A review by serendipitysbooks
Incognegro by Mat Johnson

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

 Incognegro opens with a Black journalist from Harlem passing as white in order to expose lynchings in the South. Having his true identity discovered and just managing to flee town again pushes him towards retirement, but when he learns his brother has been arrested in Mississippi for murder those plans go on hold as he is desperate to rescue him before he is killed. What follows is a story filled with tension and plenty of unexpected twists and turns. It reads like a slightly improbable yet tense and absorbing murder mystery, but it is also an important work of historical fiction shining light on aspects of American history - lynchings, the KKK, which are confronting and must never be forgotten. The graphic format worked especially well in this regard since images can have more impact than words and be harder to skim over. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings