Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
At first I was a little confused with the time jumps, but then I was glad for them. An amazing story that actually put some things into perspective for me. A different take on the normal mobster genre. Less focus on the big guys and more on the ones who do the leg work.
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
Set in Harlem throughout the 1950s-1960s, Colson Whitehead's Harlem Shuffle follows Ray Carney during three separate heists. Carney, trying to deviate from his father's background in crime, tries to keep his furniture business legitimate. However, his family and environment keep leading him back into the criminal world, and sometimes he embraces it.
I immediately knew I wanted to read this book because of the Colson Whitehead hype, but it was not what I expected. The over-arching plot is fun, and it's interesting seeing Carney evolve throughout the three parts of the book. I think Whitehead did a great job fleshing Carney out into a realistic character.
Out of the three parts, I liked the third one the best. I especially liked that Whitehead set the novella during the race riots, as it emphasized the underlying racial tensions in Harlem. Without the third part of the book, I probably would've rated this book 2 stars.
Overall, I was not engaged at all. The writing was choppy (definitely a style choice, and it just didn't vibe with my preference), and the structure was jarring to me. The three "novellas" tended to end abruptly, and I found that the endless detail made me want to skim the text as opposed to engaging with it. I also felt that most of the dialogue didn't add anything to the plot besides maybe ambiance, and the space could've been utilized better.
Although I didn't love it, I would recommend this title to those who prefer pulpy crime novels and those who don't mind a sentence fragment, lol.
Thank you to NetGalley and DoubleDay Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I immediately knew I wanted to read this book because of the Colson Whitehead hype, but it was not what I expected. The over-arching plot is fun, and it's interesting seeing Carney evolve throughout the three parts of the book. I think Whitehead did a great job fleshing Carney out into a realistic character.
Out of the three parts, I liked the third one the best. I especially liked that Whitehead set the novella during the race riots, as it emphasized the underlying racial tensions in Harlem. Without the third part of the book, I probably would've rated this book 2 stars.
Overall, I was not engaged at all. The writing was choppy (definitely a style choice, and it just didn't vibe with my preference), and the structure was jarring to me. The three "novellas" tended to end abruptly, and I found that the endless detail made me want to skim the text as opposed to engaging with it. I also felt that most of the dialogue didn't add anything to the plot besides maybe ambiance, and the space could've been utilized better.
Although I didn't love it, I would recommend this title to those who prefer pulpy crime novels and those who don't mind a sentence fragment, lol.
Thank you to NetGalley and DoubleDay Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book didn't live up to Nickel Boys for me but was still a great read. I had a hard time following the plot from time to time but overall it was a really interesting look at trying to make it work as a Black man in Harlem in the 60s. I liked that the developments in the city paralleled what was happening in the characters' lives. The socio-political landscape was always humming in the background no matter what was going on, even if it was a crazy part of a heist. On to Crook Manifesto! Whitehead is about to be one of my most read authors.
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not one of Whitehead's best. I found it a bit boring-kind of the same throughout the book.
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
Not as captivating as the Nickel boys and definitely of the same league as the underground trainnetork. It leaves me disappointed. The descriptions of New York in the sixties can not catch my interest. Nevertheless a simple good book.