A review by axo17
Hell of a Book by Jason Mott

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I really loved it. Not a huge fan of books where they jump back and forth between voices/narrations. But once you get a feel for the characters it helps a lot. I loved how it touched on a lot of different arguments to racism or what “isn’t” racism/the problem. The reason I ranked it a lower than the full 5 is because even though I understand where the the author is coming from by also using mental health as an example with the (?Schizophrenia?) I feel like that’s a whole separate issue. Yes, it adds another level to it, but it left me wanting a little more of that side to the story. Be it clarity, meat, whatever. 

Ultimately, for me Hell of a Book really showed more of what I have never experienced, as far as this depth. The only other comparison I have to what people of color could go through is as a woman, I was taught to not dress a certain way, carry keys in my fingers, tell friends where I am are going on a date, dealing with misogyny, so on and so forth. I think that might be the only way I related on occasion to the multiple examples given. But. It’s just a whole world I’ll never know and I think reading it and trying to understand that hurt, is one small aim from the book in a much larger - seemingly never ending - story. 

I recommend this to anyone. It might put something into perspective a little more.

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