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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
I've read every Colson Whitehead book for years now, and this is by far my least favorite. There are some beautiful lines and thoughful dialogue, but overall the stories just land flat and uninteresting.
This is a NetGalley Advance Review Copy
Rare is a chance that you get to read a book by one of your favourite authors so early so this lept to the top of my tbr pile pretty much instantly. I really like Colson Whitehead's narration, the continued journey of Ray Carney is fast paced, electric and full of character and personality. It's a typical crime novel but with enough soul in its book to feel alive: using the atmosphere of the 1970s New York to give it a seedy edge to it that caters towards a different tone from your normal ongoing crime series: the backdrop of trash-piled high streets of 971 gives Crook Manifesto a unique history.
We get to see Carney making it straight between the three years of 1971, 1973 and 1976 and wrestling with the change of Harlem itself over time in these years: the social commentary running through here is biting and the exploration of the fine line between crooked and staight in terms of how much you're on the payroll and how easy it is to become, well - bent, is one of the book's major themes: as is its love of music for the era, bands like Jackson Five give Crook Manifesto a ready-made soundtrack.
A city on edge, bursting full of energy, drawing from the great New York movies of the 70s - I wouldn't have Crook Manifesto any other way.
Rare is a chance that you get to read a book by one of your favourite authors so early so this lept to the top of my tbr pile pretty much instantly. I really like Colson Whitehead's narration, the continued journey of Ray Carney is fast paced, electric and full of character and personality. It's a typical crime novel but with enough soul in its book to feel alive: using the atmosphere of the 1970s New York to give it a seedy edge to it that caters towards a different tone from your normal ongoing crime series: the backdrop of trash-piled high streets of 971 gives Crook Manifesto a unique history.
We get to see Carney making it straight between the three years of 1971, 1973 and 1976 and wrestling with the change of Harlem itself over time in these years: the social commentary running through here is biting and the exploration of the fine line between crooked and staight in terms of how much you're on the payroll and how easy it is to become, well - bent, is one of the book's major themes: as is its love of music for the era, bands like Jackson Five give Crook Manifesto a ready-made soundtrack.
A city on edge, bursting full of energy, drawing from the great New York movies of the 70s - I wouldn't have Crook Manifesto any other way.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not nearly as good as the first book, the Harlem Shiffle. This felt more… banal.
funny
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:
Yes
The plots didn’t totally sell me but who really cares when the writing is so fun and good. Seated for the third completely
I loved the first book but I really struggled to get back into this world and I'm nervous that this is apparently a trilogy.
Gave up after 40%. All style no substance. Loved the 1st book, so not sure if I was just not in the mood, or what
I enjoy this series. It reads kinda like a gumshoe detective novel, even though it’s about crooks. I find Carney believable as a working stiff with a Harlem criminal sideline, for the era & it’s romantic about old New York in a way that the nostalgia works for me.
Anyway: this one is an opera in three acts, or: three novellas, really. Really enjoyed the first two. Plot of the last one is a little bit clunkier, (and he’s REALLY committed to stringing the Manhattan schist concept through it). It’s fun, in a lighthearted criminal way with some high-level political tentacles. Good summer read
Anyway: this one is an opera in three acts, or: three novellas, really. Really enjoyed the first two. Plot of the last one is a little bit clunkier, (and he’s REALLY committed to stringing the Manhattan schist concept through it). It’s fun, in a lighthearted criminal way with some high-level political tentacles. Good summer read