A review by dandelionfluff
47 by Walter Mosley

3.0

While the premise seemed promising, presenting a blend of science fiction and historical fiction, the narrative doesn't quite reach a balance between the two. The writing is heart-wrenching, to be sure; you see the physical pain as well as the psychological turmoil of slavery. But, that seems much more real and developed than anything that happens Elsewhere. I don't want to give too much away, though. A good book (warning: it does use the n-word very often), but not as fleshed out as it could have been, or needed to be, for the story to really reach completion.

Spoiler

Essentially John's other home with all its people feels more like a dreamscape than an actual place facing a universal threat. The antagonist, Wall, never feels immediate and real. 47's role as hero of all doesn't feel… authentic. Do you know what I mean? There's too much that goes undeveloped for me to take seriously. The historical details were there, in all their gruesomeness, but… I just feel like the ending fell flat. Happy, I suppose, but flat.