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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
This book comprises a well-balanced mix of historical fiction and thriller; set in Atlanta in the mid 1900’s, where racism, corruption and violence have become normalcy for the city’s inhabitants. I haven’t decided my feeling towards some of the final events in the novel; hence “only” 4 stars. Perhaps I’ll change my mind, eventually.
Wow! Powerful read. There were times when I simply had to put the book down because I could not get past the feelings conveyed. The portrayal of black officers in post war Atlanta. The harassment they received from their white counterparts who did not view them as counterparts. The black community who saw them as Uncle Toms. They were in a no-win situation. Still they stayed true to their mission.
This book was great, and painful. Great in the way great books can be great, when they're well-written with lots of character development and a sense of time and scenery that really puts you there.
But it's painful, too. The goddamned HATE in this book. There's good-natured, don't-know-no-better hate. There's vicious-hateful-to-the-fucking-core hate. And everywhere in between. Hate and degradation and hate and injustice and hate. And prejudice. And hate.
This is the story of the first (and only) 8 colored police officers in the City of Atlanta in the 1940's. Disallowed to have squad cars, arrest white suspects, conduct any investigations, and even approach the police headquarters.
This is the exciting, moving, and heartbreaking story of Atlanta's Negro Officers, and their attempt to bring to justice the murderer of a pretty, young, colored girl.
And it is such a good story.
But it's painful, too. The goddamned HATE in this book. There's good-natured, don't-know-no-better hate. There's vicious-hateful-to-the-fucking-core hate. And everywhere in between. Hate and degradation and hate and injustice and hate. And prejudice. And hate.
This is the story of the first (and only) 8 colored police officers in the City of Atlanta in the 1940's. Disallowed to have squad cars, arrest white suspects, conduct any investigations, and even approach the police headquarters.
This is the exciting, moving, and heartbreaking story of Atlanta's Negro Officers, and their attempt to bring to justice the murderer of a pretty, young, colored girl.
And it is such a good story.
Darktown will thrust you into a time period in the deep south when whites still viewed and treated blacks as inferior. Racism is dark, dirty, and feeding the city of Atlanta when the police department decides to hire their first eight African American police officers. Smith and Boggs know too well what it like to be in a position that no one wants to them. They are met with hatred, threats, and disrespect.
One night as they are patrolling the streets on the black side of Atlanta, or as it is known by others, Darktown, a car hits a lamp pole. In the car they see a white man and black woman. The next day the black woman they saw in the car is found dead in a vacant lot. Boggs and Smith take it upon themselves to investigate what happened to cause the death of this woman, but events and a handful of characters will make this investigation hard and dangerous. If you like historical fiction with suspense I definitely recommend this book. I can see this book as a movie or TV series on Netflix.
One night as they are patrolling the streets on the black side of Atlanta, or as it is known by others, Darktown, a car hits a lamp pole. In the car they see a white man and black woman. The next day the black woman they saw in the car is found dead in a vacant lot. Boggs and Smith take it upon themselves to investigate what happened to cause the death of this woman, but events and a handful of characters will make this investigation hard and dangerous. If you like historical fiction with suspense I definitely recommend this book. I can see this book as a movie or TV series on Netflix.
My original draw to this story was the fact that Jamie Foxx and Sony Pictures Television have optioned it to turn it into a major TV series, so make sure you get ahead of the game by reading it now. Set in Atlanta a few years after the end of WWII, this author pulls no punches when detailing the day-to-day experience of segregation in the Deep South. The appointment of the city's first black police officers centres the focus of this awful period of history, highlighting how brutally slow (and brutally painful) progress has been. It's a fascinating read - and a tense one. I'm literally gripping my eReader with concern every time the policeman start a new shift, mainly because their white colleagues are so horrific. A brilliantly paced piece of historical fiction. Can't wait to see the TV show.
Excellent historical fiction- I wonder if we see any more of Boggs and Rake?
This novel was like a cross between LA Confidential and Cop Town.
This novel was like a cross between LA Confidential and Cop Town.
For many years I’ve been recommending Thomas Mullen’s The Many Deaths of The Firefly Brothers as a great American novel set during the Depression era, with its compelling period detail and a couple of superb protagonists in the guise of notorious bank robbers Jason and Whit Fireson. On the strength of this, I was keen as mustard to read Mullen’s Darktown, set in the racially charged era of 1940’s Atlanta…
I will quite honestly say that I was held in Darktown’s thrall from start to finish, and felt genuinely engaged with the essence of the period, Mullen’s bold and engaging characterisation, and the compelling plotline which gravitated between claustrophobic tension and heartfelt emotion throughout. Being so firmly rooted within the conflict and racial tension of this period, the language and terms used completely reflect the era, and with our modern day sensibilities there is a slight uneasiness at the language used. However, being so much of its time, and as a testament to the weight of dignity he throws behind his maligned black characters, and the white protagonists, some sympathetic, some hostile, the rhythm, vernacular and cadence of the language used plays an essential role in the book. The depth of Mullen’s historical research shines through from the references to the inherently unjust limitations placed upon black citizens not only in their segregation from whites, but also the lack of legal redress available to them. This is mirrored in the very strict restrictions placed upon his black police officers, Boggs and Smith, as to how they conduct their police business, and the added layer of scrutiny and danger that they have to operate within. Likewise, the impunity that white police officers such as Dunlow operate under is sharply at odds with the black officer’s experience, and gives the crooked Dunlow a very long leash from which to pursue his corrupt ways. Mullen traverses a significant amount of individual black and white experience across different realms of society throughout the book, from a lowly farmer to the higher echelons of political power, and with the distinctive backdrop of the racially and socially divided Atlanta as his backdrop, the depth and realism of his chosen period is perfectly integrated throughout.
