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argman's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
Kind of noir but in a late fifties-early sixties setting. Well written with great characters and a strong plot.
ohgirlieplease's review against another edition
4.0
Breezed through this one! Colson Whitehead's writing is so deeply immersive, it was so easy to get lost in this setting. I did find myself needing to re-read passages more than once as things moved quickly, but I enjoyed the pacing for the most part. The book is less a single narrative and more like three short stories exploring the character of Ray Carney as an, at least initially, unwilling participant of 1960s Harlem's world of organized crime. I found Carney, as well as many of the other characters, engaging and fun to "watch". I say "watch" because oftentimes I would just close my eyes while listening to the audiobook (Dion Graham is perfect as the narrator!) and picture the story in my head, the prose was truly cinematic! I agree with some other reviews saying some of the characters felt underutilized (already can't wait to see more of Pepper...hopefully!), but knowing this is part of a planned trilogy makes that less of an issue for me, as I imagine there was a lot of exposition and establishing work being done in this first installment. Very excited to revisit this series!
maximusrex's review against another edition
Couldn’t keep focused. Plan to return to it at a different time.
serinde4books's review against another edition
4.0
Ray Carney is a furniture salesman in Harlem in 1959. He seems like a decent guy, as he says “I may be broke, but I ain’t crooked.” But he isn’t really straight either. I don’t know what I expected, but it in a very good way. This book was gritty and bare. The story didn’t try to pretty Harlem up, I can only imagine how roughy it was in the 60’s for the black community. I like Ray, I liked his demeanor and his outlook on life. He was in a rough time in history, they were rocky waters to navigate.
*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*
*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*
johnsj01's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this more. It had some good elements and potential; Harlem during summer in the 60’s. This book just was not executed in a way that got me interested in the characters. I didn’t really care about them or the story line. I can’t quit put my finger on why, perhaps too much going on, moving from story to story? There were some great blurbs/prose but it wasn’t enough to pull me and often found myself bored, wishing the book would end.
jeojkkogji's review against another edition
3.0
Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead was not really what I expected from the description of being torn between making an honest living and being a crook. I think because of this expectation, the book wasn't as entertaining as I hoped it would be. I did enjoy how the characters and setting were written and described. I just wished it was more exciting.
kelly_inthe419's review against another edition
3.0
I read, and loved, Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroaded. And Nickel Boys is waiting patiently on my shelf to be read this fall. So when the opportunity came along to read Harlem Shuffle, I couldn’t pass it up.
Unfortunately I was a bit underwhelmed with the story overall. I actually liked protagonist Ray Carney, son of a small-time Harlem crook. He’s a college graduate married to the daughter of a well-healed, well-respected family who constantly look down on Carney & his roots. He runs an aboveboard furniture store but also has a side gig peddling small pieces of jewelry and TVs that his cousin and other petty thieves drop off.
I also enjoyed the atmospheric setting of Harlem in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was awash in character and portrayed both the majestic and vibrant as well as the more disreputable and seedy parts of the community.
The book is really three short stories, woven together as a portrait of Ray’s life and his struggles between doing good for his family and the continuous lure of adventure that pulls hime toward crime. It’s labeled as “crime fiction,” which I think is a bit misleading. If you’re looking for hard boiled detectives and gruesome murders, this is nis not that book.
But the story itself was rather slow, even for me who is fond of slowly evolving character studies. I felt the plot and storytelling were uneven - sometimes rushed, sometimes meandering through flashbacks of Ray’s childhood. Whitehead has built a solid reputation as a “don’t miss” author and I think this may have been a case of wrong book, wrong time as many other readers seem to love it.
Thank you NetGalley and Doubleday for my eARC of Harlem Shuffle.
Unfortunately I was a bit underwhelmed with the story overall. I actually liked protagonist Ray Carney, son of a small-time Harlem crook. He’s a college graduate married to the daughter of a well-healed, well-respected family who constantly look down on Carney & his roots. He runs an aboveboard furniture store but also has a side gig peddling small pieces of jewelry and TVs that his cousin and other petty thieves drop off.
I also enjoyed the atmospheric setting of Harlem in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was awash in character and portrayed both the majestic and vibrant as well as the more disreputable and seedy parts of the community.
The book is really three short stories, woven together as a portrait of Ray’s life and his struggles between doing good for his family and the continuous lure of adventure that pulls hime toward crime. It’s labeled as “crime fiction,” which I think is a bit misleading. If you’re looking for hard boiled detectives and gruesome murders, this is nis not that book.
But the story itself was rather slow, even for me who is fond of slowly evolving character studies. I felt the plot and storytelling were uneven - sometimes rushed, sometimes meandering through flashbacks of Ray’s childhood. Whitehead has built a solid reputation as a “don’t miss” author and I think this may have been a case of wrong book, wrong time as many other readers seem to love it.
Thank you NetGalley and Doubleday for my eARC of Harlem Shuffle.
garland's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
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
5.0