This book was provided by the publisher for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
Harlem Shuffle: A Novel by Colson WhiteheadSeries: Ray Carney #1
Publication Date: September 14, 2021
Publisher: Doubleday / Penguin Random House
Pages: 336
Goodreads
Source: From the Publisher
Genre: Fiction / Literary
Rating: ★★★★
Synopsis:
"Ray Carney was only slightly bent when it came to being crooked..." To his customers and neighbors on 125th street, Carney is an upstanding salesman of reasonably priced furniture, making a decent life for himself and his family. He and his wife Elizabeth are expecting their second child, and if her parents on Striver's Row don't approve of him or their cramped apartment across from the subway tracks, it's still home.
Few people know he descends from a line of uptown hoods and crooks, and that his façade of normalcy has more than a few cracks in it. Cracks that are getting bigger all the time.
Cash is tight, especially with all those installment-plan sofas, so if his cousin Freddie occasionally drops off the odd ring or necklace, Ray doesn't ask where it comes from. He knows a discreet jeweler downtown who doesn't ask questions, either.
Then Freddie falls in with a crew who plan to rob the Hotel Theresa—the "Waldorf of Harlem"—and volunteers Ray's services as the fence. The heist doesn't go as planned; they rarely do. Now Ray has a new clientele, one made up of shady cops, vicious local gangsters, two-bit pornographers, and other assorted Harlem lowlifes.
Thus begins the internal tussle between Ray the striver and Ray the crook. As Ray navigates this double life, he begins to see who actually pulls the strings in Harlem. Can Ray avoid getting killed, save his cousin, and grab his share of the big score, all while maintaining his reputation as the go-to source for all your quality home furniture needs?
Harlem Shuffle's ingenious story plays out in a beautifully recreated New York City of the early 1960s. It's a family saga masquerading as a crime novel, a hilarious morality play, a social novel about race and power, and ultimately a love letter to Harlem.
But mostly, it's a joy to read, another dazzling novel from the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning Colson Whitehead.
REVIEW
I finally sat down to read “Harlem Shuffle: A Novel” by Colson Whitehead after having it on my shelf for months, eagerly anticipating the day when I would immerse myself in its pages. From the moment I cracked open the book, I was transported to the vibrant streets of post-war Harlem, a place brimming with life, culture, and contradiction.
As I delved deeper into the narrative, I found myself captivated by the intricate web of characters that Whitehead expertly weaved. Each character, with their unique quirks and aspirations, served as a mirror reflecting the shifting landscape of the city. Through their eyes, I witnessed the forces of change that swept through Harlem, transforming it from a haven of community and culture into a battleground of gentrification.
But it wasn’t just the story that drew me in; it was the enchanting prose that danced across the pages. Whitehead’s writing is a symphony of words, a lyrical masterpiece that effortlessly captures the essence of the era. The vivid descriptions transported me back in time, allowing me to see, hear, and feel the pulse of 1960s Harlem.
And yet, despite being set in the past, “Harlem Shuffle: A Novel” remains strikingly relevant to the present day. The themes of social change, inequality, and the struggle for identity resonate deeply, reminding us that the more things change, the more they stay the same. It is a testament to Whitehead’s skill as a storyteller that his novel transcends time, bridging the gap between then and now.
I can confidently say that “Harlem Shuffle: A Novel” is a literary masterpiece that deserves to be savoured and celebrated. It is a love letter to a bygone era, a testament to the resilience of a community, and a poignant exploration of the human condition. This book is a treasure, a timeless gem that will continue to captivate readers for generations to come.
