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tessieferro's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
“The great mass of white workers, however, was afraid to organize and fight for more pay because of a deep-set fear that the Negroes would take their jobs. (…) They had first read of the activities of Black-No-More, Incorporated, with a secret feeling akin to relief but after the orators of the Knights of Nordica and the editorials of The Warning began to portray the menace confronting them, they forgot about their economic ils and began to yell for the blood of Dr Crookman and his associates. Herein lay the fundamental cause of all their ills. Times were hard, they reasoned, because there were so many white Negroes in their midst taking their jobs and undermining their American standard of living. None of them had ever attained an American standard of living to be sure, but that fact never occurred to any of them.”
4.5
Fantastic satire, surprisingly modern, easy to read, and a hell of a good time. An underrated, obscure classic that deserved a lot more attention.
4.5
Fantastic satire, surprisingly modern, easy to read, and a hell of a good time. An underrated, obscure classic that deserved a lot more attention.
crystalstarrlight's review against another edition
4.0
Bullet Review:
Pretty creepy that I would 100% believe this could have been written yesterday.
What would happen if there was a way that blacks could be made white? What would America look like? This is that portrait - and in Trump’s America, it’s pretty eery.
Just so no one is surprised: yes, the n-word is used. A LOT. But these characters are pretty awful (both white and black), and this was written in the 1930’s so bear that in mind.
Pretty creepy that I would 100% believe this could have been written yesterday.
What would happen if there was a way that blacks could be made white? What would America look like? This is that portrait - and in Trump’s America, it’s pretty eery.
Just so no one is surprised: yes, the n-word is used. A LOT. But these characters are pretty awful (both white and black), and this was written in the 1930’s so bear that in mind.
dveliseev's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Deeply funny and cuts sharply against the weaponisation of racism as a tool of capitalism. George Schuyler asked, “what happens to a racist society when race disappears” and the answer, unsurprisingly, is white people would still be racist
stacydt's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
sad
medium-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? Yes
4.25
jojodoug55's review against another edition
3.0
Obviously a literary piece, but I think its potential could have been further reached had the narration not been so much told as described. Had it been more character-driven, it would have also been more interesting and could have offered more perspective, aiding in the fiction's speculative nature.
drlark's review against another edition
dark
funny
medium-paced
4.25
I can't help wondering if Dr. Seuss was inspired by this satire of racial identity when he wrote The Sneeches, where the plain-bellied and star-bellied speeches fight over who is superior and build machines to add and remove their stars until everyone is all mixed up.
This is much much darker, a biting and well fleshed out spec-fic account of the rippling effects of turning black people white to eliminate "the negro problem." Still very funny, too. Highly recommend this Harlem Renaissance novel/novella.
This is much much darker, a biting and well fleshed out spec-fic account of the rippling effects of turning black people white to eliminate "the negro problem." Still very funny, too. Highly recommend this Harlem Renaissance novel/novella.
thechanelmuse's review against another edition
4.0
Written during the Harlem Renaissance, Black No More is a satirical, speculative fiction novel that follows Max Fisher, a Black man who resorts to a scientific procedure after he gets rejected by a white woman
joelette's review against another edition
challenging
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
It's hard to believe this book was published in 1931 because the themes are very modern.
renjamin's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, and Racism
arinaski's review against another edition
5.0
I felt like the ending was rushed, a bit like a fairytale epilogue (it's not a bad thing I just wanted the book to go on haha and I probably had my own expectations; waiting to see the "black no more" treatment having some side effects..)
Very good, very smart.
Very good, very smart.