Rebecca, Not Becky by Christine Platt (The Afrominimalist's Guide to Living with Less) and documentary filmmaker Catherine Wigginton Greene (I'm Not Racist... Am I?) is a hugely enjoyable novel that nonetheless takes a hard look at prejudice and performative allyship in an affluent Northern Virginia community, alternating between the perspectives of a white woman and a Black woman reconsidering their biases and privilege.
De'Andrea Whitman reluctantly gave up her law career and Atlanta support system to move to Rolling Hills for her husband Malik's new job and the proximity to his mother's top-notch dementia care facility. However, their daughter, Nina, may be the only Black student at the private school. Marijuana (vaping or edibles) is De'Andrea's usual coping mechanism, but her therapist, Dr. Jones, challenges her to try to make one white friend instead. Rebecca Myland shed the nickname "Becky" when it became cultural shorthand for clueless white ladies. She desperately wants to do the right thing: make the perfect home for her husband, Todd, and daughters Lyla and Isabella; use a reminder app to complete her lengthy daily to-do lists; and be a model white ally.
These two protagonists have more in common than they realize. But when the diversity committee's controversial pet project--getting a statue of a Confederate general removed from the local park--makes national news, the resulting ruckus threatens their fragile friendship. Platt and Greene go beyond stereotypes to consider the nuances of the situation, and despite the serious issues it tackles, this is a fun read, reminiscent of Terry McMillan and Curtis Sittenfeld. --Rebecca Foster, freelance reviewer, proofreader and blogger at Bookish Beck