The Other Black Girl

By Zakiya Dalila Harris

It’s impossible for Zakiya Dalila Harris’ debut to escape comparisons with the movie Get Out, as it’s a horror-style take on what it means to be black in America today. Nella is a young black woman working at an all-white publishing house – an industry Harris used to work in – who puts up with uncomfortably realistic behaviour. Then another African American woman is hired: the Other Black Girl. She thrives in situations where Nella struggles, and Nella receives a note telling her to leave the company – or she’ll regret it. Harris builds tension like no other – you’re hugely invested in Nella’s success, and the twist at the end is simply brilliant (read: terrifying). It’s by no means a perfect novel – the occasional flashback disrupts the pace, and there are too many loose ends – but it will be one of the biggest reads of the summer.