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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
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.
Did not finish. Could not get interested in the story or the characters. I really liked The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store but this one seemed to me just to be rambling on. I read a few reviews and even a couple 4 star reviews said they don’t really get it until well into the book. I’m not willing to invest the time. Since I can’t give zero stars, I gave it there to be fair.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
reflective
slow-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:
Yes
New York, 1960s. Sooo many vivid characters! I’m thankful to the parent that suggested this challenging (for me) book! I wanted to share every other page with someone who could appreciate the way James McBride composed his sentences. I didn’t know what I was getting into, and I had no idea the plot would be so convoluted, and I still don’t know why Sportcoat (the Deacon) shot Deems in the first place, but I’m glad I read this. It brought me hours of entertainment!
I struggled to get into this book right away, the dialogue and many characters were hard to follow at first, I almost stopped but I’m so glad I didn’t! I laughed and cried and throughly enjoyed this story. It’s a story set in housing projects, a place often seen only for its crime and poverty and struggle. While the book shows these things, it more importantly shows the humanity and community, love and joy behind what so many just see as a statistic. As the story progressed I grew to care deeply about the characters even if I still got some of them confused, and the dialogue got easier to read and often made me laugh out loud. One of my favorite reads this year!
3.5
I eventually really enjoyed this book, but it took about 1/4 of the book to get in to it. The story was good, although you could figure out the ending to some storylines early on. Others were a surprise at the end. At times I found the writing a bit redundant and overly descriptive, but overall it was lovely.
I eventually really enjoyed this book, but it took about 1/4 of the book to get in to it. The story was good, although you could figure out the ending to some storylines early on. Others were a surprise at the end. At times I found the writing a bit redundant and overly descriptive, but overall it was lovely.