Reviews

The Sellout by Paul Beatty

holmahoney's review against another edition

challenging dark funny slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

lifepluspreston's review against another edition

2.0

The Sellout by Paul Beatty--This book purports to be a satire around the reimplementation of slavery. To be honest, I don't fully understand the hype around this book. It's shocking throughout and occasionally sentimental, but as both satire and story, it struggles. The satire, to the extent it exists, is wielded as subtly as a bowling pin to the brain, and it's tough to root for any particular character throughout. In some respects this feels like a way-too-long Onion article. Thumbs down. 

isabelpizarro's review against another edition

funny fast-paced

4.75

mjr313's review against another edition

funny slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I laughed about four or five times during the approximately 300 pages of this book but was otherwise underwhelmed by a “lead-pipe over the head” style of humor. 

alexchad's review against another edition

challenging funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

beccafinney3's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

A really difficult read and hard to pick up every time but definitely worth it at the end 

pjthom's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

katykelly's review

5.0

What an absolutely mad book!

Satire, yes. But if you're expecting Jonathan Swift, you'd best prepare yourself for something that can feel cruder and a lot more uncomfortable.

It's not easy to summarise what The Sellout is about... it starts near the end of the story, with a man on trial at the Supreme Court. For REINSTATING SLAVERY. Yes.

Then we are taken back to exactly what has brought this state of affairs to pass. And it's hilarious, definitely, in a dark way, with a lot of words that you wouldn't be happy reading aloud. It involves a star of old 'blackface' Hollywood, a crazy social-experimenting father, and a whole set of circumstances that make sense as you read them, but can't come together when you try to nail them still onto paper... I've tried!

I loved it, but it certainly isn't for everyone.

If you like to read books that are different, edgy, darkly funny, challenging (and now award winning), give this one a try. It's like nothing you'll have read before. As you probably guessed.

Quite a choice for a book group as well.

mollyrmcdonough's review against another edition

4.0

This book gives a satirical assessment of post-racial America. It’s unlike any other book I’ve read. I think everyone should go into this book without expectations, so I will leave it at that.

Read this book.

miss_cheevious's review against another edition

funny informative reflective slow-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

2.5