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tony_t's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-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
4.25
"A rage in Harlem" was my first novel by Chester Himes. I was unsure about what to expect but I always look for books that carry the Vintage Crime / Black Lizard designation and I am rarely disappointed. Fast moving and fully immersed in the Harlem environment, we are introduced to the perennial loser Jackson and the two detectives, Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones, who will end up being involved in a scam gone horribly wrong. A quick and engaging read, I can recommend this one wholeheartedly.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Violence, and Drug use
tylerdad's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I learned about Chester Hymes on the 60th anniversary of his death. He was a near contemporary of Chandler and Hammett, and some of his writing, I gathered, was in their style, except about the black experience in Harlem.
Having recently read crime story takes on Harlem of the 1950’s and 60’s by Colson Whitehead, Jake Lamar, and James McBride, I was excited to read the original source material; someone who was alive at the time and knew that world firsthand, and no doubt was an inspiration for those writing a half century later.
I was not disappointed. While I see the comparison to Chandler and Hammet, Himes has his own unique voice. At least, in this first book in the Harlem series, it is both darker and funnier than those classic predecessors, and, if you can believe it, even more cynical.
In this first book in this series, the 2 detectives—Gravedigger and Coffinhead, have relatively minor roles. Certainly no Marlowe or Spade to follow.
But writing is propulsive and the descriptions of Harlem unforgettable.
Having recently read crime story takes on Harlem of the 1950’s and 60’s by Colson Whitehead, Jake Lamar, and James McBride, I was excited to read the original source material; someone who was alive at the time and knew that world firsthand, and no doubt was an inspiration for those writing a half century later.
I was not disappointed. While I see the comparison to Chandler and Hammet, Himes has his own unique voice. At least, in this first book in the Harlem series, it is both darker and funnier than those classic predecessors, and, if you can believe it, even more cynical.
In this first book in this series, the 2 detectives—Gravedigger and Coffinhead, have relatively minor roles. Certainly no Marlowe or Spade to follow.
But writing is propulsive and the descriptions of Harlem unforgettable.
maddiepalmer443's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
chillcox15's review against another edition
5.0
This was my first Chester Himes book. I can't wait to read more Chester Himes books. A Rage in Harlem is so visceral, so smart in its sublimation of racial anger and coping into a mile-a-minute, fist-to-the-head, blood-soaked crime caper that I was honestly in awe as I tore through its 150 or so pages. Himes's sense of grotesque humor is honestly unparalleled, with brothers in heavenly drag and corpses rolling in the streets, that I can't imagine how he'll top it in his other Harlem novels.
aalvizo's review against another edition
3.0
A solid.... 3.5 or 3.75 for me. Awesome noir book. Really enjoyed the carefully crafted scenes of Harlem and characters sprinkled throughout the novel. Full review at https://alexalvizo.com/2022/12/06/a-rage-in-harlem/.
deegee24's review against another edition
4.0
A carefully written, tongue-in-cheek social satire in the form of a hardboiled crime novel. Hines introduces his Black detectives, Coffin Ed and Gravedigger Jones, but they are secondary characters. The two main characters are Jackson and Imabelle. The book isn't really plot-driven and the crime caper is very simple and made known to the reader early on. The main mystery at the heart of the book is how to read Imabelle: is she sincere in returning Jackson's love or is she the stereotypical, backstabbing femme fatale of the hardboiled genre? Leaving this open to interpretation at the end was a stroke of genius.
tittypete's review against another edition
3.0
A square dude is in love with a shady lady. Shady lady gets him involved in a con where he loses all his money. Then everything goes to shit. This book is sort of bonkers. Old timey harlem was full of weird stuff. Cross-dressing nun impersonators, speedball shooting dudes in gross basements, axe wielding madams, stolen gold, knife fights, acid-throwing, crooked reverends, lazy luggage checkers and black cops that just shoot guns whenever they speak. More twists than a penis caught in a penis twisting machine.
This is the first in the 'Harlem Detectives' series but the Harlem Detectives (Coffin Ed and Gravedigger) are really more bit characters here. They are the ones who are always randomly shooting to make their points. Fun stuff tho.
Until darkness takes us,
Mitters
This is the first in the 'Harlem Detectives' series but the Harlem Detectives (Coffin Ed and Gravedigger) are really more bit characters here. They are the ones who are always randomly shooting to make their points. Fun stuff tho.
Until darkness takes us,
Mitters