In Every Mirror She’s Black

A Novel

De: Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström

Narrado por: Rosemarie Akwafo, Sara Powell

A Go On Girl! Book Club Pick

Three Black women are linked in unexpected ways to the same influential white man in Stockholm as they build their new lives in the most open society run by the most private people.

Successful marketing executive Kemi Adeyemi is lured from the US 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.

A chance meeting with Jonny in business class en route to the US propels former model-turned-flight-attendant Brittany-Rae Johnson into a life of wealth, luxury, and privilege as the object of his unhealthy obsession.

And refugee Muna Saheed 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.

Told through the perspectives of each of the three women, In Every Mirror She's Black is a fast-paced, richly nuanced novel that touches on important social issues of racism, classism, fetishization, and tokenism, and what it means to be a Black woman navigating a white-dominated society.

©2021 Lola Akinmade Akerstrom (P)2022 Tantor

Not sure of where the author was going with this

Maybe I began listening to this story in the wrong frame of mind. I was expecting to hear a story about 3 black women with no connection being tied together by the mysterious Jonny Von Lunden. Instead I heard the story of 3 black women who were insecure, guarded, lonely and looking for love in Sweden. Albeit, each woman had a inner strength and resilience within them that helped to propel them forward to make decisions necessary to take the risks to find happiness but in the end they were left empty and worse off than they began. Kemi, a nigerian born American citizen was the top in her field of marketing. Feeling the pressure of the glass ceiling pressing on her head she realizes that she can go no further in her current role at her company. Coupled by the insidious and increasing sexual advances of her boss she knows she needs to leave but is undecided until she is out of the blue approached by the Von Lunden company for a new position. This position is everything that she could want and the opportunity for advancement that she knows that she will never have with her company. So Kemi packs up and makes her move to Sweden. Brittany is a former model turned flight attendant. Because of trauma she endured during her modeling carrier Brittany is left guarded and insecure. Brittany encounters Jonny on a flight as he is coming to make a job offer to Kemi. Upon seeing her Jonny is struck and ruthlessly pursues her regardless of the fact that she has been in a long term relationship of 4 years. Muna is a young Somali girl who was escaping the horror of losing her family as they escape from Mogadishu. She is alone and grieving her losses and loneliness. When she is finally transferred from the safe place that she and the other refugees are staying she finds out that the mysterious benefactor for the monastery that she was staying was none other than Jonny Von Luden. Each woman's story was interesting and I felt for them at the way their black skin was seen and treated in Sweden. In a place that you would expect more acceptance and tolerance they all find the same racist behaviors and tropes that black women have endured for years. I can not say anymore unless I start spilling spoilers but this book left me depressed and confused. These woman were objectified, fetishized, and unseen. So I was not sure what the author was trying to relay with this story. For all that these women risked and endured what they were left with in the end signified that there is no hope for black women so we should just give in and give up. There was an allusion to mental illness but it was not specified or developed. I did enjoy the narrators, they were pretty spot on with giving me a feel for the individual characters. So, yeah I am still trying to process what I listened to.

Captivating

Lives are interwoven in such delicate ways. Experiences are giving such empathy and compassion in describing each one. The mystery of each character slowly unfolds and leaves you feeling understanding and acceptance of each one.

In Every Mirror She’s Black

Such a beautiful story! The ending shocked me though. Yet, I know all stories don’t have happy endings, I was holding out hold for all to be happy.

Excellent!

This book was nothing, I mean NOTHING like I thought it would be. I was expecting maybe some kind of silly rom-com thing that I would probably have to return. Instead, what an astonishing surprise! What I got was a very, very well written novel dealing with a number of very serious issues. A number of shocking surprises as well! I was consistently amazed. Great narration as well. I would highly recommend it, and will be looking for other books by this author as well.

deep book with lots of twists; narration not good

The story was intriguing. It moved slowly at first but came together well. The narration was difficult though. The American and Swedish accents were terrible and distracting. A southern Black woman from Atlanta does not sound like that at all. It would have been better with three different narrators for each point of view.

whoa!

Really great book. I would love a sequel. I want to know if the black women ever connect. I want to know more. I wished I could read on and on!

Amazing Characters

I need several more hours with these people, and q few more years of their lives.

the complexity of the characters

I liked the details and backgrounds into the main characters. This made them come to life.

Heartfelt and thought provoking

Three stories of complex women longing for true meaningful connection in life, work and love. Beautifully written, excellent narration.

All the emotions😭

I enjoyed this novel on so many levels. being a native of DC, I enjoyed the early chapters based there, and the nuances of corporate and social culture in the DC, md & va area. Then I was sucked into the distinct narratives of our main protags. I'm going to try and not leave too many spoilers, but this story of these 3 women left me feeling a cacophony of emotions. I was rooting for them, feeling their shared outrage at their circumstances, and finally left with a sobering sadness in the last couple of chapters. I resonated with our protags in so many ways. I felt their hope, I felt their joys, I felt their anger and frustration and hopelessness in some instances.

this novel was written with so much care, and empathy. the myriad of delicate social issues it tackles was done with so much taste and tact. And, while the majority of the tale takes place in a country I have personally never been to, the world building was done in such a way that I was transplanted there myself.

10/10