In Every Mirror She's Black: A Novel

Absolutely loved it and I devoured it in 1.5 days. This novel intricately weaves the stories of three strong women who all have ties to an influential Swedish man. Kemi is successful in the US and is headhunted by the top marketing firm in Sweden and discovers that her professional accomplishments can’t trump the strong language, cultural, and societal barriers embedded in Swedish society. Brittany is a beautiful model-turned-flight attendant who finds herself immersed in a marriage with a small baby and must figure out who she is while isolated in luxury. Muna is a Somali refugee who has dreams of being an accountant but must first clear all of the obstacles and low-paying jobs to earn her way into Swedish society without ever feeling fully accepted despite learning the language and working full time. Each woman is beautifully flawed and struggles to define herself in Swedish society while still maintaining her sense of self. I enjoyed it immensely and know you will too. At times, my jaw hit the floor (page 282) with the AUDACITY and honesty that was written on the pages. Lọlá Ákínmádé Åkerström created characters who are so real that they resonate with you deeply and you want them to snap out of their current situations and give them a big hug. I did not want their stories to end.

This was overall a pleasant reading experience that I looked forward to continuing! I’d give this book a strong 3.5, so I just rounded up to four stars. First of all, I love the title both in and outside of the context of the novel. That is mostly what drew me in as a reader, as well as the idea of three women who are all in some way related to this powerful exec. I think I was surprised by how much these stories seemed wrapped up in isolation and loneliness. I found Kemi’s storyline to be the most relatable, while Muna’s was the most engaging (at least for a while), and Brittany-Rae’s was certainly the most bizarre. This all seemed very purposeful. The author also intended for these characters to have the space to make mistakes and not be restrained as representatives of their race, ethnicity, and religion. They all certainly made mistakes! I found Muna’s to be the most egregious (although they were generally small and inconsequential outside of affecting her interpersonal relationships), simply because she seemed to have the most to lose. This was definitely an interesting insight into Swedish culture (which I personally know little about), and I think racism was addressed pretty consistently and solidly throughout the book. I did not find the ending to be all that surprising, but I did think it was well-executed. Strong writing throughout, and although these characters were at times incredibly frustrating to witness, I think that’s the strength of recognizing humans as individuals capable of action, passivity, intelligence, nonsense—you know, a whole range of being. I think they’ll stick around in my mind for a minute, and I would definitely read more of the author’s work.

I’m a pretty harsh book critic but I really like this book. It was easy to love and hate and appreciate each Character all at the same time. As a black woman who does the work of racial justice, it was beautiful to see diversity of black womanhood, but the impact of oppression was still there in each character’s life. I think the author did a great job of showing the nuances of individual experiences as influenced by collective society. She did a great job of showing privilege in various forms without oversimplifying what privilege looks like and feels like. I could see elements of my own experience in each of the main characters, even though their lives were so different. And I was able to appreciate the differences between their lives and mine. I also appreciate it that these black women didn’t necessarily immediately get along, because that is common. Sometimes other black women are my strongest adversaries, and this was depicted really well in this book in a way that shows how oppression furthers division. The characters are also just really great and it’s well written, and the storyline is good. I did think it was a little long but overall I thought it was a great book.

This book grabbed me from the first few pages and was a wonderful book to read during my beach vacation. As a black woman, I was interested and overall pleased with how the author handled the different experiences of being a black woman in this world. She very much conveyed a key point in this book, that black women are not a monolith and there are so many different ways of being black, domestically and internationally. I do feel the book fell flat by the end, and I do feel that even with having three black women as the main characters, it unnecessarily centered whiteness in a way that I think was intentional but still was a little disappointing. The biggest bone I have to pick with this book is that one of the character's ethnicities did not ring true. I don't want to say too much and give it away, but I don't think she represented the Jamaican character well at all. There is a sequel coming out in 2023 that I do want to read, but only because some of the storylines felt unfinished in the end. I guess I was intentional knowing she did write a two book deal at the outset. That said, I did really enjoy the central characters and I felt myself invested in each of these women's lives and journeys. Although it didn't end well, I did enjoy the book overall.

A very good read. So much material to discuss in a small group or with a close friend. I enjoyed reading and thinking.

An unexpected ending, but I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline. I liked how the author intertwined the characters stories. I’m starting to be able to cope with stories not having a happy ending. Definitely recommend!

Honestly, I couldn't think of a better title. The book was good. Great character building just to leave the end so pitiful! If more time was spent on the end of the book and cut out some middle parts, I would have given 5 stars. I wanted to give it 3.5 stars, but I rounded up generously. I hope you can catch the movie reference in the title.

What a compelling story of three women trying to make it in Sweden! Tons of social norms, the treatment of women in Sweden, the objectification of African women, mental health, and how women in business are treated in Sweden are uncovered. There is so much to unwrap in one book. The writing is excellent.