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.
