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Community comment are the opinions of contributing users. These comment do not represent the opinions of Omaha Public Library.
Oct 02, 2019
Well, I have to say that the first half of this book was absolutely everything I wanted from Ta-Nehsisi Coates' debut novel. The writing is absolutely transformative. I read slowly so I could savor each luscious description. I was thrilled by the nuance and the careful way Coates layers story upon story. That said, I did not enjoy the last half of the book as much. While the idea is intriguing and has great potential, the execution was a bit flawed. I found myself confused by what was occurring and I think part of that reveals Coates' limitations as a debut novelist. As soon as he departs from realistic fiction and wades into magic realism, the quality of the writing begins to change. Magic realism demands artistry and while Coates writes beautifully, I was unconvinced in many moments of the text. It was such a stark departure from the painstakingly detailed world Coates crafted in the first half of the book. I also agree with other reviewers that the ending is a bit too tidy. I found it unsatisfying considering the amount of emotion, memory, and weight the first half of the book carried. Overall, I absolutely recommend this book and will continue to eagerly await what Coates publishes next.