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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Enjoyed each vignette separately, but felt like there was meat left on the bone with the last two. Would have liked them more as more fleshed out stand-alone books to follow up “Harlem Shuffle.”
Still a good read and sneakily funny, despite the nature of the stories.
Still a good read and sneakily funny, despite the nature of the stories.
dark
funny
fast-paced
It is hard to be the second book in a trilogy. On the one hand, book 2 is the center, the part that holds the story together, on the other hand, it has no beginning or end that is not dependent on another book. Though the first book, Harlem Shuffle, ended on a bit of a cliffhanger it still stood on its own as a complete story. This, IMO does not. That said, it sets us up for what appears to be a rollocking book 3 and I am here for that. We have ridden in the sidecar as Ray has gone from rags to riches to rags to riches in all manner of ways, legal and illegal. I don't think it is a spoiler to say we leave Ray in a moment of transition for him and for the city at large. (Harlem remains the co-lead of the story, as much a character as any human here.) I like where Whitehead took the story (or really stories, there is more than one), but the book just does not stand on its own. Also, most of the side characters in this one were a little less colorful than those in the first book. That volume was for me a high 4, and this is a lower 4, but still a 4 and I am feeling pretty sure that the third book is going to be a barnburner.
One note: While reading this I kept thinking of the Don Winslow Danny Ryan trilogy which is on the same publishing timetable as this one - book 2 of that series, City of Dreams, came out a few months ago. That series starts with a traditional crime family, but in book 2 it turns into something less formal and very close to the loose confederation of conmen who show up in Whitehead's books. Ray Carney and Danny Ryan live in different cities, but in many ways they are similar. Criminals trying to be good men, and good men trying to be criminals. Also, in the second volume in both trilogies there is a subplot where the MCs get involved in making a film. Honestly the books in both series have been some of my favorite reads over the last few years so this is not a complaint, it is just really interesting that these two very different writers are treading on similar ground, though the resulting products are very different. When the final volumes of both come out I will be looking to see if they end up in different places.
One note: While reading this I kept thinking of the Don Winslow Danny Ryan trilogy which is on the same publishing timetable as this one - book 2 of that series, City of Dreams, came out a few months ago. That series starts with a traditional crime family, but in book 2 it turns into something less formal and very close to the loose confederation of conmen who show up in Whitehead's books. Ray Carney and Danny Ryan live in different cities, but in many ways they are similar. Criminals trying to be good men, and good men trying to be criminals. Also, in the second volume in both trilogies there is a subplot where the MCs get involved in making a film. Honestly the books in both series have been some of my favorite reads over the last few years so this is not a complaint, it is just really interesting that these two very different writers are treading on similar ground, though the resulting products are very different. When the final volumes of both come out I will be looking to see if they end up in different places.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I didn’t realize this was the second book was part of a a trilogy when I read it, but it doesn’t seem to rely too much on the first, because I was able to follow the plot. This was a book of three linked stories following Ray Carney years after he got out of jail for moving stolen goods, and after he was on the straight and narrow. Whitehead’s voice is so unique and I loved his writing style. Harlem is brought to life in Whitehead’s writing and it’s such an entertaining noir fiction. It feels old in a nostalgic way, like a heist movie from the 70s. I will definitely go back to read Harlem Shuffle before rereading this.
challenging
dark
funny
informative
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Great to be back in Harlem with Ray Carney again. I would have liked more of Ray to be honest. Sections 2 & 3 were as good as the first book but I did find the first one a bit hard to get through. Still, Whitehead not on his A game is better than most other writers full stop!
Enjoyed this as much as the last Ray Carney saga if not a bit more. Such a masterful control for pace—the Hollywood section was my favorite.
In this sequel, Ray Carney and his father’s crooked friend Pepper prove that grift is as dominant in NYC as it was in the 70s and is as a steady as the bedrock under their feet.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes