Reading the World discussion

from wikipedia:

John Crow's Devil is the 2005 debut novel by author Marlon James. The book was first published by Akashic Books in New York. The story is set in 1957 in the fictional town of Gibbeah, Jamaica, where two men fight to be the town's singular religious leader. James portrays the fight between the two men as a struggle between good and evil and incorporates magical realism, with miracles woven into the plot.

Hector Bligh is a preacher in the small Jamaican town of Gibbeah, where his public struggles with alcoholism have earned him the nickname The Rum Preacher. Bligh's congregation tolerates his misbehavior while Bligh overlooks the sins and stray paths of his congregants.

This unspoken agreement is broken when a fire-and-brimstone preacher, Apostle York, abruptly appears during mass one day. York violently removes Bligh from the Pulpit and savagely beats him.

While Bligh recovers under the care of a villager, York assumes Bligh's congregation, residence, and church. The congregation is drawn to York's lead as he fills the spiritual vacuum left by Bligh's vacant and soft-hearted ministry. Bligh returns to the church only to find that his congregation no longer wants him and York is willing to resort to violence to repel him.

The story follows the two men as their conflict grows to biblical proportions.

I finished this one this week and gave it 4 stars. I didn't expect it to be as explicitly violent, gruesome, and vulgar as it was, but it really didn't feel gratuitous to the story.

It was about the decay of a community that has become morally apathetic, and then a community moved from that position to one of violent fanaticism and hypocrisy. It very much feels reminiscent of The Crucible or The Lottery by the end. Without the visceral quality of writing, the sense of how horrific Gibbeah's conversion to "Apostle" York's rapture is is lost, as is the sense of a community in decline that has to be present for him to make such an impact there.

Overall, the story feels like an impassioned decry against the hypocrisy of extreme Christian conservatism in Jamaica, which is notorious for its violent homophobia. I wasn't at all surprised to later read that James fled the country over homophobic persecution. The novel does read from a place of personal hurt.

It also masterfully integrates a lot of Jamaican dialect and magical realism based somewhat in the Obeah witchcraft tradition, which was cool.

Amanda wrote: "I finished this one this week and gave it 4 stars. I didn't expect it to be as explicitly violent, gruesome, and vulgar as it was, but it really didn't feel gratuitous to the story.

It was about ..."

TY so much. Still plugging along.

Have not even started yet. It doesn’t sound like an uplifting holiday read. Will try to get to it right after the holidays

Like Amanda, I found this to be a powerfully projected allegorical tale about the extremes of Christian religious worship in Jamaica. I think it was important that the setting was 1957 and not today as the portrayal of being homosexual leaned heavily toward the shame involved and the nature of the religious leaders preying on their young male flock.
This was James' first novel and it demonstrated a fine tuned writing style although I did feel as if it wasn't masterful yet. There was a certain amount of lack of fullness in the characters and the depiction of extreme violence and the acts of sexual predators overrode at times the subtle nature of the two men's conflicting beliefs. Neither men were good men and the "good" Rum Preacher had knowingly acted against his own value system while the Apostle York was a victim in many ways. It was not straight good versus evil story and that is what I found interesting. Also, I am not at all sure of the last chapter. What exactly do you think that meant in regards the Widow? The chapter is called "The Beginning", but is it the beginning of redemption or a continuation of damnation. The Widow was not a believer in a Christian God so I am a bit confused.
Very well worth reading however.

I am not yet done, but, let me tell you Ladies, that the audio is stupendous.

The lilt of the Jamaican tongue is evident throughout.

And, as frequently happens, getting your perspectives enhances my experience.

Thank you both, Amanda and Gail. 😘😍🤗

Celia wrote: "I am not yet done, but, let me tell you Ladies, that the audio is stupendous.

The lilt of the Jamaican tongue is evident throughout.

And, as frequently happens, getting your perspectives enhance..."

Glad you're enjoying the audio! I always appreciate reading yalls thoughts as well :)

I read the scribd ebook, but I feel like this one would flow great on audio.