A review by adamsockel
The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr.

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I have never read anything quite like this book. A love story of two young men, slaves in the American South, and the ways their lives are impacted by the white family who keeps them in bondage, the reactions and actions of their fellow slaves, and their ancestors from Africa years before they were born. The lyrical, heartbreaking way Robert expresses their tenderness and pain is breathtaking. This book is unique not just because it's rare to see this specific topic addressed in any book, but also in the structure and care given to it by its author. 

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