A debut about a Black woman who is finally given a chance to pursue her dream of becoming a renowned choreographer, only to find that it comes at a tremendous personal cost.
Smart, incisive and hilarious ... I have never read a book quite like this one ... It’s been awhile since I enjoyed a book so much, and found myself laughing out loud at the absurdity and truth — the truth of the absurdity — in the world Morrow concocts. Dare I say this is an experience many readers need, especially right now ... This is a topic I rarely see explored in fiction in such a nuanced way ... Beautifully (and amusingly) asks us to acknowledge the pitfalls the illusion of stability engenders.
Compelling ... Readers of Dances (2023) by Nicole Cuffy will appreciate Morrow’s authentic exploration of the challenges Black women face in predominantly white artistic spaces and the impossible task of creating 'neutral' art in a racialized society.
Thoughtful, engrossing ... Well-written ... Layla shares the author’s personal background in dance studies at Connecticut College and PR work at BAM, to the benefit of absorbing scenes chronicling the development of her Briar House piece and a smart understanding of how the media operates, demonstrated by the key role a New York Times article plays in the cleverly plotted denouement. But this is more than autobiography transplanted into fiction; psychologically astute portraits of Layla’s evolving relationship with Eli, her mother, and her past make her decision at the end to choose fresh artistic and personal paths well earned and satisfying.
