In Every Mirror She's Black: A Novel

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I'm in no way intending to slut shame Brittany but I must ask: why the hell would she sleep with a man she barely knows (and by barely knows I mean she met him like once on a plane)? Especially when said man shows up at her house uninvited? Then she proceeds to keep sleeping with him, ends up getting pregnant, moves to a foreign country with him, and MARRIES him, all in the span of like 6 months! Some things are bad ideas, period. Successful marketing executive Kemi Adeyemi is lured from the U.S. to Sweden by Jonny von Lundin, CEO of the nation’s largest marketing firm, to help fix a PR fiasco involving a racially tone-deaf campaign. A killer at work but a failure in love, Kemi’s move is a last-ditch effort to reclaim her social life. After fleeing her home through a client to seek a new life in Sweden, Yasmiin finds love in the arms of Yagiz Çelik while carving out her own small corner. But as someone from her past forces Yasmiin to become a caretaker before she’s ready, she now must confront and move beyond her teenage history, while following her dreams of becoming a makeup artist. Jonny’s privilege and the protection his money affords him ultimately become problematic for Brittany and her child. What do you think the author was trying to say about wealth, choice, and accountability at the end of Brittany’s story?

For the side characters; well introduced and developed I’d give her that. I did feel bad for Ahmed’s end; a sad side story. Guinhild was a balm to my wounds for Muna Kemi’s relationship with Ragnar is unhealthy almost from the start. What does her final interaction with him show about her own growth and what she’s learned about herself in Sweden? To my two beautiful kids, all I do, I do for you so we’re having the uncomfortable conversations in society that will finally create the fertile soil for you to fully bloom and thrive. Kemi; I find it very difficult to understand why someone portrayed as intelligent could not outright figure out that she was only employed for her skin colour and that her added qualifications were just for show. Why did she keep questioning their real intentions. Sometimes she stood up for herself; yes I liked those few instances she displayed “I won’t take rubbish “ but I didn’t like it that it took finding a man to make her take a clean break. I did not like how she treated Brittany. It was judgemental to say the least.I think she wanted to do something new and different, she was young and had no reason not to. If I had been in her position I would have wanted to do the same thing too. - gaylamath And refugee Muna Saheed, who lost her entire family, finds a job cleaning the toilets at Jonny’s office as she works to establish her residency in Sweden and, more importantly, seeks connection and a place she can call home. The author did a good job of showing the struggles of immigrants; their painful pasts and their hope and longing for roots and healing. Sometimes they never find these and that’s what this book brings out. I think Lola's writing is beautiful and has strong narrative voice. It really shines in scenes between the main characters and the love interests. So much so it makes me wonder if her writing is more suited for contemporary romance rather than contemporary literature.

Do be aware that there are lots of very steamy romantic scenes in Mirror, so this book is not for those seeking strictly G-rated reading. There are also several mentions of violence: physical and emotional harm, as well as deep-dives into weighty issues such as racism, self-harm, abuse, and sexism. A book begging to be read on the beach, with the sun warming the sand and salt in the air: pure escapism. Throughout the novel, Muna develops many short-lived relationships, with the longest being her uncomfortable acquaintance with Yagiz. Why do you think these relationships are transient, and what do you think the author is trying to convey in her relationship with Yagiz? And how could she forget the Jamaican real estate agent, Devan, whose gaze kept trailing every white woman who sauntered past their table while professing unflinching love for the sisters? 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.I could not put this down. I was hoping all 3 women would meet but their stories aligned in a way i didn't expect. Muna experiences a tremendous amount of loss in the novel. What do her experiences show of the struggles refugees go through when displaced from their homes? Throughout the novel, Muna develops many short-lived relationships, with the longest being her uncomfortable acquaintance with Yagiz. Why do you think these relation- ships are transient, and what do you think the author is trying to convey in her relationship with Yagiz?