MixedThe New York Times Book ReviewAndreades’s descriptive writing is glorious, with a confidence one might expect from a veteran novelist ... While there is much that many brown girls will relate to — including experiences that feel stolen straight from my memories — Andreades succeeds in making the stories feel specific beyond a singular experience ... Readers become part of scenes where the fourth wall is not only broken but shattered ... Andreades doesn’t shy away from topics that sting ... Those who grew up going to predominantly white schools, and eventually working in predominantly white spaces — anyone who is familiar with being the darkest person in the room — will feel seen. For readers who want to understand that experience, Brown Girls will walk you through the journey ... Andreades delivers her story to a place that can feel either life-affirming or depressing, depending on how you look at it ... reads like spoken-word poetry and makes you feel as if you should be sitting in the basement of Cafe Wha? in New York’s West Village, wearing a black beret and sunglasses and snapping your fingers along with the beat of the social commentary. Ultimately, though, Andreades’s choice to write in short pieces, with some \'chapters\' clocking in at only two pages, proves tedious. I never felt quite connected to the characters, and they didn’t feel as connected to one another as lifelong friends should be. For some, the truth of our lived experience may be more palatable in small appetizer portions. But with their breadth, depth and enormous richness, I found myself wanting to savor these raw stories on a large, overflowing plate.
