Kendi writes about what he terms the “conjoined twins” of racism and capitalism.

The novel is an insightful depiction of the price a young Black woman might pay to move up the social ladder and what it means to take control of your life when you exist within the parameters of racism, misogyny and capitalism.In his bestselling book, How to Be an Antiracist (2019), Ibram X. By achieving material wealth and status, and by encouraging other young women to follow her path, has she succeeded against an establishment or is she now a part of it? Does her complicity to her own objectification free her, or does it allow her to entrap others?īrown digs into uncomfortable truths about modern British society, from the legacy of colonialism and hostile environments, to the pressure of unrelenting hard work and micro-aggressions. While standing in front of a school full of young women she is encouraging to work for the same company she does, she questions what she signifies. Much of the protagonist’s internal struggle revolves around uncertainty at what she represents to others. From her colleagues debating hiring quotas to outright harassment, her workplace is as alienating and othering as it is financially rewarding, and as the protagonist grows disillusioned with the value of the success she has aspired to, the incidents begin to lose their justification. Following a recent health scare the woman begins to reflect on her professional and financial achievements, and whether the prejudices she has faced are justified by her success. Her success through a lucrative career appears to embody the success story of modern Britain – that if you work hard, you can achieve anything. She has recently been promoted in her finance job, and her white boyfriend’s affluent family have invited her to join them for a party. Told in a stream of consciousness, the novel follows an unnamed young black British woman over the course of a few days. Set in the late 2010’s, Assembly is a short but sharp investigation into privilege and assimilation. This is her first novel and is an astonishing debut.

Brown previously worked in financial services for ten years after graduating from Cambridge University. The novel looks at the intersections between class and race, particularly for someone who is deemed ‘successful’, and while this is not always a comfortable read, it is incredibly confronting and eye-opening. The striking inverted image of a country manor is uncanny and unnerving, and while the novel itself is less gothic or bizarre than the picture on the front, there is a constant level of unease. I was immediately drawn to Natasha Brown’s Assembly by the cover.

The assembly natasha brown