A review by abbyleinbach
Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James

adventurous challenging dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

I don't think I could ever explain this book to people, but I really enjoyed it. This is not a book I would recommend to everyone, but the story really enthralled me. 
This is a dark, unhappy book. There's rape and murder in fairly graphic detail. Every character is morally grey. If that's not something that you enjoy, I don't recommend this book. What kept me reading was the world building and the relationships, platonic and romantic. 
One thing I did not like about this book was the main character's hatred towards women. I don't think this went unexamined, but I also feel like ultimately, his hatred was validated. 
If you decide to read this book, I highly recommend reading the book and listening to the audiobook in tandem. That really helped me to understand it and get through it. Seeing the maps was also helpful and was very fun.
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