Parasite meets Such a Fun Age in a scorching debut that is as heartbreaking as it is thrilling, examining the intersection of race, class, and female friendship, and the devastating consequences of everyday actions.
After her best friend's mysterious death, Elizabeth Smith’s picture-perfect life in the Memphis suburbs has spiraled out of control—so much so that she hires a personal assistant to keep her on track. Composed and elegant, Brianna is exactly who she needs—she slides so neatly into Elizabeth’s life it's almost like she belonged there from the start, and proves herself indispensable. Soon, the assistant Elizabeth hired to distract her from her obsession with her friend's death is the same person working with her to uncover the truth behind it.
Because Brianna has questions, too.
She wants to know why the police killed her young Black son. Why someone in Elizabeth’s neighborhood called the cops on him that day. Who took that first step that stole her child away from her. And the only way she’s ever going to be able to find out is to entwine herself deep into Elizabeth’s life, where the answers to her questions lie. As the two women hurtle towards an electrifying final showdown, and the lines between employer and friend blur, it becomes clear that neither of them is what they first appear.
The Sexy Nerd's Review. . .
This story has two components going on. Elizabeth Smith is an entitled housewife with a husband who works in real estate. Life for Lizzie is good! She works at the Learning Center and her best friend, Patricia, is her right arm sidekick. She was a little excited about meeting her friend for their morning walk, when she happened to notice something strange hanging in the middle of the street. Was that a pair of shoes on the ground? Were those shoes, Patricia’s? Why were they on the ground? When Lizzie looked up, she realized her best friend had killed herself. Why would a woman, who had everything to live for, up and suddenly kill herself?
On the other side of the tracks, Brianna Thompson and her man, Charles, are struggling to make ends meet. With their son, Jay, in tow, Brianna decides she’s going to nursing school to get a decent salary to provide for her family. But, as we all know, life doesn’t always go the way we initially plan.
One fateful evening, while Jay was riding his new bike in an affluent neighborhood, someone got suspicious of the African American boy and decided to call the police to investigate the matter. As a result of the matter, Jay’s life was cut short because someone thought he stole the bike.
Brianna and Charles’ world was turned upside down. The police had shot and killed their son. Jay’s death put a strain on their relationship and Charles felt suffocated and wanted out. Brianna felt the same way but only worse having carried Jay for nine months and mothering him. She’d never get to see her son’s smiling face or hear his laughter. She was robbed from so many things she’d never get to experience Jay doing. Who would call the police on her son and why?
Brianna’s grief was so deep that she became a super sleuth to find out the truth behind her son’s death, and while she was doing so, a job listing came before her that was right up her alley. Since nursing school was now diverted, she decided to become a personal assistant to Mrs. Elizabeth Smith.
As Brianna and Lizzie became closer, Lizzie started to suspect that something wasn’t quite right with her new assistant. Lizzie was still grieving the loss of her best friend, Patricia. She needed a friend and Brianna was it, until they began investigating Patricia’s murder and that’s where our story takes off.
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I’m on that dreaded fence with this one. I didn’t love this story, but I certainly didn’t hate it either. There were conversations had between various characters that caused me to wonder why they didn’t ask more questions. Of course, I can’t mention those to you because I do not give spoilers, but after you read it, you’ll have a full understanding of what I mean.
Some situations seemed to have developed a lot faster than I think they should have. Again, there are things the characters were doing that caused me to question their motives and actions. At times, I felt the motives didn’t match their actions. The story seemed to drag a little for me in parts, but not enough that I couldn’t keep tapping the Kindle pages.
Overall, I did like the story. It’s weird and different. I’ve never read this author before, but I credit Koffi for having told a very sensitive subject in the most dignified way possible. She demonstrates enough to get the reader where they need to go to make decisions for themselves.
The Sexy Nerd gives While We Were Burning three additional situations to burn about. This is one of those stories that will make you use your intellect in a way that you didn’t think was possible. It will make you question how you move about your life and the split-second decision that can alter so many lives in an instant. Koffi managed to write an incredible story. I will give her that! While We Were Burning goes on sale Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at your favorite book retailers or wherever books are sold.
Until next time, Nerds, you know how we do!
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