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.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

The ending of this book really saved it. I felt like I was reading the same thing over and over in between the pages. The main character was extremely unlikeable and when we got to a point of tolerating her, the story remained stagnant. I loved the messsge it provided at times but it was just too repetitive to enjoy

You know those books that make you question what you just read? This was one of those but in the best of ways!

Think Get Out, Stepford Wives, and Black Mirror all wrapped into one. I was flipping through the pages so fast trying to figure out what would happen next.

Now Jasmyn was a lot at points. She was a bit too intense and judgmental for me. I agree with the essence of what she was saying but they way she said it left a lot to be desired. I think her personality was needed throughout to get us to that end though.

Speaking of the end!!! Y’all! I couldn’t get through those last few chapters fast enough. It was insane!

If you’re looking for a book sure to get your book club or buddy reads group all riled up, here’s one for you. And if you’re looking for a book you can’t stop thinking about and wondering what the author trying to say, here’s one for you as well.

Jasmyn and her husband King have finally made it. They have enough money to move out of Los Angeles to Liberty, an all-Black utopia, where they don’t have to worry about the police, where they can raise their young son Kamau without fear he’ll meet a tragic end. Every single professional, every teacher, every business owner is Black.

A public defender, Jasmyn feels a little bit guilty about moving out of the city and into the grandeur of Liberty. But she’s still putting in the work every day to try and right as many wrongs as she can. And the murders of innocent Black men by police keep happening in the world outside Liberty, so her work is important and never done.

But why is it that in an all-Black neighborhood, very few people care about the fate of those less fortunate? Why do they close their eyes to what is going on outside the gates of their community? Jasmyn can’t understand what it is that is making the residents of Liberty so complacent, and why are those she felt a kinship with dropping their passion for social justice? Who's making this happen and why?

Part Get Out, part The Stepford Wives, this is a creepy yet powerful book. But the ending? Read it and let’s discuss.

My thanks to NetGalley and AA Knopf for the complimentary copy. The book publishes 6/11/2024.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eGalley of this novel. Billed as Get Out meets Stepford Wives I knew I had to get my hands on this one! I was hooked at the beginning but felt the middle was a bit slow and repetitive. As a result, I thought I had it all figured out until the last 10% absolutely blew me away! I do wish this novel had been written from the POV of the main character... for me the 3rd person POV didn't work. Worth the read if you like a slow burn! Pub date: 6/11/24

This was an interesting idea, executed in a heavy-handed way. I felt the main character was really unlikable, judgmental, and holier-than-thou. Her husband, through 90% of the book, was pretty reasonable. The ending seemed implausible, but that's what fiction is for.

Racism is a tough, polarizing topic. There's no one right way to respond, act, or make things better. Jasmyn saw only one way to see and do anything -- that was pretty off-putting.

I had a difficult time reading a lot of this, and I'm sure much of the potential audience will, as well.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being given freely.