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Your Plantation Prom Is Not Okay
This sharp-witted, timely novel explores cancel culture, anger, and grief, and challenges the romanticization of America's racist past with humor and heart—for readers of Dear Martin by Nic Stone and Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson.
Harriet Douglass lives with her historian father on an old plantation in Louisiana, which they’ve transformed into one of the South's few enslaved people’s museums. Together, while grieving the recent loss of Harriet’s mother, they run tours that help keep the memory of the past alive.
Harriet's world is turned upside down by the arrival of mother and daughter Claudia and Layla Hartwell—who plan to turn the property next door into a wedding venue, and host the offensively antebellum-themed wedding of two Hollywood stars.
Harriet’s fully prepared to hate Layla Hartwell, but it seems that Layla might not be so bad after all—unlike many people, this California influencer is actually interested in Harriet's point of view. Harriet's sure she can change the hearts of Layla and her mother, but she underestimates the scale of the challenge…and when her school announces that prom will be held on the plantation, Harriet’s just about had it with this whole racist timeline! Overwhelmed by grief and anger, it’s fair to say she snaps.
Can Harriet use the power of social media to cancel the celebrity wedding and the plantation prom? Will she accept that she’s falling in love with her childhood best friend, who’s unexpectedly returned after years away? Can she deal with the frustrating reality that Americans seem to live in two completely different countries? And through it all, can she and Layla build a bridge between them?
Harriet Douglass lives with her historian father on an old plantation in Louisiana, which they’ve transformed into one of the South's few enslaved people’s museums. Together, while grieving the recent loss of Harriet’s mother, they run tours that help keep the memory of the past alive.
Harriet's world is turned upside down by the arrival of mother and daughter Claudia and Layla Hartwell—who plan to turn the property next door into a wedding venue, and host the offensively antebellum-themed wedding of two Hollywood stars.
Harriet’s fully prepared to hate Layla Hartwell, but it seems that Layla might not be so bad after all—unlike many people, this California influencer is actually interested in Harriet's point of view. Harriet's sure she can change the hearts of Layla and her mother, but she underestimates the scale of the challenge…and when her school announces that prom will be held on the plantation, Harriet’s just about had it with this whole racist timeline! Overwhelmed by grief and anger, it’s fair to say she snaps.
Can Harriet use the power of social media to cancel the celebrity wedding and the plantation prom? Will she accept that she’s falling in love with her childhood best friend, who’s unexpectedly returned after years away? Can she deal with the frustrating reality that Americans seem to live in two completely different countries? And through it all, can she and Layla build a bridge between them?
320 pages, Hardcover
First published May 2, 2023
16 people are currently reading
3945 people want to read
About the author
Kelly McWilliams
8 books308 followersKelly is the mixed-race author of AGNES AT THE END OF THE WORLD (2020), MIRROR GIRLS (2022), and YOUR PLANTATION PROM IS NOT OKAY (2023). AGNES was a finalist for the Golden Kite Award. She's also written for Time, Publisher's Weekly, and Bustle, among other outlets. She lives in Seattle with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
June 1, 2023
I snatched this one up from the library pronto during prom season where people on the Socials are still more than happy to celebrate their childrens’ antebellum proms. As the title states, this truly is not okay.
I realize I’m not the target demographic for this YA book, buuuuuuuut that being said, the problems with all of these books with a message is the people who actually neeeeed to read them will be those least likely to ever pick them up. The writing here is definitely for an audience who needs every microagression spelled out for them, which, unfortunately makes the lead Harriet a not-so-likeable character who takes being offended to an entirely different level. In addition, the other characters aren't fleshed out much at all and Harriet shows absolutely no empathy to the idea that anyone else could be dealing with real-life issues of their own. Eventually it is disclosed that Harriet suffers from anger management issues, but the therapy portions of the story leave much to be desired and it was pretty clear Harriet probably needed more than an every once in a while talk session to deal with her problems. As a mom I simply could not get on board with the decision of Harriet not attending her dream college because it only acknowledged its tainted history in 2014 rather than sooner. And the instalove which would result in moving away with a boy immediately after high school graduation after only dating for a few weeks being fully supported by her father made me realize I’m a Boomer who probably should stop reading books for teenagers.
Not to mention nearly all of the dialogue was super cringe like . . . .
I realize I’m not the target demographic for this YA book, buuuuuuuut that being said, the problems with all of these books with a message is the people who actually neeeeed to read them will be those least likely to ever pick them up. The writing here is definitely for an audience who needs every microagression spelled out for them, which, unfortunately makes the lead Harriet a not-so-likeable character who takes being offended to an entirely different level. In addition, the other characters aren't fleshed out much at all and Harriet shows absolutely no empathy to the idea that anyone else could be dealing with real-life issues of their own. Eventually it is disclosed that Harriet suffers from anger management issues, but the therapy portions of the story leave much to be desired and it was pretty clear Harriet probably needed more than an every once in a while talk session to deal with her problems. As a mom I simply could not get on board with the decision of Harriet not attending her dream college because it only acknowledged its tainted history in 2014 rather than sooner. And the instalove which would result in moving away with a boy immediately after high school graduation after only dating for a few weeks being fully supported by her father made me realize I’m a Boomer who probably should stop reading books for teenagers.
