Reviews

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

andrew1987clarke's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

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

3.75

erminaj's review against another edition

funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

harborreader_92's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

renbuhhannah's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny 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

andyourstruly's review against another edition

dark reflective tense

4.5

After Underground Railroad, I'd wanted to read more by Colson Whitehead, so when I came across Harlem Shuffle initially, I decided to give it a try without reading the summary.  It's structured very differently from the outset from UR, so it took me a while to figure out what to make of it, but once I got properly into it, it was every bit as gorgeous.  Somehow, he manages to keep all of the history and style and the way peoples' lives weave into one another even without a sci-fi train ferrying you from one place to another.  His way of handling characters is fascinating because in some ways, the characters are most of the story, and in other ways, the characters are merely puppets whose strings are being pulled in the inevitable way of destiny, and in still more ways the city is the real main character, ever there, ever watching, and everyone else is just passing their ephemeral lives in her chambers.

Anyway, I immediately checked out three more books by him, he's really incredible.

rembrandt1881's review against another edition

4.0

Noir ish novels can be hit or miss because some drag so much in building the world and setting up the action it can be infuriating. There were times with this novel I was sort of drifting out of it but then Colson Whitehead uses a nice description that brings things back around. It can and does meander at times but at the end of the day he brings around each of the sections to a satisfying conclusion. He paints a great picture of Harlem in the late 50's and early 60's and a portrait of a guy who is just trying to make it.

acma708's review against another edition

adventurous tense fast-paced

4.0

parenthesis_enjoyer's review against another edition

adventurous 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, and Violence

Moderate: Racism, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Racial slurs

Minor: Police brutality

chelbakery's review against another edition

challenging funny tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.25

tcheesman's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny tense fast-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

5.0