Scan barcode
emily_koopmann's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Racism, Slavery, and Gun violence
Minor: Sexual content
cmvoelkel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This is, indeed, a hell of a book. I've never read anything quite like it. Bold, fresh, unflinching and a very creative and unique take on current social realities- specifically police shootings and institutional racism. This is a novel as a tool of activism, a novel that is totally powerful and unforgettable.
Why then a less than 5 star rating? Honestly I felt that the premise of the story felt a bit too gimmicky at times. The story and writing was powerful enough on its own without the need for the fantastical elements. That said, I will definitely be following Jason Mott and looking forward to more of what he shares of his powerful voice.
Why then a less than 5 star rating? Honestly I felt that the premise of the story felt a bit too gimmicky at times. The story and writing was powerful enough on its own without the need for the fantastical elements. That said, I will definitely be following Jason Mott and looking forward to more of what he shares of his powerful voice.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Police brutality
paperknotbooks's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Police brutality, and Murder
Moderate: Bullying and Racial slurs
Minor: Alcoholism and Vomit
deenice2819's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Racism, Bullying, Gun violence, Police brutality, Murder, Racial slurs, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Blood, Child death, Classism, Slavery, and Mental illness
maryannc's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Death of parent, Police brutality, Child death, and Racism
tonstantweader's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Hell of a Book is a hell of a book. Once upon a time, meta meant self-referential, like a book about a book by an author writing about an author. The central character of this book is an author on a book tour for his book which he titled Hell of a Book. We never learn his name, so we can’t assume he is Jason Mott, but we can’t assume he isn’t.
There is a second storyline that centers on a young boy named Soot whose parents hope can learn to become invisible and thus, become safe. His story is tragic and quotidian, his name joining the other children who were seen when they needed to be unseen, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Tamir Rice.
Soot and our anonymous author meet up and begin a conversation but then a person can start to wonder if Soot is real or a memory or even a ghost. There is a lot to make you wonder in A of a Book.
I loved Hell of a Book. I loved it so much I would stop reading it just to make it last longer. It also made me cry, but that is not remarkable, I cry at Hallmark commercials. What is remarkable is I cried without for one second feeling emotionally manipulated. I cried without feeling the author wanted to make me cry.
The language in this book is powerful and poetic, with spare and disciplined poetry. It is very much about racism and white supremacy, but there are no polemics. The author does not want to be that person, and he has a handy PR expert telling him to definitely not be the “angry Black man” but sometimes avoiding that anger is impossible. To not be angry is to lie. This was a of a Book.
- Hell of a Book at Penguin Random House
- Jason Mott author site
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2022/02/11/9780593330968/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Murder, and Bullying
yamumsnotproud's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A bit trippy, a lot timely. The reckoning on matters of race that America has faced permeates this story. It floats like an omnipotent perfume, heady and dangerous. The characters are reminder that Black suffering and death are devastatingly unremarkable in their prevalence. A truely heartbreaking notion. It is about the acts of mothers, fathers and communities trying to break the wheel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Hate crime, Murder, Police brutality, and Racism
Challenging and incredibly inventive narrative about Black trauma, death and police brutality.rozereads's review
challenging
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Keeps you guessing what it's all about until the last third of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Hate crime, and Racism
Moderate: Body horror
nicoleisalwaysreading's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Wow. I’m in awe. This concept just continued to expand and expand and encompass so much more beauty and difficulty as it grew. The technical side of this writing is genius. Would be 5 stars if not for a slight doubt that this exact narrative structure was 100% effective. There was a building sense of a “reveal” that never quite came, but that ended up being what I thought all along. So I’m wondering if some of the mystery or uncertainty throughout was completely necessary/clouded the poignancy and clarity of the themes which were already so complex…nevertheless, this is EXCELLENT. Please read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Slavery, and Child death
Moderate: Alcohol
Such an interesting way to play with magical realism or a bending of how we perceive “reality” in something that is already fictional.lorit1227's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death of parent, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Racism