Not to mention nearly all of the dialogue was super cringe like . . . .
May 6, 2023
I never leave myself reviews, but this is my most straightforwardly activist book so far—so I’m gonna line up behind her with everything I’ve got!
I’m a mixed-race writer who grew up watching Black history be systematically devalued in schools and other public spaces (plantation weddings, anyone?), so I wrote this book as a counter to all that—and as a catharsis for my younger self, too.
At the end of the day, this is a book about how the erasure of Black history harms our mental health, our hearts and souls, and how it prevents us from healing TOGETHER, no matter what our background as Americans.
It’s also very much about allyship. About how we support each other in our many disparate and important struggles.
Let’s take back the truth. Happy reading.
Kelly
I’m a mixed-race writer who grew up watching Black history be systematically devalued in schools and other public spaces (plantation weddings, anyone?), so I wrote this book as a counter to all that—and as a catharsis for my younger self, too.
At the end of the day, this is a book about how the erasure of Black history harms our mental health, our hearts and souls, and how it prevents us from healing TOGETHER, no matter what our background as Americans.
It’s also very much about allyship. About how we support each other in our many disparate and important struggles.
Let’s take back the truth. Happy reading.
Kelly
May 18, 2023
5 Reasons to Read
The Heavy Stuff
This book tackles racism, grief, and mental illness. I felt the author did a magnificent job of making the reader feel all of the emotions that came with addressing each of these topics.
Family
Harriet’s world fell apart when her mother died but with the help of her historian father and an old friend she’s able to face her grief. The relationship between Harriet and her father is so sweet, and although there are moments where her father’s grief overwhelms her, the bond between them is strong.
Friendship
Harriet is livid when she finds out who bought the property next door and her anger only heightens when she finds out they’re turning it into a wedding venue. Harriet fully expects Layla to be all for the venue as the influencer she is but as Harriet gets to know Layla an unlikely friendship emerges. Not everyone is who you expect them to be once you get past what’s on the surface.
Love
There’s a bit of romance when Harriet’s old friend Dawn shows back up in her life. I appreciated that this was not a love story but enjoyed how much support Harriet got from Dawn. He helped bring balance into her life and supported her as she navigated through her grief.
Powerful
This book is powerful, important, and relevant in today’s world. We need more books like these out there that make you feel all the emotions while learning about others and yourself in the process. It is one that I will never forget reading.
The Heavy Stuff
This book tackles racism, grief, and mental illness. I felt the author did a magnificent job of making the reader feel all of the emotions that came with addressing each of these topics.
Family
Harriet’s world fell apart when her mother died but with the help of her historian father and an old friend she’s able to face her grief. The relationship between Harriet and her father is so sweet, and although there are moments where her father’s grief overwhelms her, the bond between them is strong.
Friendship
Harriet is livid when she finds out who bought the property next door and her anger only heightens when she finds out they’re turning it into a wedding venue. Harriet fully expects Layla to be all for the venue as the influencer she is but as Harriet gets to know Layla an unlikely friendship emerges. Not everyone is who you expect them to be once you get past what’s on the surface.
Love
There’s a bit of romance when Harriet’s old friend Dawn shows back up in her life. I appreciated that this was not a love story but enjoyed how much support Harriet got from Dawn. He helped bring balance into her life and supported her as she navigated through her grief.
Powerful
This book is powerful, important, and relevant in today’s world. We need more books like these out there that make you feel all the emotions while learning about others and yourself in the process. It is one that I will never forget reading.
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July 11, 2023
A lovely story wrapped around grief and a searing indictment of whitewashing history—particularly the history of plantation museums and event venues, where the supposed glamour of the Big House masks the horrors of the enslaved trapped on those haunted lands.
Harriet is grieving her mother's passing eighteen months previously—her grief wrapping around the constant history of the enslaved museum she and her father are running. When her rage monster pops off at a racist Karen, her dad tells her she's done: no more tours, no more working, until she can get a handle on herself...but even worse than not being able to tell the stories of the people who lived on the plantation is the fact that a rich Hollywood starlet bought the plantation next door with the intent on turning it into an event venue for weddings and proms.
I really loved how this book tapped into Black rage so well (along with Black joy!!), and also addressed the narrative and pitfalls of Black excellence. Harriet realizes throughout the course of the book that the ways of her father are not the ways of the past, that times have changed, and it's okay to step outside the workings of a white supremacist machine and work within Black spaces and with allies (spoiler: there has never been anything wrong with this, but perception on what will get you respect have shifted—as the saying goes, the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house). That not everyone is perfect, but most people are trying their best.
It also captures whiteness and allyship—and the varying levels of being an ally versus being an accomplice. Of being liberal while also falling into patterns of racism. Of microaggressions and punishment. Of bridging the divide while holding each other accountable.
And also, of realizing that your dream is changing and that it is okay to change.
