest review.

From the first few pages, I felt as if I had been dropped back into 1970 in the midst of an idyllic, typical family life as seen on Leave it to Beaver set in Stepford. Though there are differences, the texts share a psychological thread of suspense however, One Of Our Kind leaves one bristling with flashbacks of the Jim Crow era.

I adored Nicola Yoon's YA novels so I was excited to see her adult debut. Sadly, I was disappointed and only made it partway through the book. I thought the protagonist Jasmyn was utterly sanctimonious. The high concept was Stepford Wives meets Get out, and I see that here, but I didn't find much new territory here (also Jasmyn's wary arc also gave me vibes from Don't Worry, Darling.) I'll definitely keep reading Yoon's YA offerings, but this wasn't for me.

*spoiler alert*

The first adult novel by Nicola Yoon revolves around a family moving to an all-black neighborhood (called Liberty) billed as a utopia. While her husband, King, gets his bearings right away, Jasmyn becomes suspicious and confused by the behavior of the other residents. When another traumatic death of an innocent black man spurs her to create a local group within the community to focus on social justice causes, the lack of interest is deafening. How could these people be ambivalent?

Gripped from the beginning, I tore through this book. I really hoped Jasmyn would find more like-minded individuals in Liberty as her social justice fire was continuously triggered. I was let down along with her every time.

Her immediate connection with school teacher Keisha was almost a relief. They settled into such an easy and automatic friendship, and their parts of the novel while they commiserated and worked together were some of the highlights for me.

While a bit predictable in how this Liberty community came to be so passive (the device for it, at least), the brush strokes painting it were colorful and fresh and came with a different spin. Definitely some stomach-churning twists and jaw dropping moments.

The “Stepford Wives meets Get Out” comparisons are completely on point for this one.

I look forward to reading what Yoon has next for us!

I am deeply saddened by this book and the author. This book gives a message that says it isbetter to be one race over another in order to have a less difficult life. I think that’s an ignorant message to portray whether it is fictional or not.. Though Nicola’s writing is amazing , the message this story portrays is harmful to the black community. Maybe if the ending was different my feelings wouldn’t be of so much sadness.,but as it reads this is just not a message I can stand behind.

This was a VERY disturbing, thought provoking, taut with tension dystopian novel ( masquerading as a Utopian in the beginning).

Very different from Yoon’s other books. I can tell it was written from a place of pain and anger which both resonate all the way through, to the very, bitter end of this.

Nicola Yoon is a favorite of mine. I’ve never been disappointed and this was no different. Her voice is so unique and beautiful, like poetry. I highly recommend!

One of Our Kind is a speculative horror full of eerie moments and deserved anger. For much of the book, Yoon centers more on her characters and less on the horror building around them. Jasmine is intense and never seems to slow down. While this is part of her character, sometimes it's exhausting reading her point of view. I enjoyed the Black love and friendships in the first half of the book. There's LGBTQ representation and platonic adult friendships between men and women, which was great to find. All that said, I acknowledge that Black and POC reviewers have far more say than me, so I'll defer to them and wait on further reviews. 

As for the horror and thriller elements in the book, I loved them. The utopia aspect reminded me of a lot of different media, none of which, excluding Peele's "Get Out," are as steeped in Black issues and racism. If you like eerie films and shows like "Stepford Wives," "Get Out," "Westworld," or "The Truman Show," then I think you'll enjoy diving into One of Our Kind. One of Our Kind does slow down in sections, sometimes reading like a primer on Black trauma, but the result is worth the read. I have a feeling the final twist in the book will be controversial. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure I liked the twist, but the book is a heck of a ride and I'm glad I read it.

Final Thoughts:

One of Our Kind is a shining example of speculative fiction. It's eerie and powerful, with a building intensity to the very end. This is the perfect book for fans of Jordan Peele's horror films and those who enjoy a genre-blending read. Though I think it could have been a bit tighter in sections, this will definitely be a buzzed-about book this year.

Great book. Thanks for the advanced copy. This book brought so many emotions to surface. I was truly wrapped up in the story and couldn’t put the book down. I was so invested in finding out what was going on in this town. It was believable that this town could exist. I could see it and even imagine living there. Maybe it was a little far fetched with what was occurring in the town but still this was a great storyline and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. It was very thought provoking and had me questioning if I behave in the same manner as the wife. I will be looking for additional work from this author.

This was probably the most anti-black book I have ever read but the fact that it was written by a Black woman made it heartbreakingly painful. Within the book Blackness is defined and shaped around tragedies, as if Black people experience no joy or have lives beyond the nation’s racism, biases and social injustices. Every conversation centers around the pain and fears of being Black and raising Black children in a world that doesn’t love them. While yes Black people as a community experience unspeakable hardships against us, it is not our entire personality. The Black boys mentioned in the story are all troubled and in the constant loop of the criminal justice system. The Black women are either a step from hotep with conversations only about protests, police brutality and their natural hair or they are doing all they can assimilate into the European standard of beauty. The Black men are either unsupportive or a step away from being a podcast bro wanting Black women to lean more into whiteness. Sending the message to readers that life is better being white disgusted me more than I could ever imagine.

In the last eight years of giving ratings, this is only the third time I have given a one star review to a Black author. I now realize that comparatively the other two books need another star added to them because this was not only the worst thing I have ever read. It is by far the most insulting to Black people.

To the readers that hate reading about Black people experiencing or discussing racism, I initially thought you would hate the acknowledgement of it. I thought fans of this author who has consistently shown in her writings that Black girls cannot experience or find happiness without the erasure of Blackness would question and frown at her sudden desire to write about the atrocities that Black people face consistently at the hands of white America. I thought you would be the ones giving this book a one star review. However, stick to the end, this book takes her erasure of Blackness to another level. It’s clear the author believes the world is better without Black people in it.