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jennareadsbooks 's review for:
Deacon King Kong
by James McBride
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a book! The characters especially! This book warmed my heart, made me laugh, and kept me guessing.
Set in a housing project in Brooklyn called the Cause Houses in 1969, Deacon King Kong centers on an old alcoholic deacon nicknamed Sportcoat, who one day seemingly randomly shoots a young drug dealer named Deems. Everyone in the Cause Houses assumes Sportcoat is a dead man walking. The story takes off from there, and we learn about the backstories and lives of so many residents of the Cause as the story unwinds.
The characters in this book are larger than life. I was wrapped up in the relationships and friendships formed over the years at the Cause Houses. This book actually pairs really well with my current audiobook of The Warmth of Other Suns, which is about the great migration of Black people leaving the south. In DKK, many residents of the Cause, and especially older members of the Five Ends Baptist Church, have come from the south, and carry their past experiences and traditions with them.
The way everything in this book is woven together is brilliant. The story kept me invested, and every character is memorable and fully realized. After I finished this last night, I had dreams about the characters and the Cause. I really loved this one and can tell it will stick with me. I’d highly recommend it, and I’m eager to read more of McBride’s work!
Set in a housing project in Brooklyn called the Cause Houses in 1969, Deacon King Kong centers on an old alcoholic deacon nicknamed Sportcoat, who one day seemingly randomly shoots a young drug dealer named Deems. Everyone in the Cause Houses assumes Sportcoat is a dead man walking. The story takes off from there, and we learn about the backstories and lives of so many residents of the Cause as the story unwinds.
The characters in this book are larger than life. I was wrapped up in the relationships and friendships formed over the years at the Cause Houses. This book actually pairs really well with my current audiobook of The Warmth of Other Suns, which is about the great migration of Black people leaving the south. In DKK, many residents of the Cause, and especially older members of the Five Ends Baptist Church, have come from the south, and carry their past experiences and traditions with them.
The way everything in this book is woven together is brilliant. The story kept me invested, and every character is memorable and fully realized. After I finished this last night, I had dreams about the characters and the Cause. I really loved this one and can tell it will stick with me. I’d highly recommend it, and I’m eager to read more of McBride’s work!