Harriet is grieving her mother's passing eighteen months previously—her grief wrapping around the constant history of the enslaved museum she and her father are running. When her rage monster pops off at a racist Karen, her dad tells her she's done: no more tours, no more working, until she can get a handle on herself...but even worse than not being able to tell the stories of the people who lived on the plantation is the fact that a rich Hollywood starlet bought the plantation next door with the intent on turning it into an event venue for weddings and proms.
I really loved how this book tapped into Black rage so well (along with Black joy!!), and also addressed the narrative and pitfalls of Black excellence. Harriet realizes throughout the course of the book that the ways of her father are not the ways of the past, that times have changed, and it's okay to step outside the workings of a white supremacist machine and work within Black spaces and with allies (spoiler: there has never been anything wrong with this, but perception on what will get you respect have shifted—as the saying goes, the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house). That not everyone is perfect, but most people are trying their best.
It also captures whiteness and allyship—and the varying levels of being an ally versus being an accomplice. Of being liberal while also falling into patterns of racism. Of microaggressions and punishment. Of bridging the divide while holding each other accountable.
And also, of realizing that your dream is changing and that it is okay to change.
June 4, 2023
This book addressed its themes (triggering, micro-aggression, racism, white privilege, "white washing" history vs. historical perspectives, white guilt, grief, anger, regret and the momentary power that social media can have, even with the trolls) very well. The narrator was very good too.
May 10, 2023
2.5 this book had a great message. But the main character was just super annoying and childish. I feel like that took away from the message of this book. If the main character was more likeable I would have rated this higher. But I loved the message that this book was portraying. Just feel like the execution was bad.
May 15, 2023
This book is FANTASTIC! The story of a girl dealing with the death of her mother AND her feelings of frustration in the face of systemic racism, it manages to be hilarious, heart-breaking, romantic, and really fun. Plus, all the young people resonate with true teen energy. Even if you're a grown-up, this one's a must-read.
August 19, 2023
I read this book with my heart in my throat and finished it with tears in my eyes. With razor sharp writing and deep compassion, Kelly McWilliams has etched a protagonist who will stay with me for a long, long time. Highly recommended for the teen in your life.
May 16, 2023
I absolutely love everything about this book but found the mc annoying to the point I almost dnf'd this solely because of her.
I'd recommend it just beware!
I'd recommend it just beware!
May 5, 2023
This really put in words how I generally feel about weddings and proms held at these places. I also really liked that they used social media and showed AND explained all the things they were talking about, like respectability politics that our people used back in the day. Real review to come to my Blog
May 18, 2025
“When it remains abstract, horror’s hard to catch hold of. Misty as a dream and all too easy to forget.”
When Harriet Douglass was in elementary school, her family moved to a plantation in Louisiana and turned it into an enslaved people’s museum—one of the only ones in the South. After her mother passes away from cancer when Harriet is in high school, she throws herself into giving tours of the museum to help her keep the past alive and feel close to her mom at the same time. Harriet loves her home, and she loves history. When she finds out that a celebrity bought plantation land right next door to the museum with the hopes of turning it into a wedding venue, Harriet is rightfully angry. She gets even angrier when she discovers that her private school is planning on hosting their prom on the grounds. Is there anything she can do to make people realize just how horrible plantation weddings and proms are?
This novel is one that I would recommend to everyone. It tackles the topic of racism head-on, exposing the micro-and macro-aggressive actions of multiple characters. It points out how common white saviorism and performative activism is, as well as the direct harm it causes. McWilliams has crafted a compelling story that weaves in threads of important social commentary, grief, mental health struggles, and identity. It tackles heavy topics, and readers see Harriet experience a lot of anguish, but the novel also highlights the importance of community, hope, and education in the fight against racism. This is a novel that will make you laugh and cry, and you won’t be able to help falling in love with Harriet. She has her flaws, but her stubborn heart is in the right place—as a reader, you’ll either be able to relate to her struggles and her frustration, or you’ll be able to listen to them and learn how to be a better ally to the Black community.
When Harriet Douglass was in elementary school, her family moved to a plantation in Louisiana and turned it into an enslaved people’s museum—one of the only ones in the South. After her mother passes away from cancer when Harriet is in high school, she throws herself into giving tours of the museum to help her keep the past alive and feel close to her mom at the same time. Harriet loves her home, and she loves history. When she finds out that a celebrity bought plantation land right next door to the museum with the hopes of turning it into a wedding venue, Harriet is rightfully angry. She gets even angrier when she discovers that her private school is planning on hosting their prom on the grounds. Is there anything she can do to make people realize just how horrible plantation weddings and proms are?
This novel is one that I would recommend to everyone. It tackles the topic of racism head-on, exposing the micro-and macro-aggressive actions of multiple characters. It points out how common white saviorism and performative activism is, as well as the direct harm it causes. McWilliams has crafted a compelling story that weaves in threads of important social commentary, grief, mental health struggles, and identity. It tackles heavy topics, and readers see Harriet experience a lot of anguish, but the novel also highlights the importance of community, hope, and education in the fight against racism. This is a novel that will make you laugh and cry, and you won’t be able to help falling in love with Harriet. She has her flaws, but her stubborn heart is in the right place—as a reader, you’ll either be able to relate to her struggles and her frustration, or you’ll be able to listen to them and learn how to be a better ally to the Black community.
