Book Review: Black Leopard, Red Wolf - Marlon James

 Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James

It wasn’t my cup of tea.

It’s the first book I’ve read by Marlon James but, for me, it was just passable.  A friend of mine loved it so perhaps you will.

For me, the story seemed to be amiss - more of a shock novel with gratuitous use of vulgar language and sex similar to some other novels I read but never felt a connection with such as Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller although the plot of Tropic of Cancer was easier to follow.
  

I have always seen Vulgarity as unnecessary - an intelligent person can express his or her ideas without resorting to vulgar language.  At the same time, I understand that what is vulgar, obscene or taboo varies by culture and indeed by person.  

For me, the book didn’t tell a compelling story - it just wasn’t there for me.  If I removed the overuse of vulgar language, the story still doesn’t engage me.  I don't like to "ruin" a book by revealing too much but the story in essence follows the life of a man who finds people using paranormal ability and his trips which are always violent - lots of killing.   

Anyway, this was my first novel by an author originally from Jamaica although Marlon James now resides in the US.   

Currently reading Mexican Gothic by Canadian-Mexican author Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis (1925 Pulitzer Award), The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Spanish author who died in 2020 from cancer) and A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth of India.  Also just started The Girl who wrote Loneliness by South Korean Author Kyung-Sook Shin - the only book I'm reading now to expand my diversity of world authors although as you can see my other selections are diverse also.

I have now read books written by Authors from 29 different countries (at least).  I'm still cataloging.