Review: Come & Get It

I started reading Come & Get It in February following Kiley Reid’s visit to Dallas during her book tour. Getting to meet Reid and have her autograph my copy of her sophomore novel was great, and so was the book, which I finished reading in May.

Synopsis

Set at the University of Arkansas in 2017, Come & Get It is a novel with two protagonists: Agatha Paul, a visiting writer and professor, and Millie Cousins, a senior resident assistant (RA) in the designated scholarship dorm on campus. The story begins in media res as Millie escorts Agatha to her floor in Belgrade Hall, where Millie has gathered a group of residents who’ve volunteered to be interviewed for Agatha’s next writing project.

Following the interview, Agatha decides to shift the focus of her writing, which slowly develops into one of the novel’s overlapping conflicts. Its lively cast of supporting characters are quirky, catty, and hilariously well-written. There are the Belgrade RAs, Millie, Rylan, and Collette, who become fast friends, excluding RA Joanie. Then there are the three residents who live in the corner suite on Millie’s floor—Kennedy, Peyton, and Tyler—as well as Agatha’s interview subjects and Tyler’s friends Casey and Jenna.

As the novel’s plot evolves, these relationships begin to shift and, at times, overlap in surprising ways.

Review

This is not a book that I’d classify as a page-turner, though others have. In fact, it took me about two months to read chapters 1–8, which was an enjoyable and character-driven reading experience. And then I made it to chapter 19. The genius of this novel lies in the way Reid carefully crafts the dramatic climax.

In the first 18 chapters, Reid reveals these small, seemingly unrelated details about each character, like a delicate house of cards. When she sends the house crashing down in chapter 19, the reader realizes how each of these details are connected and how these seemingly small traits lead each character to that climactic moment.

I read Chapters 19 through 30 in one night.

Overall, I’d rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars. I had an enjoyable reading experience, and I loved the characters in this novel. However, there are two plots at the end of the story that I’m still hung up on.

Disclaimer & TW: The critique section includes spoilers, including a mention of attempted suicide.

Critique

As previously mentioned, there are two plot elements toward the end of the novel that I can’t let go of. The first is how the other characters treat Kennedy in the aftermath of Chapter 19, and the second is Agatha’s “apology” to Millie.

At the beginning of Chapter 19, Kennedy is having suicidal ideations as she returns to her dorm room. These ideations are not vocalized to any of the other characters, and the other characters continue to talk normally as Kennedy moves through the space. Later in the chapter, Kennedy gets into an argument with her suitemate, Peyton. And during the argument, Kennedy is severely injured.

Now, the description of the accident is highly suspicious. Although the chapter is written in third-person limited, there is a sense that Kennedy's perspective may not be reliable. However, as written, Kennedy's injuries are accidental, and her suitemate Peyton is in the room when they happen. Unfortunately, the narrative quickly shifts, and the entire cast of characters perpetuates the idea that Kennedy attempted suicide.

It’s not the ambiguous details of the situation that bother me, but the way Kennedy is treated by others in the aftermath of these events. Peyton is the only other character who could have provided some clarity regarding what actually happened, but she never does. Then, when Kennedy asks who that night was there and if Millie advised Peyton before their argument—Mille lies to cover her tracks. It’s giving "cover-up," which feels cruel and unfair, even if Kennedy may not be the most likable character in the novel (and even if she really did hurt herself).

Then there’s Agatha’s “apology” to Millie. After the events of Chapter 19, Agatha resigns from her position at the university and prepares to leave town. Before leaving, she meets with Millie to say goodbye. By way of apology, Agatha gives Millie twelve thousand dollars! My quibble with this plot isn’t necessarily based on the morality of the situation, though there are also some pretty icky moral implications to Agatha’s actions. My issue with this plot point is simply that I don’t believe it. Maybe it’s a symptom of my designated tax break, but I simply cannot imagine a world where someone would just give another person twelve thousand dollars without a judge ordering them to do so.

Conclusion

Irrespective of the issues I had with some parts of the falling action, I genuinely enjoyed this book. It’s an entertaining and thought-provoking read that I would gladly recommend to any adult.