August 13, 2023
Your plantation prom is NOT okay.
🏨
Harriett Douglass lives with her historian father on one of the only enslaved people’s museum plantations in the South. Both are struggling since the loss of Harriett’s mother and their pile of bills keep growing. When a neighboring plantation is purchased by LA socialites to be turned into a wedding venue, Harriett’s Rage Monster gets even worse than it’s been since her mother died. Surprisingly she finds an ally in the neighbor’s daughter, social media influencer, Layla. When the school decides to throw their senior prom at Layla’s plantation home, Harriett decides to make her voice heard.
🏨
This YA book is the first choice for TheNextGen Book Club on @fable I’ve been meaning to read this for a while and knew it would be a good one to start in a book club. While I knew some about the plantation event controversy that’s still happening today, I learned so much from @kellymmcwilliams novel. The Author’s Note especially impacted me and I will be speaking up on this topic more, as southern plantations should not be places of weddings, dances, etc. when such atrocities took place on the grounds. This title also deals with grief and anger issues very well. I can’t wait to talk about this one with the group.
CW: racism, microaggressions, anger/rage blackouts, PTSD, trauma, grief, depression, alcohol, prison, death of a parent (recounted), vomit, cancer
🏨
Harriett Douglass lives with her historian father on one of the only enslaved people’s museum plantations in the South. Both are struggling since the loss of Harriett’s mother and their pile of bills keep growing. When a neighboring plantation is purchased by LA socialites to be turned into a wedding venue, Harriett’s Rage Monster gets even worse than it’s been since her mother died. Surprisingly she finds an ally in the neighbor’s daughter, social media influencer, Layla. When the school decides to throw their senior prom at Layla’s plantation home, Harriett decides to make her voice heard.
🏨
This YA book is the first choice for TheNextGen Book Club on @fable I’ve been meaning to read this for a while and knew it would be a good one to start in a book club. While I knew some about the plantation event controversy that’s still happening today, I learned so much from @kellymmcwilliams novel. The Author’s Note especially impacted me and I will be speaking up on this topic more, as southern plantations should not be places of weddings, dances, etc. when such atrocities took place on the grounds. This title also deals with grief and anger issues very well. I can’t wait to talk about this one with the group.
CW: racism, microaggressions, anger/rage blackouts, PTSD, trauma, grief, depression, alcohol, prison, death of a parent (recounted), vomit, cancer
June 9, 2023
The premise of this book was amazing. It carries important messages about racism, whitewashing history, allyship, medical bias, and more. It talks about these old plantations and the way that we can use them; there’s thoughtful commentary about whether to preserve them as as historical museums that include the heartbreaking history of enslaved people, whether to let them crumble to dust, and whether they should ever be repurposed for the likes of weddings/proms/picturesque venues. This book is heavily in favor of unfiltered education, which I agree with. The messaging in this book was everything. It’s not subtle, but there’s definitely people that need it spelled out for them, so I get why it has no subtlety to it.
The book was written a bit immaturely, and that’s mostly why I didn’t jive with it as much as I thought I would. I think this is a YA geared book, so it might be more of a case that I am not the ideal reader for it. I think it’s probably perfect for teens, though many adults could use the messaging in it too.
The book was written a bit immaturely, and that’s mostly why I didn’t jive with it as much as I thought I would. I think this is a YA geared book, so it might be more of a case that I am not the ideal reader for it. I think it’s probably perfect for teens, though many adults could use the messaging in it too.
July 15, 2023
“I don’t think I’m going to Brown. Maybe next year I’ll apply to an HB -“
“Don’t say it,” Dad warns. “Please no.”
“HBCU. They’re great schools, Dad.” I snort, exasperated. “Why are you so prejudiced?”
“I just want the best for you, and those institutions don’t have the same prestige. You have a chance here to attend an Ivy League school!”
---
Not too much on the HBCU slander, Mr. Howard, Jesus 💀.
Your Plantation Prom Is Not Okay focused heavily the legacy of slavery and Black trauma, as a celebrity wedding is being hosted on a plantation bought by a socialite, next to Harriet’s family’s memorial plantation. I don’t know if the celebrity couple here was lightly influenced by Blake Lively’s and Ryan Reynold’s plantation wedding in South Carolina back in 2012, but plantation weddings are still very much a thing and it’s very much disgusting. Harriet teams up with her new neighbor’s daughter, Layla, to try to cancel the wedding, especially as she finds out that her private school planned to host her prom at the plantation, all while dealing with the grief of her mother’s death a year prior.
