WOW!!! this book was so intriguing and wonderful!
I did not go into it expecting a thriller (i literally went in blind) and was so surprised and loved it! I couldn't put it down.
Yes, it is predictable. But a lot of thrillers are! I found it to be captivating and disturbing in all the best ways. Super awesome read

I'm ordinarily overtly and immediately over this kind of heavy handed, blunt, smudgy writing from the get go, but...taken as an allegory, which I believe has to be the intent, Yoon makes a powerful statement, if slightly awkwardly.

I have been provided with a review copy of this title from NetGalley for an impartial review. I was just drawn into this wonderful story and I just couldn’t get enough of it. It was just so easy to get lost in this great story. I just didn’t want it to end. I just lost myself in and I just couldn’t get enough of these interesting characters. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

What did I just read?! WTH?!

I knew what this book was SUPPOSED to be and it was EXACTLY THAT but … WHAT?!

I’ve never read a book that had me up all night and wanting to throw it across the room and straight into the fireplace more.

WHAT?!

I don’t even know how or what to say to describe this book. I was hoping for so much more. This book is 100% heartbreak and despair and I understand that this is the reality of many black people but this book sucked all the joy and happiness from me and filled me with terror and sadness. Does the author really feel like there’s NO HOPE? None at all? Zero?

It was two bad extremes and I saw what was happening and I still HOPED for a better ending for this family. For this community. I did not see this coming and it was not enjoyable to read. This reminded me of the book The School For Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan. The same feeling of what did I just read and the same disappointment and feeling of despair.

Congrats to the author for evoking such strong emotions but no thank you. I would not read any book similar to this one in the future. I would not recommend this book. Two stars for pulling me in and making me so invested but I feel that is generous and I might change my mind in the morning.

The blurb "Get Out meets The Stepford Wives" is definitely accurate for Nicola Yoon's adult debut. This wasn't the page-turning, twisty thriller I was expecting until the last 10% of the book. I wish that it had been a bit longer, as there were many characters and only the MC felt really fleshed out. The plot was intriguing but sometimes felt like the reader was being hand-fed some of the social justice ideas and history, which made it feel more like a YA at times despite the content. I can see people being mad at the ending but it did make the whole book creepier and the alternative "happy" ending would definitely put it closer to YA territory, so I understand the choice. Overall it was a good read and would make for a great Jordan Peele adaptation.

Written in the vein of Get Out and the Stepford Wives, One of Our Kind is compulsively readable…but often because I was searching for the payoff. The book felt a bit heavy handed and perhaps geared toward an audience that hasn’t done much thinking about the atrocities Black people have faced in the United States. The “horror” element wasn’t really there until the end and then the end was so -mind boggling- I just couldn’t take it seriously. Why would THAT be the solution. All in all, the writing was good, so I’d love to read Yoon’s other novels but this just didn’t sit well with me.

Describing this as "Get Out" meets "The Stepford Wives" is an astute observation. I very much agree with said assessment! And in case it turns into a movie or show, I was already casting actors in my head. ^_^

This book is told in third person POV via Jasmyn in 5 parts plus an epilogue (a juicy one, at that). There are also media excerpts (like a magazine interview, etc) peppered between, and these are used to flesh out the current Libertarians. It's set in Los Angeles and the fictional "utopia" community of Liberty. Having just moved into a gated community myself added an extra element of fun whilst reading. The title is perfect, the cover I received is poignant and lovely. I would read from Yoon again.

I felt the author organically holds Non-Black hands on most things. The book is damn clever, scary (mostly in a real-world, WTF way vs fictional horror, though there is some of that as well), and fun. And Yoon got really creative in how she hinted a change in a certain character that one could easily miss if they're not paying close attention. [chef's kiss]. The only thing I took issue with was the lack of explanation/reaction from the family and friends of those who relocated to Liberty. Unless that was the point, or a commentary on POCs of a certain disposition. .

A heads up, that the N-word is censored, through the usage of asterisks.

I don’t even know where to start. I can’t even wrap my head around where I should start. I’m just going to write freely and hardly do any editing and post whatever flows out of me.

