While We Were Burning by Sara Koffi
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.
Review:
I received an advance galley of this book courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
As soon as I read the synopsis for this book on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it. I loved the idea of a Black mother who recently lost her son to police violence infiltrating the circle of white women who may have called the police on him. It sounded timely, juicy, and tense – precisely the type of book I love – and while this is a thought-provoking novel that delves into the complexities of race, class, and female friendship, I felt it was lacking in some areas.
The story follows Elizabeth Smith, a white woman living in an affluent suburb in Memphis whose life takes a tumultuous turn following the mysterious death of her best friend, Patricia. In an attempt to regain control of her life, Elizabeth and her husband, David, hire a personal assistant named Brianna, who quickly becomes an integral part of her life. Brianna and Elizabeth become fast friends, but what Elizabeth doesn’t realize is that Brianna is on a mission to avenge her son’s death. He was killed in this general area, and according to the 9-1-1 call, a woman from Elizabeth’s suburb made the call to the police. Brianna won’t stop until she finds out who it was and then ruins their life just as they ruined hers.
On the upside, Koffi’s exploration of the characters’ relationships is both compelling and nuanced. The dynamic between Elizabeth and Brianna is particularly fascinating, as they navigate the blurred lines between employer and friend. As the two women spend more time together, their bond deepens – but for different reasons. Elizabeth thinks she has a new best friend – one who will help her figure out who killed Patricia, while Brianna sees Elizabeth as nothing more than a means to an end. Their dynamic reminded me of the lead female characters in the movie “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle.”
Another strength of the book is the way the author addresses important social issues within the context of the narrative. The novel raises questions about systemic racism, police brutality, and the impact of everyday actions on individuals and communities. Koffi sheds light on the ways in which race, privilege, and power shape our experiences and relationships.
While the book makes some great points and covers important topics, I did have a few problems with it. I think my biggest issue was the dialogue. One of my biggest pet peeves in a book is when whoever is speaking consistently calls the person they are speaking to by name. Typically, this happens in professional settings, group settings, or when you’ve just met someone, but once you establish a rapport with someone, you don’t call them by name every time you speak to them (unless you are trying to get their attention). This consistently happened with all characters in this book, so it wasn’t just a quirk of a single character. For example, “Elizabeth, I must say I really love your jacket.” “Well, thank you, Brianna. I got it at Target.” (This exchange was totally made up, but you get the gist.)
I also found some of the characters to be very basic, and sometimes, their actions didn’t make sense or seemed very extreme. I don’t want to get into specifics because I don’t want to ruin the plot, but I will say there is one guy who sleeps with a woman and afterward immediately calls her baby, tells her he will protect her at all costs and soon after tells her he loves her. This seemed unrealistic and like something I would find in a YA novel, not one focusing on adults. Additionally, I found the pacing of the story to be uneven at times, and I felt like the tension that I would expect in a novel dealing with the topics that this one does didn’t quite hit the level it could have. These shortcomings made it difficult for me to immerse myself fully in the narrative.
Overall, this novel tackles weighty topics with sensitivity and insight. The novel’s exploration of timely and important themes offers readers a thought-provoking and mostly engaging story. I just felt it could have been a little tighter, and the tension could have been turned up to make it even more impactful.