* I think Layla’s and Harriet’s friendship was the star power of the book; their personalities are such a good example of opposites attract, and Layla definitely helped Harriet learn how to open her heart again to the world. Definitely did not like how Layla dropped the ball with Harriet in the middle of the book, but Layla’s story definitely opened the conversation towards white allyship, toxic influencer culture, and the impact of having neglectful and narcissistic parents. Layla and Harriet do continue their friendship at the end of the book, but I do wish she was physically present for the entirety of the book.
* The slang and “teenage talk” was sometimes off, NOT CUTE, but it didn’t happen so often that the book became unbearable.
* The romance was there; I would’ve much preferred a focus on Harriet’s friendships, but Dawn wasn’t terrible, it was just mad instalove. Harriet ends up taking a gap year and follows Dawn to DC, which is a no for me, but at least she got an internship at a museum. Don’t be following no dudes with no plans of your own, people.
* Every time Harriet mentioned her rage monster, I pictured the Hormone Monstress from Big Mouth.
* I don’t really get Harriet’s decision to dub Brown in the end? First of all, I was wondering if the book was ever going to acknowledge Brown’s (or any Ivy League’s) history with the slave trade, as Harriet was quick to fight for the people but was also like “😍 omg Brown is the dream, I’m going to escape the South’s horrors,” so I was a bit shocked she was so enamored with the Ivy Leagues. When she finds out that Brown installed a memorial connecting the university’s involvement in the slave trade in 2014, she completely loses interest in them, but all I’m saying is, it would hard for her to avoid the legacy of slavery in academia or practically any institution in the United States, when racism is embedded in the physical and social fabric of every system we have here. I mean, by all means, drop Brown, but I do wish that the book focused on institutional racism far more than the explicit forms of racism through Harriet’s exchanges with white people, because the former is just as insidious and prevalent as the latter.
* Harriet’s in therapy throughout the book; I’m not no therapy expert, but Harriet’s level of rage throughout the book does not seem like something pure talk therapy can fix, I mean she has multiple example of completely blacking out in her rage, and I wish other support for her was at least mentioned. Harriet does feel a weight off her shoulders when she confronts the myriad emotions she’s been experiencing since the death of her mother, but still, I’m not saying she should have been institutionalized or something, but there was a lot of severe emotional dysfunction going on.
This book engaged me far more than McWilliams’ other book, Mirror Girls did, and overall, it was a sweet, educational, and entertaining ride.
“Don’t say it,” Dad warns. “Please no.”
“HBCU. They’re great schools, Dad.” I snort, exasperated. “Why are you so prejudiced?”
“I just want the best for you, and those institutions don’t have the same prestige. You have a chance here to attend an Ivy League school!”
---
Not too much on the HBCU slander, Mr. Howard, Jesus 💀.
Your Plantation Prom Is Not Okay focused heavily the legacy of slavery and Black trauma, as a celebrity wedding is being hosted on a plantation bought by a socialite, next to Harriet’s family’s memorial plantation. I don’t know if the celebrity couple here was lightly influenced by Blake Lively’s and Ryan Reynold’s plantation wedding in South Carolina back in 2012, but plantation weddings are still very much a thing and it’s very much disgusting. Harriet teams up with her new neighbor’s daughter, Layla, to try to cancel the wedding, especially as she finds out that her private school planned to host her prom at the plantation, all while dealing with the grief of her mother’s death a year prior.
* I think Layla’s and Harriet’s friendship was the star power of the book; their personalities are such a good example of opposites attract, and Layla definitely helped Harriet learn how to open her heart again to the world. Definitely did not like how Layla dropped the ball with Harriet in the middle of the book, but Layla’s story definitely opened the conversation towards white allyship, toxic influencer culture, and the impact of having neglectful and narcissistic parents. Layla and Harriet do continue their friendship at the end of the book, but I do wish she was physically present for the entirety of the book.
* The slang and “teenage talk” was sometimes off, NOT CUTE, but it didn’t happen so often that the book became unbearable.
* The romance was there; I would’ve much preferred a focus on Harriet’s friendships, but Dawn wasn’t terrible, it was just mad instalove. Harriet ends up taking a gap year and follows Dawn to DC, which is a no for me, but at least she got an internship at a museum. Don’t be following no dudes with no plans of your own, people.
* Every time Harriet mentioned her rage monster, I pictured the Hormone Monstress from Big Mouth.
* I don’t really get Harriet’s decision to dub Brown in the end? First of all, I was wondering if the book was ever going to acknowledge Brown’s (or any Ivy League’s) history with the slave trade, as Harriet was quick to fight for the people but was also like “😍 omg Brown is the dream, I’m going to escape the South’s horrors,” so I was a bit shocked she was so enamored with the Ivy Leagues. When she finds out that Brown installed a memorial connecting the university’s involvement in the slave trade in 2014, she completely loses interest in them, but all I’m saying is, it would hard for her to avoid the legacy of slavery in academia or practically any institution in the United States, when racism is embedded in the physical and social fabric of every system we have here. I mean, by all means, drop Brown, but I do wish that the book focused on institutional racism far more than the explicit forms of racism through Harriet’s exchanges with white people, because the former is just as insidious and prevalent as the latter.
