Everything comes at a price. But not everything can be paid for…
Millie wants to graduate, get a job and buy a house. She’s slowly saving up from her job on campus, but when a visiting professor offers her an unusual opportunity to make some extra money, she jumps at the chance.
Agatha is a writer, recovering from a break-up while researching attitudes towards weddings and money for her new book. She strikes gold when interviewing the girls in Millie’s dorm, but her plans take a turn when she realises that the best material is unfolding behind closed doors.
As the two women form an unlikely relationship, they soon become embroiled in a world of roommate theatrics, vengeful pranks and illicit intrigue – and are forced to question just how much of themselves they are willing to trade to get what they want.
Kiley Reid is very clearly making her mark, and I’m right here for it. Her first book, Such a Fun Age, was both a Sunday Times and a New York Times bestseller and was longlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize. Now, she brings us Come and Get It, a poignant exploration of contemporary relationships, societal norms and the complexities of privilege.
Set in 2017 at the University of Arkansas, we see how five women’s lives merge, as Reid closely explores the pursuit of success and its impact on personal relationships. The characters grapple with ambition, sacrifice and the pressure to conform to societal standards of achievement. Reid masterfully portrays the tension between following one’s dreams and maintaining meaningful connections with others. Through this, she offers insightful commentary on the pursuit of happiness and fulfillment in a competitive world.
Reid’s prose is masterful, both lyrical and incisive. She throws curveballs at you with every turn of the page, and I truly had no idea where the story was headed next – which made it all the more compelling.
Come and Get It looks at privilege and sensitively examines how it intersects with race, class and gender. This shapes the characters’ experiences and influences their interactions with one another. The characters here feel refreshingly real, making their triumphs and tribulations all the more poignant. You’ll simultaneously root for and get annoyed with the characters, but ultimately, you’ll be able to connect to and understand them. They’re all very human. Millie is one character who’s lingered with me.
Sharp, intimate and provocative, Come and Get It takes a lens to our money-obsessed society in a tension-filled story about desire, consumption and bad behaviour. This is a must-add to your TBR pile.
Leave a Reply