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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
My review is Elle’s review below. She captured what so was thinking in a beautiful way. There were many times i wanted to abandon the book entirely...but I’m glad I didn’t. I thoroughly enjoyed them and their misfit lives. It also left me with many more questions and thoughts....and I’m ok with that!
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
James McBride's prose was a lyrical flow that swept me up into a community in flux that was nearly-overflowing with a dazzling array of fleshed-out characters with constantly intersecting paths, the most memorable of them all (and one of the most memorable fictional characters I have encountered in a good while, period) being the deacon for whom this very book is titled. At times side-splittingly ridiculous, at others absolutely wrenching and real, and all-around just a beautiful work of literary art that I just could not put down.
Brilliant, authentic dialogue w well realized characters who drive this novel tremendously // a novel w the power to reveal truths deeper than those found in simple fact or nonfictions — more concerned with experiential, relatable truths // reminded me of Barry Gifford and to an extent A Confederacy or Dunces w/ Sportcoat playing into that Ignatius J Reilly kind of hilarity // absolutely loved it and thrilled to go back and read McBride’s other books
Great characters, great story - i thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Took me two starts to get in to this. But am glad I tried the second time. Even if the sheer number of characters sometimes got me bogged down a bit!
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My opinion on this one is right down the middle. Deacon King Kong has many well written and entertaining moments but is also saddled by too many subplots that in the end are hastily wrapped up. The first third of the book delivers that same kind of swirling tall tale madness that you see in books like “One Hundred Years of Solitude.” The odd mysteries along with the time and setting combined for a strong pull that initially keeps you turning pages.
By the middle of the book, things get a bit predictable and the tone changes a lot. In some parts, things get downright predictable. The draw of the book wanes off like many of the small supporting characters. These supporting parts and plots are in themselves intriguing but the random style of their weaving in and out gave it a disjointed and meandering feel. Where you want the author to go deeper, he stays in the shallow end. Likewise, he dives headfirst into other areas that are wholly uninteresting.
I can’t decide if the book should have been longer or shorter to make it better. If longer, I picture the story of Deacon growing into a sprawling scale that could be a contemporary reimagining of Don Quixote. If shorter, it could have been a great novella with fewer subplots and characters. A lot like some of Philip K. Dick’s best works. This was one occasion where I though the material would make play better in film format than written.
By the middle of the book, things get a bit predictable and the tone changes a lot. In some parts, things get downright predictable. The draw of the book wanes off like many of the small supporting characters. These supporting parts and plots are in themselves intriguing but the random style of their weaving in and out gave it a disjointed and meandering feel. Where you want the author to go deeper, he stays in the shallow end. Likewise, he dives headfirst into other areas that are wholly uninteresting.
I can’t decide if the book should have been longer or shorter to make it better. If longer, I picture the story of Deacon growing into a sprawling scale that could be a contemporary reimagining of Don Quixote. If shorter, it could have been a great novella with fewer subplots and characters. A lot like some of Philip K. Dick’s best works. This was one occasion where I though the material would make play better in film format than written.