The characterisation throughout the book is never less than perfect, with all of the main protagonists, as well as lesser characters having sharply drawn edges, and more importantly, being absolutely believable in their depiction, Consequently, such is the level of emotional engagement with them as a reader, you are completely drawn into their individual stories of bravery, certitude, honour or corruption throughout. Mullen depicts beautifully their moments of doubt, the battle to retain their moral centre when pushed to the limit by injustice and racism, or the depths of depravity that wearing a police badge or holding a position of power can reveal in those that society has deigned to be above all others. The moral integrity of both black officer, Boggs, and white officer Rakestraw, operating from both sides of the racial divide is explored throughout. It was extremely gratifying to see that although this is a book firmly rooted in the differences between black and white experience both figuratively and racially that Mullen avoids plummeting his characters into overly moralistic tropes. Instead he leaves area of grey where we witness as readers bad people doing bad things, and good people being driven to bad actions navigating their way through the tinderbox flashpoints that racial division stirs up, and can then draw our own conclusions on the veracity of their actions.
This is an intelligent, thoughtful and emotionally compelling read, peopled by a sublime cast of characters and a balanced and realistic portrayal of weighty issues, firmly located in the fascinating and tumultuous period of post war America. Cut through with moments of raw emotion, thought-provoking social observation, and never less than totally engrossing, Darktown is something really quite special indeed, and at times with its exploration of racial divide in America, made this reader ponder how far American society has really progressed when looking at these issues with a contemporary eye. Highly recommended.
I will quite honestly say that I was held in Darktown’s thrall from start to finish, and felt genuinely engaged with the essence of the period, Mullen’s bold and engaging characterisation, and the compelling plotline which gravitated between claustrophobic tension and heartfelt emotion throughout. Being so firmly rooted within the conflict and racial tension of this period, the language and terms used completely reflect the era, and with our modern day sensibilities there is a slight uneasiness at the language used. However, being so much of its time, and as a testament to the weight of dignity he throws behind his maligned black characters, and the white protagonists, some sympathetic, some hostile, the rhythm, vernacular and cadence of the language used plays an essential role in the book. The depth of Mullen’s historical research shines through from the references to the inherently unjust limitations placed upon black citizens not only in their segregation from whites, but also the lack of legal redress available to them. This is mirrored in the very strict restrictions placed upon his black police officers, Boggs and Smith, as to how they conduct their police business, and the added layer of scrutiny and danger that they have to operate within. Likewise, the impunity that white police officers such as Dunlow operate under is sharply at odds with the black officer’s experience, and gives the crooked Dunlow a very long leash from which to pursue his corrupt ways. Mullen traverses a significant amount of individual black and white experience across different realms of society throughout the book, from a lowly farmer to the higher echelons of political power, and with the distinctive backdrop of the racially and socially divided Atlanta as his backdrop, the depth and realism of his chosen period is perfectly integrated throughout.
The characterisation throughout the book is never less than perfect, with all of the main protagonists, as well as lesser characters having sharply drawn edges, and more importantly, being absolutely believable in their depiction, Consequently, such is the level of emotional engagement with them as a reader, you are completely drawn into their individual stories of bravery, certitude, honour or corruption throughout. Mullen depicts beautifully their moments of doubt, the battle to retain their moral centre when pushed to the limit by injustice and racism, or the depths of depravity that wearing a police badge or holding a position of power can reveal in those that society has deigned to be above all others. The moral integrity of both black officer, Boggs, and white officer Rakestraw, operating from both sides of the racial divide is explored throughout. It was extremely gratifying to see that although this is a book firmly rooted in the differences between black and white experience both figuratively and racially that Mullen avoids plummeting his characters into overly moralistic tropes. Instead he leaves area of grey where we witness as readers bad people doing bad things, and good people being driven to bad actions navigating their way through the tinderbox flashpoints that racial division stirs up, and can then draw our own conclusions on the veracity of their actions.
This is an intelligent, thoughtful and emotionally compelling read, peopled by a sublime cast of characters and a balanced and realistic portrayal of weighty issues, firmly located in the fascinating and tumultuous period of post war America. Cut through with moments of raw emotion, thought-provoking social observation, and never less than totally engrossing, Darktown is something really quite special indeed, and at times with its exploration of racial divide in America, made this reader ponder how far American society has really progressed when looking at these issues with a contemporary eye. Highly recommended.
Not only a great mystery thriller, but very raw and eye opening in portraying racism in the south around the 50s.
From the first page to the last Thomas Mullen's hard boiled novel about the struggles of Atlanta's first 8 African American cops grabs you and never lets you. Mullen like so many other great crime writers uses the genre to explore larger social issues, in this case life in Jim Crow South before Civil Rights were an issue or offered protection to the African American community. His sharp and at time lyrical prose captures the complexity of racism in the South and reveals how at that time, even the people who were supposed to respectful of African Americans were capable of hypocrisy.
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated