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mcf's review
5.0
I enjoyed this a lot, not just because it ticks a lot of my boxes (gangster-related, period piece, vaguely hard-boiled, aware of race), but because it ticks them well. The writing and characterizations possess a complexity that those who turn their noses up at 'genre fiction' don't believe exists in that world (because, you know, they've never looked), and the book's unflinching exploration of race -- told through the eyes of a mixed-race man so light he sometimes passes -- are well-observed, cutting, and rueful. Finally, Elliot is a great character: troubled, thoughtful, and to the point in his messy life where he suddenly feels vulnerable in moments through which he used to blaze with fiery confidence. He and the motley team that has gathered him around him are a group of whom I'm looking forward to seeing more.
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