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Book Review
Nov. 29th, 2019 07:10 pmBlack Leopard, Red Wolf
by Marlon James
I ran hot and cold with this book. The narrative follows Tracker, a man with a preternatural sense of smell that allows him to find anyone anywhere by scent, as he searches for a missing child. The land he roams is based on African mythology and legends, containing both vibrant cities and strange wildernesses. James' prose is rich and evocative, and I absolutely loved the world-building. The setting is a fascinating place, equal parts beautiful mystery and grotesque menace. The story-telling style took a bit of getting used to, though, since there are many digressions into backstory and side-tales that are important but occasionally they required effort to place into the whole. Tracker was also a hard character for me to connect with, as he can be quite callous and nihilistic in a way that initially really put me off. It wasn't until later in the book that I began to really understand him and the traumas that shaped and motivated him. I am really looking forward to the next couple of books, though, as they will be retelling the same events but from different perspectives that reveal other aspects of the story.
by Marlon James
I ran hot and cold with this book. The narrative follows Tracker, a man with a preternatural sense of smell that allows him to find anyone anywhere by scent, as he searches for a missing child. The land he roams is based on African mythology and legends, containing both vibrant cities and strange wildernesses. James' prose is rich and evocative, and I absolutely loved the world-building. The setting is a fascinating place, equal parts beautiful mystery and grotesque menace. The story-telling style took a bit of getting used to, though, since there are many digressions into backstory and side-tales that are important but occasionally they required effort to place into the whole. Tracker was also a hard character for me to connect with, as he can be quite callous and nihilistic in a way that initially really put me off. It wasn't until later in the book that I began to really understand him and the traumas that shaped and motivated him. I am really looking forward to the next couple of books, though, as they will be retelling the same events but from different perspectives that reveal other aspects of the story.