One of Our Kind follows Jasmyn, a woman who has just moved with her husband and son into Liberty, an extremely wealthy community that claims to be a “utopia” for black people. Jasmyn hopes to find likeminded people in the community, other liberal black people who will fight for social justice alongside her. But instead she mostly finds black people who are content to be isolated in their community and completely mentally separated from the world’s problems. As the residents of Liberty begin to seem more and more creepy, robotic, and uncaring Jasmyn starts to feel like there might be something seriously wrong happening to the residents of Liberty.

Before I start I just want to say: If one day it’s revealed that this book is satirical and I somehow missed the humor I will be incredibly embarrassed about this review. But all that will mean was that the satire was very poorly done. The only reason I’m considering that it might’ve been satirical is that it was so ridiculous that I still find it hard to believe that it was serious. But I searched and I couldn’t find any evidence online that this book is intended to be satirical. Ok. Let’s start.

It boggles my mind that a black woman is responsible for this catastrophe. I can’t stop thinking about that fact. When I first began this book I thought it might be satire because of how unnatural and unlike any real black woman Jasmyn’s internal monologue sounded. She was weirdly obsessed with talking about the trauma that comes with being a black person. Every time she was in a group of black people she brought up black trauma completely unprovoked. If the people she was with dared to imply that they’d prefer to have a lighthearted celebratory gathering she would judge them. Of course if you’re black you know that the world is filled with an endless supply of black trauma and it’s absolutely necessary that we discuss, fight against, and be aware of it. But if you’re black you also know that we don’t enter every single social gathering like “Hi everyone!!! What traumatic event should we discuss today??? This specific traumatic event has been weighing heavily on my mind all day and we MUST discuss it immediately!!!” We have fun lighthearted gatherings! We’re able to be happy and casual and filled with joy! We’re so so more than just a bundle of generations worth of trauma wrapped in skin! But Jasmyn, a black woman WHO WAS CREATED BY A BLACK WOMAN, somehow doesn’t know that. In fact, Jasmyn is confronted by her friend Tricia (the only sensible character in this book) who says “aren’t we more than trauma and the things they did to us?” Jasmyn replies “Of course we’re more. We’re survivors. After all they did to us, we’re still here.” So even when confronted with the fact that she defines blackness by the trauma we’ve experienced Jasmyn still defines blackness in relation to how we’ve responded to our trauma. Yes we are survivors. Yes that is something to be loudly proud of. But that is another thing that shouldn’t and doesn’t define us.

Another incredibly weird thing about Jasmyn is her obsession with other black women’s hair. Every time she encountered a black woman she felt a need to judge her hair. If the woman had natural hair she was an “enlightened” black woman because she embraced her race. If Jasmyn encountered a black woman who straightened/relaxed her hair she harshly judged her and assumed that she hated her own blackness. And if I remember correctly she really did do this every time she encountered a black woman. I can’t even count how many times I was forced to sit through Jasmyn looking at a black woman and deciding if the woman she’s encountering is “doing blackness” correctly. It was… so mind bogglingly absurd. I cannot emphasize enough how deeply jokey this main character was.

It is revealed that Liberty is a giant scheme to help black people “become” white. If you know the plot of The Stepford Wives you know that this book is basically a retelling of that. In order to change the people of Liberty into white people there are three things that are changed about them: (1) Their looks. That’s obvious. (2) Their diction… I won’t even address that one but I could. And (3) The trauma that’s deeply imbedded in their brain, both from their own lives and throughout the general history of black people is removed. This is just another example I’m using of how heavily trauma is used to define blackness in One of Our Kind. Looks, diction, and trauma? Really??? That’s what makes us us???

Ugh. I have to stop here. I just have to stop. This is absurdly long and I’m way too riled up. I can’t be getting this mad over a book. In short my issue with this book is that it portrays an incredibly shallow image of the black experience. According to One of Our Kind we are endless trauma and pain. We are kinky hair. Every second of our lives should be dedicated to fighting injustice. And this is all we are. In my opinion this portrayal of black people is… inhuman. I don’t think we’re portrayed as real humans in One of Our Kind. I think we as black people are just caricatures in this book and we as readers are expected to simply go along with that portrayal of blackness.

