A review by ashleysbookthoughts
The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr.

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

4.5

I can see why Jones has been compared to Toni Morrison. His writing has a similar lyrical quality and like Morrison, there’s a lot of depth beyond the words on the page. Like Beloved, there is a vague otherworldly feeling in The Prophets. The story is real and painful, but there’s a feeling of magic to it as well. But comparisons aside, Jones’ voice is solidly his own. And he has a lot to say (give him a follow @thesonofbaldwin for proof). 

It took me a long time to get through this book. Not because I wasn’t invested, but rather because it isn’t one that can be read casually. I couldn’t pick it up after a long stressful day, because I was unable to give it the attention it required. Jones’ writing is dense and complex and requires focus. 

This is a tough read. Jones doesn’t shy away from the brutality of slavery. He inspects the generational trauma of the slave trade and colonialism. But he also does something quite lovely. He puts forth a depiction of queerness that is the so natural, so pure, that it feels impossible that we should ever have thought queerness wrong or different. 

While the narrative builds slowly, by the final third of the book I couldn’t put it down. 
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