TheDaak review

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris, London: Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd. Rs 599,1^st edition published 2021 

by Salonee Shital

The Other Black Girl was all over booktube and booktok in the summer of 2021. In fact, even after more than one year of its publication, the book still manages to be one of the top recommendations. It was a pleasant surprise to see the marketing team of a major publishing house really putting its weight behind a book like the Other Black Girl. The book revolves around the protagonist Nella who, as a Black woman working in corporate America, has to deal with office politics and microaggressions at her workplace. She works as an Editorial Assistant at a reputed publication in New York. She happens to be the only black girl in an otherwise predominantly white office space. It is no coincidence that Zakiya Delilah Harris— the author- also worked in the publishing industry for three years before she published her first novel. It is interesting that a novel that is so critical of the publishing industry and highlights the race problem that it has— lined up to publish this debut novel and is now adapted for television by Hulu. In a way, it is meta since characters in the book also talk about the commodification of blackness at certain times in American history. 

Zakiya’s Book defies genres in many ways and yet manages to be relatable to a large audience. Zakiya, in interviews, has acknowledged how her experiences of growing up in a predominantly white suburb inform the character of Nella. The microaggressions and racism that Nella has to put up with at the fictional Wagner publishing house seem all too real but are dealt with satire, sensitivity and a plot seething in mystery. As the only black woman in her workplace, Nella is an expert at code-switching and has to work hard to ensure that she doesn’t come off as an angry black woman or someone who is too sensitive to issues of race. It is, therefore, no surprise that when the other black girl in the book Hazel makes an appearance, Nella expects solidarity and sisterhood. This is where I believe the book’s brilliance shines— in showing how the protagonist deals with the emotions of having another black woman at her place of employment, Nella’s character is fleshed out even further. While she is a likeable character, she is not made bland. The envy that she feels towards the other black girl for not having to jump through the same hoops as she has had for years shows Zakiya’s ability as a writer. The two main characters have a complex and prosperous relationship with each other. Hazel, the other black girl, is made of all the things Nella feels she has been lacking in her life as a Black Woman. Hair is a constant reference in the book and as a character in its own right and has a major plot of its own. Both women first connect through discussions on their hair. Nella, who has been raised in the affluent suburbs of Connecticut, feels somewhat envious of hazel’s long hair, and she has always known how to care for her since she was raised in Harlem surrounded by other black women. The discussion that black women have on topics related to their hair and their lives is not translated for the benefit of the white audience. While the two characters bond over their natural hair care journey, Nella is always conscious of being less black than Hazel for having a white boyfriend, not growing up in a black neighbourhood or having deep roots in the black community as Hazel does. 

The book also has a subplot around the lives of two black women who were a writer—editor duo at Wagner books 30 years before Nella joined the publishing house. Kendra Ray and Diana were close friends in the 80’s. Their story belonging to a different timeline might at first come across as confusing but the second half of the book does justice to Kendra’s storyline. The subplot highlights how even after decades have passed and so much has changed in every industry and field; some things remain the same. Issues of race and gender fall under this category. Both Nella and Kendra are separated by 30 years and, in different circumstances, have to face repercussions for speaking their minds and for just being black in a white workspace. Another interesting facet in the story is the friendship between Nella and Malaika on the one hand and that of Kendra Ray and Diana on the other. While the sisterhood between Nella and Malaika’s characters grounds them, the childhood friendship between Kendra and Diana is more complicated. In the case of Nella and Malaika, their friendship seems like the only safe space for Nella to air out her grievances without being dismissed as too sensitive. Malaika is her sounding board who assures that her feelings are valid and that the micro-aggressions at her workplace are not imaginary. 

The book brilliantly shows the tokenism of the white workspaces. It’s satire cuts deep into the token hires by industries that continue to be deeply exclusionary while patting themselves on the back for being Trail Blazers in terms of diversity hires and progressive woke culture. One outstanding feat that the Other Black Girl manages to achieve is being true to its audience. It doesn’t talk down to its readers but is also unapologetically honest in portraying the performative nature of white liberal antiracism initiatives. The Other Black Girl captures the conversations around privilege and alienation with depth. The character of Nella is complex yet relatable, and she wants the reader to root for her.

On the other hand, the book manages to keep the reader guessing and on the edge of her seat. Hazel, as a character, does not become a caricature at any point since it is shown very clearly how women are often pitted against each other. The idea that there can be only ‘one minority’ hire shows how solidarity between members of the oppressed communities within these corporate offices becomes complicated. The ambition and competitiveness of the two women keep the reader invested and engrossed till the very end.

©TheDaak2023