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lcline85's review against another edition
1.0
Just gonna give this a big fat nope. I was excited by the synopsis but quickly found out that this book was not for me. I very, very rarely give up on a book but I've been contemplating doing this since the first few chapters. Now here I am half way through the book and I'm just dreading having to go and finish it. So, I'll just move on. I can't even pinpoint exactly what it is I don't like. The writing style, the endless riddles and hidden meanings that just overwhelm you, the constant lewdness, lack of substance...
helenamt's review against another edition
Struggling with the audiobook narrator, will try reading it instead
secondhandreads's review against another edition
The writing style was just clunky to get through for me, and I wasn't particularly compelled by the mystery aspect or most of the characters. Just didn't hold my attention.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Excrement
Minor: Slavery
cellardoor10's review against another edition
2.0
There were parts of this book I found really compelling and interesting, and a LOT of it that made me physically nauseous. I started dreading finishing it, but the audiobook is 24 hours long, and I'd sunk like, 18 hours already, and I really did kinda want to know how it ended?
The ending wasn't worth the slog, to me. It wasn't worth the constant, grotesque, sometimes first-person, always extremely detailed descriptions of every kind of sexual abuse you can think of. So much sexual abuse (like literally every page), so much child abuse, and a plot that sometimes seems to be thoroughly forgotten. If I hadn't been so distracted trying to prevent myself from crying or punching a wall or something, I might have been able to track it better.
Note: I previously reviewed a Nigerian book called Black Sunday in which I complained about the amount of sexual assault permeating the story. I have to slightly walk that back now, because I had NO IDEA how much SA you could fit in a book until this one. I don't know why someone would want to go for a Guinness World Record on rates of SA per page, but even at 600+ pages, this book would be a front-runner.
Okay, on to some other parts about the book:
I wasn't served well by the Audiobook format - the reader is great, lots of accents and voices and such, but I am not familiar enough with the spellings and pronunciations of names and locations to be able to actually follow what was happening and who it was happening to. I really enjoyed the dialogue and relationships Tracker had with a couple important characters, but whenever they left the story for one reason or another, we were left with Tracker and his ephemeral senses of right and wrong and strong hatred for women (at a couple points, other characters point out to him that he calls basically every woman a witch, deserved or not).
I'm extremely willing to admit that the tone and style of description of the book detracted from my ability to really dig in and enjoy and get engaged. I'm also willing to admit that this writing style is absolutely coming from a tradition I am not super well-versed in. African mythical stories and epic high fantasy is not an area of expertise for me. Additionally, I think that part of the grotesqueness is due to the framing of the story. The narrator is *trying* to distract or distress or disgust the person listening (I think, I spent a lot of the book confused). It is, to some extent, a device, and I can recognize that motivation and purpose and still hate enduring it (perhaps the point?).
There are a few parts that really sparkle in the book, showing Marlon James's understanding of character, dialogue, complex relationships (including some decent gay ones!), and dark realities. And that made me really sad when I realized that those segments were the exception, not the rule. A meandering story is one thing, a dark, sometimes disgusting tale is another, but combining the two was just ... so much. I'm still reeling from it. It kind of reminded me of Monkey King in some ways - the unusual band of adventurers who don't always get along, the fuzzy morality of everything, the epic fantasy journey, but while Monkey King periodically indulged in sidetracks into plot-irrelevant and sometimes truly cruel antics, it was never as violent, dark, or detailed as this book. I just felt like the bits of writing I liked were being used to make the horrible events more grotesque and upsetting. I had to pull up an online summary of what the heck was going on because I couldn't keep up with all the characters and events.
Anyway, I really wanted to enjoy it, or if not enjoy it, think highly of it and be happy I read it - it's considered a landmark in LGBTQIA African fantasy in some circles. But I now have some disturbing mental images that I can never un-imagine, so that's great. I think there's a spark here, and I'm interested in reading James's other work, but I can't say I recommend this book without some serious research first. Definitely don't notice the awards on the cover and pick it up blind like I did.
The ending wasn't worth the slog, to me. It wasn't worth the constant, grotesque, sometimes first-person, always extremely detailed descriptions of every kind of sexual abuse you can think of. So much sexual abuse (like literally every page), so much child abuse, and a plot that sometimes seems to be thoroughly forgotten. If I hadn't been so distracted trying to prevent myself from crying or punching a wall or something, I might have been able to track it better.
