45 pages • 1 hour read
Nightcrawling
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Book Brief
288
Novel • Fiction
Oakland, California • Contemporary
2022
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley follows 17-year-old Kiara Johnson as she struggles to support herself, her brother Marcus, and their nine-year-old neighbor in Oakland, California. Facing economic hardship, Kiara turns to sex work and becomes entangled in a police sex-trafficking scandal, serving as a key witness in a grand-jury trial. The novel explores themes of racial and economic injustice, familial loyalty, and the dynamics of gender, power, and autonomy. The book includes references to sexual abuse, sex trafficking, rape, violence, racism, addiction, police brutality, child abuse and neglect, and suicide.
Gritty
Emotional
Dark
Unnerving
Reviews & Readership
57,869 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Leila Mottley's Nightcrawling is praised for its raw, lyrical prose and emotionally charged storytelling, echoing the struggles of a young Black woman navigating systemic injustices. Critics highlight its powerful characterization and vivid depiction of urban life. However, some find its pacing uneven and certain plot elements implausible. Overall, a compelling and thought-provoking debut.
Who Should Read Nightcrawling?
A reader who would enjoy Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley is captivated by gritty, urban narratives and powerful, emotional storytelling. Fans of Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give and Jesmyn Ward’s Salvage the Bones would appreciate the raw, poignant exploration of survival and systemic injustice depicted in Mottley's debut novel.
57,869 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
288
Novel • Fiction
Oakland, California • Contemporary
2022
Adult
18+ years
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