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juntakinte1968's review against another edition
2.0
I checked out this book as I enjoyed Hal Ashby's 1970 film adaptation of the novel. I thought that reading the source material would provide some backstory on the cast of characters, as well as be told in a more uncompromising voice.
Sadly, this is another example of a movie making a novel endlessly better merely by taking the premise and removing the silly stuff.
At the outset, the idea of the cultural collision should create a wealth of humor and conflict. In addition to some characters living with a 1950's style social conformity, you have some multiculturalism in the Black community, via a Black nationalist, educator, and former entertainer. But the author doesn't know how to treat this collection of social, racial, and political conflicts in any way. Additionally, the dialogue is terrible. I understand that the lead character (this neurotic young person) should ramble at times. But it annoyed me that other characters (his shrink, White girlfriend, and his father especially) spoke in the same way. It didn't fit the characters.
But most of all, after sitting through the first 4/5th's of the story, the final act tries to be both a White Messiah Melodrama (with Tragic Mulatto undercurrents) as well as a stark social reality of the times. And it doesn't hit.
I'd encourage one to avoid, and instead watch the film instead.
Sadly, this is another example of a movie making a novel endlessly better merely by taking the premise and removing the silly stuff.
At the outset, the idea of the cultural collision should create a wealth of humor and conflict. In addition to some characters living with a 1950's style social conformity, you have some multiculturalism in the Black community, via a Black nationalist, educator, and former entertainer. But the author doesn't know how to treat this collection of social, racial, and political conflicts in any way. Additionally, the dialogue is terrible. I understand that the lead character (this neurotic young person) should ramble at times. But it annoyed me that other characters (his shrink, White girlfriend, and his father especially) spoke in the same way. It didn't fit the characters.
But most of all, after sitting through the first 4/5th's of the story, the final act tries to be both a White Messiah Melodrama (with Tragic Mulatto undercurrents) as well as a stark social reality of the times. And it doesn't hit.
I'd encourage one to avoid, and instead watch the film instead.
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