A Brief History of Seven Killings

I picked this up after reading the blurb in the library. I wanted it to be really good, but it turned out only okay. At 700 pages, it's probably about 200 pages too long, and some of the middle sections are a bit flabby. There are also characters whose storyline appears to just peter out, almost as if they were forgotten about, but an afterword does suggest that there's a second book on the way, so I will reserve judgement on that. I was alsodisappointed that a book set for two thirds in mid to late 70s Jamaica and then early 80s New York had so little focus on with music. It's not all bad though. The depiction of the Jamaican ghetto is very evocative, and the different narrative voices are really well handled. There are also some great set pieces - the crack house scene is a fantastic piece of writing.

I'm glad I read it, but it won't be the best book I read this year.