Note: I previously reviewed a Nigerian book called Black Sunday in which I complained about the amount of sexual assault permeating the story. I have to slightly walk that back now, because I had NO IDEA how much SA you could fit in a book until this one. I don't know why someone would want to go for a Guinness World Record on rates of SA per page, but even at 600+ pages, this book would be a front-runner.
Okay, on to some other parts about the book:
I wasn't served well by the Audiobook format - the reader is great, lots of accents and voices and such, but I am not familiar enough with the spellings and pronunciations of names and locations to be able to actually follow what was happening and who it was happening to. I really enjoyed the dialogue and relationships Tracker had with a couple important characters, but whenever they left the story for one reason or another, we were left with Tracker and his ephemeral senses of right and wrong and strong hatred for women (at a couple points, other characters point out to him that he calls basically every woman a witch, deserved or not).
I'm extremely willing to admit that the tone and style of description of the book detracted from my ability to really dig in and enjoy and get engaged. I'm also willing to admit that this writing style is absolutely coming from a tradition I am not super well-versed in. African mythical stories and epic high fantasy is not an area of expertise for me. Additionally, I think that part of the grotesqueness is due to the framing of the story. The narrator is *trying* to distract or distress or disgust the person listening (I think, I spent a lot of the book confused). It is, to some extent, a device, and I can recognize that motivation and purpose and still hate enduring it (perhaps the point?).
There are a few parts that really sparkle in the book, showing Marlon James's understanding of character, dialogue, complex relationships (including some decent gay ones!), and dark realities. And that made me really sad when I realized that those segments were the exception, not the rule. A meandering story is one thing, a dark, sometimes disgusting tale is another, but combining the two was just ... so much. I'm still reeling from it. It kind of reminded me of Monkey King in some ways - the unusual band of adventurers who don't always get along, the fuzzy morality of everything, the epic fantasy journey, but while Monkey King periodically indulged in sidetracks into plot-irrelevant and sometimes truly cruel antics, it was never as violent, dark, or detailed as this book. I just felt like the bits of writing I liked were being used to make the horrible events more grotesque and upsetting. I had to pull up an online summary of what the heck was going on because I couldn't keep up with all the characters and events.
Anyway, I really wanted to enjoy it, or if not enjoy it, think highly of it and be happy I read it - it's considered a landmark in LGBTQIA African fantasy in some circles. But I now have some disturbing mental images that I can never un-imagine, so that's great. I think there's a spark here, and I'm interested in reading James's other work, but I can't say I recommend this book without some serious research first. Definitely don't notice the awards on the cover and pick it up blind like I did.
amberflo's review against another edition
DNF’d this book about a quarter of the way in. I wish I liked it more
austenheroineinprogress's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
historysworstmonster's review against another edition
5.0
After reading this book 2 times I think I have a decent grasp on it. James' talent is clear in his ability to weave fiction, traditional African folklore, and themes that have interested him before all into one huge bouncing narrative filled with magical elements. On the second time around some of the queer elements jumped out at me. Internalized homophobia, homophobia being a symptom of misogyny, sexual power dynamics and how they connect to queer relationships. There is a lot in there, and I don't often read books more than once, especially not back to back, but I can see myself reading this yet again sometime in the future. Maybe when the 2nd book is released.
rosekk's review against another edition
1.0
Nope, not for me.
I almost never put books down without finishing them. On the odd occasion I find myself having to skim-read a book, but I usually at least commit to seeing the story to it's end. I tried to do the same with this one, but couldn't do it.
My problem was with the writing style. Usually I like books that mimic an oral story-telling style, and I like first-person narrators giving accounts of their lives (especially if the can be described as amoral or immoral, as I like seeing how they judge their own actions). I'm also quite happy with non-linear story structures, and vague or mystical elements. This, then, should have been right up my street. Instead, I hated the style and it made me hate the main character. I tried skim-reading the book for a bit, in an effort to at least see the tale to it's conclusion, but I found I just didn't care enough to push through to the end.
I almost never put books down without finishing them. On the odd occasion I find myself having to skim-read a book, but I usually at least commit to seeing the story to it's end. I tried to do the same with this one, but couldn't do it.
My problem was with the writing style. Usually I like books that mimic an oral story-telling style, and I like first-person narrators giving accounts of their lives (especially if the can be described as amoral or immoral, as I like seeing how they judge their own actions). I'm also quite happy with non-linear story structures, and vague or mystical elements. This, then, should have been right up my street. Instead, I hated the style and it made me hate the main character. I tried skim-reading the book for a bit, in an effort to at least see the tale to it's conclusion, but I found I just didn't care enough to push through to the end.