![]() ![]() Whitehead has done a fantastic job making this past New York City feel alive. The 1950s world feels vivid and real, showing the differences in class and race in bright color and sound. The setting of Harlem also feels like its own character, in a way. The other characters, like Freddie and Pepper and Linus, are less likeable, but really intriguing too. He makes some decisions I don’t think I would have, but he also is so clearly trying to make the best choices he can for himself and his family that you can’t help but root for him anyway. Carney is a well-formed, complex character. ![]() You are really immersed in what Carney, and the other characters, think and feel. I like the narrative style Whitehead is using here-it’s often conversational, without being overly casual. He only hopes he can navigate the tightrope safely. Now, he’s stuck living a double life, and in doing so seeing how Harlem really runs. Carney refuses, but the men and the stolen goods show up anyway. Then, his cousin approaches him with a request to be the fence for some stolen goods. However, with the ghost of his crooked father still seeming to haunt him, and his cousin’s dabbling in crime, playing it straight is proving difficult. In Harlem Shuffle, Ray Carney is trying to make an honest living by selling furniture. This is my third novel by Whitehead, and it might be my favorite so far! ![]()
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