‘Harrowing and heartening in equal measure, this book is a breathtaking tale of racial fissures, fury and friendship’ David Lammy, MP and author of Tribes
‘A powerful story about friendship, race, love, forgiveness, and justice – and the stunning ways they intersect…Empathetic, riveting, and authentic’ Laura Dave, bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told Me
‘A painfully amazing read teaching us that sometimes, when it comes to race, the real enemy is ignorance’ Rhys Stephenson, actor and TV presenter
‘Provides a starting point for conversations which are crucial, at times uncomfortable, but long overdue’ Ruth Hogan, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things
Not every story is black and white.
Riley and Jen have been best friends since they were children, and they thought their bond was unbreakable. It never mattered to them that Riley is black and Jen is white. And then Jen's husband, a Philadelphia police officer, is involved in the shooting of an unarmed black teenager and everything changes in an instant.
This one act could destroy more than just Riley and Jen's friendship. As their community takes sides, so must Jen and Riley, and for the first time in their lives the lifelong friends find themselves on opposing sides.
But can anyone win a fight like this?
We Are Not Like Them is about friendship and love. It's about prejudice and betrayal. It's about standing up for what you believe in, no matter the cost.
‘Powerful and timely… explores every aspect of systemic racism, from micro aggressions to intergenerational trauma’ Guardian
‘Timely and important, I read it in one sitting but am still thinking about it weeks later’ Sarah Morgan, Sunday Times bestselling author
‘One of the most eagerly anticipated books of the year […] A brilliant novel from Christine Pride and Jo Piazza capturing today’s complex issues of race and class’ HELLO!
‘An absolute must read for your book clubs for debate and discussion’ Nina Pottell, Prima
Told from alternating perspectives, an evocative and riveting novel about the lifelong bond between two women, one Black and one white, whose friendship is indelibly altered by a tragic event—a powerful and poignant exploration of race in America today and its devastating impact on ordinary lives.
Jen and Riley have been best friends since kindergarten. As adults, they remain as close as sisters, though their lives have taken different directions. Jen married young, and after years of trying, is finally pregnant. Riley pursued her childhood dream of becoming a television journalist and is poised to become one of the first Black female anchors of the top news channel in their hometown of Philadelphia. But the deep bond they share is severely tested when Jen’s husband, a city police officer, is involved in the shooting of an unarmed Black teenager. Six months pregnant, Jen is in freefall as her future, her husband’s freedom, and her friendship with Riley are thrown into uncertainty. Covering this career-making story, Riley wrestles with the implications of this tragic incident for her Black community, her ambitions, and her relationship with her lifelong friend. Like Tayari Jones’s An American Marriage and Jodi Picoult’s Small Great Things, We Are Not Like Them explores complex questions of race and how they pervade and shape our most intimate spaces in a deeply divided world. But at its heart, it’s a story of enduring friendship—a love that defies the odds even as it faces its most difficult challenges.
Description:
THE MOST IMPORTANT NOVEL YOU’LL READ THIS YEAR
‘Harrowing and heartening in equal measure, this book is a breathtaking tale of racial fissures, fury and friendship’ David Lammy, MP and author of Tribes
‘A powerful story about friendship, race, love, forgiveness, and justice – and the stunning ways they intersect…Empathetic, riveting, and authentic’ Laura Dave, bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told Me
‘A painfully amazing read teaching us that sometimes, when it comes to race, the real enemy is ignorance’ Rhys Stephenson, actor and TV presenter
‘Provides a starting point for conversations which are crucial, at times uncomfortable, but long overdue’ Ruth Hogan, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things
Not every story is black and white.
Riley and Jen have been best friends since they were children, and they thought their bond was unbreakable. It never mattered to them that Riley is black and Jen is white. And then Jen's husband, a Philadelphia police officer, is involved in the shooting of an unarmed black teenager and everything changes in an instant.
This one act could destroy more than just Riley and Jen's friendship. As their community takes sides, so must Jen and Riley, and for the first time in their lives the lifelong friends find themselves on opposing sides.
But can anyone win a fight like this?
We Are Not Like Them is about friendship and love. It's about prejudice and betrayal. It's about standing up for what you believe in, no matter the cost.
‘Powerful and timely… explores every aspect of systemic racism, from micro aggressions to intergenerational trauma’ Guardian
‘Timely and important, I read it in one sitting but am still thinking about it weeks later’ Sarah Morgan, Sunday Times bestselling author
‘One of the most eagerly anticipated books of the year […] A brilliant novel from Christine Pride and Jo Piazza capturing today’s complex issues of race and class’ HELLO!
‘An absolute must read for your book clubs for debate and discussion’ Nina Pottell, Prima
Told from alternating perspectives, an evocative and riveting novel about the lifelong bond between two women, one Black and one white, whose friendship is indelibly altered by a tragic event—a powerful and poignant exploration of race in America today and its devastating impact on ordinary lives.
Jen and Riley have been best friends since kindergarten. As adults, they remain as close as sisters, though their lives have taken different directions. Jen married young, and after years of trying, is finally pregnant. Riley pursued her childhood dream of becoming a television journalist and is poised to become one of the first Black female anchors of the top news channel in their hometown of Philadelphia. But the deep bond they share is severely tested when Jen’s husband, a city police officer, is involved in the shooting of an unarmed Black teenager. Six months pregnant, Jen is in freefall as her future, her husband’s freedom, and her friendship with Riley are thrown into uncertainty. Covering this career-making story, Riley wrestles with the implications of this tragic incident for her Black community, her ambitions, and her relationship with her lifelong friend. Like Tayari Jones’s An American Marriage and Jodi Picoult’s Small Great Things, We Are Not Like Them explores complex questions of race and how they pervade and shape our most intimate spaces in a deeply divided world. But at its heart, it’s a story of enduring friendship—a love that defies the odds even as it faces its most difficult challenges.