Book Review: Cherish Farrah by Bethany C. Morrow

Cherish Farrah by Bethany C. Morrow is a slow burn social horror. It looks at the social issues that arise when a Caucasian couple adopt an African American, it makes fear of how there own race will perceive the child and the couples own ideas on race manifested as real horrors. The book waits until the very end to make it’s point on race, and it’s powerful but it takes it to the last pages to get there, which frustrated me because I was in serious doubt this book would have a point at all. The book delivers on the tension, which is layered through out. There are twist which all play out at the end of the book. This book will get compared to the film Get Out which might hurt it as the plot of this book was good but not great like Get Out. The writing by Bethany C. Morrow is good in creating and keeping the tension through out small gestures layered in subtext conversations. Cherish Farrah horror is more cerebral with thinking people are out to get you then, people physically trying to get you. I had a love hate relationship with Farrah who is the stories narrator, she thinks the’s winning like Charlie Sheen, but is losing so hard. I was ask by the publisher, Dutton, through Netgalley to read Cherish Farrah early. Cherish Farrah by Bethany C. Morrow is Published on February 8th 2022.

The Plot Summary: Farrah’s best friend is Cherish. Cherish is the only Black girl who lives in their rich suburbs and school. But Farrah is not like Cherish she was raised by her biological parents where Cherish was raised by her two white adoptive parents. Farrah and Cherish’s boyfriends were also adopted by a white couple. Farrah’s parents are struggling to stay in the class structure and Farrah’s dad has been looking for work elsewhere. Farrah convinces her parents to stay with Cherish and her folks, what looks like a long sleep over turns her best friend against her as they become frenemies almost competing for parental approval. Farrah wants the class life that Cherish has and he control her influence can buy, with Farrah’s life spiraling out of control she will do anything to gain control.

What I Liked: The tension through out this book and the little snipes and the subtext behind Cherish’s and Farrah’s conversations. The ending pulled everything together, I was doubting that it would. I liked the choices and conversations in the conclusion. The intense scene between Farrah and Jerry that was scary while he he was helping her a great scene and my favorite in the book. I like Cherish’s character most of all, how she’s getting manipulated by everyone and still trying to maintain innocence. I liked the part about the Whipping Boy book but wanted more about it maybe a quick refresher on that story.

What I Disliked: That it took overly long to get to the point of the narrative. It took to 50% of the book for anything to happen. Farrah was a hard character to like she dissed Cherish for being white but seemed to want the white family way more than her Black one. She thought she was the manipulator but anyone could see she was the one getting manipulated.

Recommendation: This one is a hard one I loved the tension, but was frustrated when it took forever for anything to happen. I will barely recommend this one but be warned it is a slow burn with a worthwhile conclusion at the very end. I think the point that the book finally makes about racism is an interesting one, that could enlighten people on casual racism. I rated Cherish Farrah by Bethany C. Morrow 3 out of 5 stars. The rating of this book was hard one for me to place, I think the pace brought it to the 3 despite some of the good content, that you have to finish the book to get too and this book made me think about not finishing a couple of times.