* Harriet’s in therapy throughout the book; I’m not no therapy expert, but Harriet’s level of rage throughout the book does not seem like something pure talk therapy can fix, I mean she has multiple example of completely blacking out in her rage, and I wish other support for her was at least mentioned. Harriet does feel a weight off her shoulders when she confronts the myriad emotions she’s been experiencing since the death of her mother, but still, I’m not saying she should have been institutionalized or something, but there was a lot of severe emotional dysfunction going on.
This book engaged me far more than McWilliams’ other book, Mirror Girls did, and overall, it was a sweet, educational, and entertaining ride.
February 22, 2024
I was scrolling through Libby YA titles when I saw this and thought it'd be a perfect read for Black History Month (though, of course, you should read books like this all year round - it just happens I found this book by chance in February and immediately requested it). I feel like the title of the book didn't make super sense to me, I think Your Plantation Wedding Is Not Okay would have made more sense as the plot focused more on cancelling a celebrity wedding than it did the prom, which was only really brought into the plot around 60% in.
I really liked Harriet as a character. I love stories about people with anger issues and I thought her anger and how she learnt to deal with it was really important - while some of her decisions are frustrating at times, they do make sense with her anger issues and view of the world, and she does grow a LOT as a character by the end of the book. The plot around her mother, who passed away before the book started, was one of my favourite elements of the book, as stories about grief are so, so important. And I liked the romance plot, though I wish it had had more set-up time.
This book is REALLY dense with a LOT of plot points. I really wish some plot points were left out so that others could be given more attention than they got. Like, I feel like Harriet's friendship with Layla took SO much screen time, but her relationships with her school mates was kind of lacking and could have used way more time so that the end of the book had a bigger impact. I also think there were two side characters with eating disorders mentioned, but it feels completely unnecessary to the main plot as they kind of fell to the way side to focus on more important lot points.
The book covers a lot of really important plot-points around racism and mental health, and I really appreciated that. It's not an easy read - the very first scene shows Harriet having to deal with a racist customer at their enslaved people museum and the book continues to talk more about racism, both in the past and present, that are incredibly frustrating and unjust, as well as some heavy topics around mental health and grief. I liked that the author took time to mention that the museum also had indigenous guides who talked about how the plantation effected native people, and mentions a gay character and some of his struggles as a gay teen living in the south.
I really liked Harriet as a character. I love stories about people with anger issues and I thought her anger and how she learnt to deal with it was really important - while some of her decisions are frustrating at times, they do make sense with her anger issues and view of the world, and she does grow a LOT as a character by the end of the book. The plot around her mother, who passed away before the book started, was one of my favourite elements of the book, as stories about grief are so, so important. And I liked the romance plot, though I wish it had had more set-up time.
This book is REALLY dense with a LOT of plot points. I really wish some plot points were left out so that others could be given more attention than they got. Like, I feel like Harriet's friendship with Layla took SO much screen time, but her relationships with her school mates was kind of lacking and could have used way more time so that the end of the book had a bigger impact. I also think there were two side characters with eating disorders mentioned, but it feels completely unnecessary to the main plot as they kind of fell to the way side to focus on more important lot points.
The book covers a lot of really important plot-points around racism and mental health, and I really appreciated that. It's not an easy read - the very first scene shows Harriet having to deal with a racist customer at their enslaved people museum and the book continues to talk more about racism, both in the past and present, that are incredibly frustrating and unjust, as well as some heavy topics around mental health and grief. I liked that the author took time to mention that the museum also had indigenous guides who talked about how the plantation effected native people, and mentions a gay character and some of his struggles as a gay teen living in the south.
April 28, 2023
“When it remains abstract, horror’s hard to catch hold of. Misty as a dream and all too easy to forget.”
When Harriet Douglass was in elementary school, her family moved to a plantation in Louisiana and turned it into an enslaved people’s museum—one of the only ones in the South. After her mother passes away from cancer when Harriet is in high school, she throws herself into giving tours of the museum to help her keep the past alive and feel close to her mom at the same time. Harriet loves her home, and she loves history. When she finds out that a celebrity bought plantation land right next door to the museum with the hopes of turning it into a wedding venue, Harriet is rightfully angry. She gets even angrier when she discovers that her private school is planning on hosting their prom on the grounds. Is there anything she can do to make people realize just how horrible plantation weddings and proms are?
This novel is one that I would recommend to everyone. It tackles the topic of racism head-on, exposing the micro-and macro-aggressive actions of multiple characters. It points out how common white saviorism and performative activism is, as well as the direct harm it causes. McWilliams has crafted a compelling story that weaves in threads of important social commentary, grief, mental health struggles, and identity. It tackles heavy topics, and readers see Harriet experience a lot of anguish, but the novel also highlights the importance of community, hope, and education in the fight against racism. This is a novel that will make you laugh and cry, and you won’t be able to help falling in love with Harriet. She has her flaws, but her stubborn heart is in the right place—as a reader, you’ll either be able to relate to her struggles and her frustration, or you’ll be able to listen to them and learn how to be a better ally to the Black community.
(Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.)
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @pinereadsreview and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!
When Harriet Douglass was in elementary school, her family moved to a plantation in Louisiana and turned it into an enslaved people’s museum—one of the only ones in the South. After her mother passes away from cancer when Harriet is in high school, she throws herself into giving tours of the museum to help her keep the past alive and feel close to her mom at the same time. Harriet loves her home, and she loves history. When she finds out that a celebrity bought plantation land right next door to the museum with the hopes of turning it into a wedding venue, Harriet is rightfully angry. She gets even angrier when she discovers that her private school is planning on hosting their prom on the grounds. Is there anything she can do to make people realize just how horrible plantation weddings and proms are?
This novel is one that I would recommend to everyone. It tackles the topic of racism head-on, exposing the micro-and macro-aggressive actions of multiple characters. It points out how common white saviorism and performative activism is, as well as the direct harm it causes. McWilliams has crafted a compelling story that weaves in threads of important social commentary, grief, mental health struggles, and identity. It tackles heavy topics, and readers see Harriet experience a lot of anguish, but the novel also highlights the importance of community, hope, and education in the fight against racism. This is a novel that will make you laugh and cry, and you won’t be able to help falling in love with Harriet. She has her flaws, but her stubborn heart is in the right place—as a reader, you’ll either be able to relate to her struggles and her frustration, or you’ll be able to listen to them and learn how to be a better ally to the Black community.
(Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.)
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @pinereadsreview and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!
February 13, 2024
This book is powerful. McWilliams does a fabulous job intertwining the past and the present of the plantations.The main character Harriet is struggling with rage and grief after the loss of her guiding star, her mother. Her father tries to help, but he’s living in oblivion himself. They run a museum on a plantation that is focused on the history of the enslaved people rather the whitewashed antebellum South.
Despite the fight Harriet is in with herself while shouldering grief, there are so many quirky touches of humor in the novel. Rosemary the chicken is a star! Layla is the least likely friend and co-conspirator for Harriet in her plot to ruin a plantation wedding and later a plantation prom, and it does backfire for a bit, but Layla needs Harriet to grow up, and Harriet needs someone to goad her into action.
The reason for the 4: I work with teens daily. It doesn’t track that Sonya would have gone overseas for a year when she knew Harriet was still grieving. For a month, sure, but not for almost the entirety of Senior year.
I hope there is a sequel to this one. I really want to see what happens with Harriet & company next! I doobt there will be a sequel, as the story concludes well on its own merit, but McWilliams did leave a gap open . . .
Despite the fight Harriet is in with herself while shouldering grief, there are so many quirky touches of humor in the novel. Rosemary the chicken is a star! Layla is the least likely friend and co-conspirator for Harriet in her plot to ruin a plantation wedding and later a plantation prom, and it does backfire for a bit, but Layla needs Harriet to grow up, and Harriet needs someone to goad her into action.
The reason for the 4: I work with teens daily. It doesn’t track that Sonya would have gone overseas for a year when she knew Harriet was still grieving. For a month, sure, but not for almost the entirety of Senior year.
I hope there is a sequel to this one. I really want to see what happens with Harriet & company next! I doobt there will be a sequel, as the story concludes well on its own merit, but McWilliams did leave a gap open . . .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2023
Amazing book. Definitely had feelings.
The way the relationship to her mother was complicated, memories distorted in a way--all of it seeming to pair with/align alongside the development of her relationship to her father? And the overarching relationship with history, what we bring to it and make of it, what we choose to remember and memorialize? And the relationship to activism, what works and what doesn't, how it's a series of choices and never just a singular one? And how growth is complicated and sometimes the parts of us that hurt us are trying to help? Everything and all the things?
The way the relationship to her mother was complicated, memories distorted in a way--all of it seeming to pair with/align alongside the development of her relationship to her father? And the overarching relationship with history, what we bring to it and make of it, what we choose to remember and memorialize? And the relationship to activism, what works and what doesn't, how it's a series of choices and never just a singular one? And how growth is complicated and sometimes the parts of us that hurt us are trying to help? Everything and all the things?
July 12, 2023
I thought this was really really well done. I see a lot of people complaining about the main character but I was in the right mood for a YA and really enjoyed this one.
If you want an adult horror with this topic I recommend “when the reckoning comes”
If you want an adult horror with this topic I recommend “when the reckoning comes”
September 1, 2023
4.5 stars rounded down for one minor quibble near the end about colleges.
Otherwise, this had it all! Lots of history, a sweet romance, and in-depth experience of grief and trauma and therapy. Highly recommended!
Otherwise, this had it all! Lots of history, a sweet romance, and in-depth experience of grief and trauma and therapy. Highly recommended!
July 20, 2023
I loved this book so much. Clearly Kelly McWilliams has a gift, like her mother Jewell Parker Rhodes, of writing excellent, emotionally engaging realistic fiction with an eye towards unveiling and unpacking the hard history in our country. Very well done.
December 14, 2023
This book deals with so many topics - grief and mental health, whitewashed history, racism, activism and other current social issues - very well and still tells a great story. Highly recommended.
