Scan barcode
A review by sarahkorn
The Mayor of Maxwell Street by Avery Cunningham
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
3.75
A really interesting story with interesting characters. I don't think I've read a gangster novel before, and certainly not one in glitzy, gritty 1920s Chicago, centered on Black folks in the thick of Jim Crow. I had really, REALLY high hopes for this book!
However, there were times the pages flew and times where I needed to set it down because it wasn't clicking, and unfortunately I think the latter was the case more often than not so it took nearly two weeks to finish. The length and meandering nature of the book made it hard to keep the thread. The prologue and epilogue has some of the best prose in the book, and a true testament to the author's literary talent, but plot wise the ending was just confusing.
However, there were times the pages flew and times where I needed to set it down because it wasn't clicking, and unfortunately I think the latter was the case more often than not so it took nearly two weeks to finish. The length and meandering nature of the book made it hard to keep the thread. The prologue and epilogue has some of the best prose in the book, and a true testament to the author's literary talent, but plot wise the ending was just confusing.