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kailamccracken 's review for:
Deacon King Kong
by James McBride
“You worked, slaved, fought off the rats... And still New York blamed you for all its problems. And who can you blame? You were the one who chose to live here, in this hard town with its hard people, the financial capital of the world, land of opportunity for the white man and a tundra of spent dreams and empty promises for anyone else stupid enough to believe the hype.”
This book has incredible writing, riveting characters, and is equal parts hilarious and sobering. The plot is interesting and unique, but the novel’s themes run much deeper than the face value of the plot. It’s set in the late 1960s, but poses the same questions America is still trying to answer today: What do we, as Americans, feel like we’re entitled to? What societal ills are the majority of us willing to accept in exchange for our own comfort? Do the institutions white Americans trust—the police, the criminal justice system—offer any real protection to immigrants, minority groups, or those living in poverty? What does it mean to be a good person, and does the “law and order” our country holds dear actually punish bad behavior, or does it criminalize the poor and the working class while turning a blind eye to the transgressions of the powerful? I am certain I’ll be rereading this story many times to come.
This book has incredible writing, riveting characters, and is equal parts hilarious and sobering. The plot is interesting and unique, but the novel’s themes run much deeper than the face value of the plot. It’s set in the late 1960s, but poses the same questions America is still trying to answer today: What do we, as Americans, feel like we’re entitled to? What societal ills are the majority of us willing to accept in exchange for our own comfort? Do the institutions white Americans trust—the police, the criminal justice system—offer any real protection to immigrants, minority groups, or those living in poverty? What does it mean to be a good person, and does the “law and order” our country holds dear actually punish bad behavior, or does it criminalize the poor and the working class while turning a blind eye to the transgressions of the powerful? I am certain I’ll be rereading this story many times to come.