Starred review from April 1, 2024
This masterful psychological horror novel from bestselling YA author Yoon (Everything, Everything) brings to bear all the claustrophobia of Rosemary’s Baby and The Stepford Wives against the backdrop of systemic racism and police brutality. When pregnant lawyer Jasmyn Williams, her husband, King, and their son, Kamau, move to Liberty, an upscale, all-Black enclave outside of Los Angeles, Jasmyn is excited to join a community that seems to have it all—safety, stability, and a wellness culture centered on a spa that Liberty’s residents organize their lives around. Then Jasmyn realizes how cloistered the community is from ongoing racial injustices, including the recent police shooting of a Black man and his daughter. As she digs deeper into the workings of Liberty’s leadership and the nature of the treatments offered at the wellness center, she uncovers a horrifying secret that, once revealed, threatens both her life and her sense of self as a Black woman in America. Yoon maintains taut, nerve-shattering suspense throughout as she delves into societal fault lines and cultural anxieties, crafting a brutally effective examination of how generational trauma roots itself in the body. The dialogue in particular shines as the characters argue, sympathize, and search for connection with one another, even in the face of the terror that surrounds them. Yoon’s latest will linger in readers’ minds long after its horrifying conclusion. Agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House.
September 13, 2024
After spending years growing up in neighborhoods across Los Angeles, the Williams family decides to relocate to Liberty, an all-Black community, where they hope to find neighbors who share their values. Upon moving in, Jasmyn struggles to make friends and settle while her husband, King, thrives. In an effort to feel more at home, Jasmyn and two friends decide to start a local chapter of Black Lives Matter, but they become increasingly frustrated when Liberty residents seem uninterested in racial and social injustices. King begins to spend more time at the local wellness center, and friends suddenly return with altered personalities; Jasmyn begins to suspect that something is very wrong. Narrated by Nicole Lewis, this book is compelling, provocative, and nightmare-inducing all in one. Lewis reads with a passion that makes the characters and the unsettling community leap from the speakers. VERDICT A gripping book for those seeking a suspenseful novel that grapples with race, identity, and privilege. Listeners who enjoyed Jordan Peele's Get Out will want to check out this provocative slow-burn thriller, sure to terrify and spark intense conversation in equal measure.--Kaitlyn Tanis
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