My name is “J” and I’m awkward—and black. Someone once told me those were the two worst things anyone could be. That someone was right. Where do I start?

Being an introvert in a world that glorifies cool isn’t easy. But when Issa Rae, the creator of the Shorty Award–winning hit series “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl,” is that introvert—whether she’s navigating love, work, friendships, or “rapping”—it sure is entertaining. Now, in this debut collection of essays written in her witty and self-deprecating voice, Rae covers everything from cybersexing in the early days of the Internet to deflecting unsolicited comments on weight gain, from navigating the perils of eating out alone and public displays of affection to learning to accept yourself—natural hair and all.

A reflection on her own unique experiences as a cyber pioneer yet universally appealing, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl is a book no one—awkward or cool, black, white, or other—will want to miss.

I picked up this book because I'm awkward, Black, and a girl (well...woman). Also, I wanted to see how relatable it would be. So... let's see how it goes in this short review!

So, Issa Rae is Senegalese and her full name is Jo Issa Rae Diop. It's pronounced: Jo Eee Suh Jope. Issa rae states that many people mispronounce her name, even when she corrects them.

Issa Rae went through some interesting experiences with her natural hair. For example, when she was in a mostly white elementary school, her hair was appreciated. However, when she moved to a predominately Black middle school, her hair was mocked. It was made fun of to the point where she started to hide her hair.

She felt insecure since her mum is lightskinned and has a looser hair type (think Yara Shahidi). I understood this pressure because the Black community does put these features on a pedestal. Issa even went as far to get a relaxer (chemical straightener for those who don't know) and her hair ended up falling out. 

One thing I really liked about the novel, was the mention of Thieboudienne, which is the original version of the popular West African dish, Jollof Rice.

Honestly, I didn't find the book that funny. I didn't find it relatable, either. It's true that at around the beginning, Issa Rae was considered unattractive when she was younger. However, she seems to get fairly popular as the book goes on. She has boyfriends, she goes to parties and doesn't seem to feel super out of place (as far as I could remember). There isn't much that I would consider "awkward" about her. 

Also, I found it weird how certain words would be censored and others would not.