Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Friday, July 10, 2020

Deacon King Kong by James McBride

How I Heard About It:
*An Instagram blogger I follow chose this novel as his book club pick.  I did a bit of research and was intrigued by the story.  Then Oprah announced the novel as her book club selection.  I decided to order a copy and see what all the buzz was about. 


What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
1.  *The author takes the reader back during the year 1969 and focuses on a group of people living in a "project" in the New York area.

2.   *Deacon, "Sportscoat", walks out into the middle of the Cause House and shoots the local drug dealer.

3.  *"Sportscoat" has had a slew of health issues over the years, including alcoholism. 

4.  *As the residents come to terms with the shooting incident, their stories are told and unfold throughout the pages. 

5.  *The lives of the shooter and the drug dealer are changed forever based on one single event. 


What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
1.  *I was extremely excited going into the story.  Based on the last couple of Oprah picks, I was thinking I was going to love her newest selection.

2.  *The start of the story was interesting and I was curious as to where "events" were going to go.

3.  *As the narrative introduced the neighborhood characters, my interest began to wane.

4.  *The plot was a bit slow and after the initial incident, not a whole lot happened.

5.  *The writing was beautiful, detailed, and quite descriptive.  


Who Should Read It:
*Since so many readers are giving the book 4 and 5 stars, I know there are definitely a lot of readers out there who have and would enjoy the novel.  For the reader who gravitates toward the richly written with a slow and deliberate plot, this is the novel for them.  Happy Reading! 


Rating:   3 STARS out of 5 Stars





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