I “think” I understand what the author’s goal was here, but in my opinion, it completely missed the mark. It’s described as The Stepford Wives meets Get Out but the horror element seemed to be missing in the first 90% of the book. Although the black, female MC is a social justice activist who is portrayed as someone who loves and gives back to the black community, her views and opinions are rooted in anti-blackness, colorism, and sanctimony. The twist at the end of the book was so bizarre that I couldn’t help but shake my head and laugh out loud. On one hand I do feel the author did a decent job of illustrating the ways in which constant exposure to racism and police brutality can negatively impact the human psyche, specifically in the black community; however, I wish she’d done more to highlight the pride, achievement, and strength that black people are known to embody. I would describe this book as misery literature – the whole story seemed to dwell on trauma.

i love nicola yoon's ya books and it was a bit of a shock to see her do a different vibe, but it was so good and i was so excited to read it and it was great

This book was not what I was expecting. It was way too “on the nose” in its approach. In fact, an argument could be made that this book is actually anti-Black, with it’s adamant assertion that blackness is related to trauma, pain, and social injustice.

I gave it 3 stars because it was well written, but I did not enjoy it.

I've been a fan of Nicola Yoon since reading "Everything, Everything" and was excited to hear she had a new book coming out this year. Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of the ebook. #NetGalley#Knopf #oneofourkind #nicolayoon

The story is described as The Stepford Wives meets Get Out.  I have not seen either of these, by choice.  However I have seen and heard enough about them to know what this meant in terms of what to expect. 

As the story began, it wasn't hard to figure out the timeframe was supposed to be a few years ago.  And as I read, it wasn't hard for me to be transported back in time, emotionally and mentally, as Jasmyn and her family settled into their new home in Liberty. Who could blame them for their decision to move to Liberty?

What I liked about the story: 
As new characters, and founding members of Liberty, were introduced we were given a quick excerpt of an incident that happened in their lives and how they've ended up in Liberty. 
Jasmyn did not quit her day job after moving into new home in Liberty. It wasn't talked about a lot, but she still worked instead of becoming a housewife.
Jasmyn's refusal not to forget about where she came from (literally and figuratively) and her need to fight racism and social injustice. I liked her visiting the old neighborhood and wanting to feel connected even though they'd moved.
Jasmyn's need to find others within Liberty who shared her need to fight racial injustice. Her need to find community within her new community.

What frustrated me about the story:
Jasmyn ​physical and emotional reaction to a recent police shooting of a black man and his daughter. I grew frustrated with her borderline obsession after a while and then felt bad for being frustrated with her. Everyone processes things differently after all.
The description of side characters' hair type and other typical Black physical features/descriptions. After the first few times I realized this was intentional and began to pay more attention.
King's blasé response to the majority of Jasmyn's concerns throughout the book. His absence at times was very suspect. It seemed to make Jasmyn need to work harder and longer at her job as a public defender. And seemed to make her want to create a BLM chapter in Liberty more than anything.
Jasmyn goes into labor and instead of driving herself to the hospital, she goes all the way home. I mean seriously, WTF?
There weren't very many instances of happiness between Jasmyn, King and Kamau. Not very many lighthearted scenes at all. This may have been intentional, but it seemed to keep me constantly on edge as I was reading.

By the last chapter, I was disgusted with King. I couldn't decide who I was more worried about - Kamau, Jasmyn or her unborn child. By the end of the last chapter I was disappointed, dissatisfied, indignant, offended and furious. And that epilogue... I was slightly traumatized. Sweet baby, Jesus!

And then I read the first paragraph of the Acknowledgments and it made me pause. I intentionally took a few days to process before reviewing and rating it.

Overall I have mixed feelings about how to rate this story. I didn't care for the ending, However, I've decided this is a story about cause and effect. I feel like no matter how financially successful Jasmyn and King were, no matter how much Jasmyn thought her agreeing to move to Liberty would keep her and her growing family safe, and no matter how much influence she *thought* she had over her husband, Jasmyn still ended up a victim of racial injustice. Because not even living in Liberty kept her safe and her family safe.

This was a tense and thrilling adult debut from one of my favorite authors! The comps were 100% spot on, and I sped through this one in just a few seatings because I NEEDED to know what was going on in Liberty!

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!