Read
September 10, 2023@ tay
VERY GOOD!!!!! highly recommend
VERY GOOD!!!!! highly recommend
April 16, 2023
Content warning: death of a parent from cancer, depression, mental health struggles, racism
YOUR PLANTATION PROM IS NOT OKAY is not a light and fluffy book, McWilliams delves into the actual history of America... and how too many generations are growing up missing the education of how this country was founded and built. While our protagonist, Harriet Douglass, might be a smart and witty teenager, she also is literally living on a plantation her parents turned into an enslaved people’s museum. On top of that emotional burden she is still trying to process the loss of her mother to cancer while also living with a father that is drowning in his own depression.
With that being said, McWilliams does an excellent job of giving readers moments of levity - because Harriet is spunky and knowing that there are teens like her out there in the real world give me hope that the needle may actually be able to be shifted, and that things can be changed in this country. Plantations should not used for parties, the Antebellum South should not be romanticized, plantation proms and weddings are definitely not okay. And if you don't know why, this is a great place to start.
I'm excited to get this book into the hands of my teen patrons, and I hope that it inspires them to continue or begin their own journey of activism... and maybe it will help inspire some adults too - especially those lacking melanin to reevaluate the American history they have been/are being taught.
Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.
YOUR PLANTATION PROM IS NOT OKAY is not a light and fluffy book, McWilliams delves into the actual history of America... and how too many generations are growing up missing the education of how this country was founded and built. While our protagonist, Harriet Douglass, might be a smart and witty teenager, she also is literally living on a plantation her parents turned into an enslaved people’s museum. On top of that emotional burden she is still trying to process the loss of her mother to cancer while also living with a father that is drowning in his own depression.
With that being said, McWilliams does an excellent job of giving readers moments of levity - because Harriet is spunky and knowing that there are teens like her out there in the real world give me hope that the needle may actually be able to be shifted, and that things can be changed in this country. Plantations should not used for parties, the Antebellum South should not be romanticized, plantation proms and weddings are definitely not okay. And if you don't know why, this is a great place to start.
I'm excited to get this book into the hands of my teen patrons, and I hope that it inspires them to continue or begin their own journey of activism... and maybe it will help inspire some adults too - especially those lacking melanin to reevaluate the American history they have been/are being taught.
Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.
April 29, 2024
Absolutely fantastic book!! I highly recommend! Author did a great job highlighting the harm of elevating places of past harm in American history when so many just see them as beautiful places instead of grounds filled with the blood of enslaved people and their descendants.
April 18, 2023
Your Plantation Prom Is Not Okay by Kelly McWilliams is a fantastic YA novel, with a Black teen girl protagonist who's voice is fierce and smart, but grieving and unsure at times. The emotional turmoil in Harriet's heart and mind contribute to the situations she finds herself in, and make an already fascinating premise even more compelling. Lots of dialog between Harriet and others that might open your mind to the Black experience in America today, or have you nodding along in recognition. This book was a journey!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
May 13, 2024
they say “yeet” in this book. thats all i have to say. also missed opportunity to make her fall in love with lacy (layla? i have no clue.)
April 11, 2023
Wow just wow. This is a book that should be read by everyone living in the US right in this very moment. Powerful doesn’t even begin to describe it. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and Kelly McWilliams for sharing such an incredibly moving and powerful story with us.
August 31, 2023
DNF ~30%
I initially took a while to get into it, the behavior of the white female tourist at their museum was believable and her indignation at what they were trying to do at a MUSEUM was well written (angering but well done).
I think this book has a lot of promise and premise was good, however I had to DNF because I could not get into the MC. Spelling everything out makes sense - the target audience that needs this message may not read between the lines or subtleties. However, your family runs a slavery museum, you are in the business of educating tourists of the history of these plantations. I get that it is and can be exhausting, especially for a grieving teen. However, MC sees a therapist, says she’s good, one of the best pediatric therapists around but writes her off as ‘so white she’s transparent’ and decides not to discuss her recent triggers, particularly regarding the purchase of a neighboring plantation with the owner’s intention of hosting events.
I tried to listen to this several times, but I could not get more than 10-15 min at a time. Good idea, just not the book for me.
I initially took a while to get into it, the behavior of the white female tourist at their museum was believable and her indignation at what they were trying to do at a MUSEUM was well written (angering but well done).
I think this book has a lot of promise and premise was good, however I had to DNF because I could not get into the MC. Spelling everything out makes sense - the target audience that needs this message may not read between the lines or subtleties. However, your family runs a slavery museum, you are in the business of educating tourists of the history of these plantations. I get that it is and can be exhausting, especially for a grieving teen. However, MC sees a therapist, says she’s good, one of the best pediatric therapists around but writes her off as ‘so white she’s transparent’ and decides not to discuss her recent triggers, particularly regarding the purchase of a neighboring plantation with the owner’s intention of hosting events.
I tried to listen to this several times, but I could not get more than 10-15 min at a time. Good idea, just not the book for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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