A review by angieoverbooked
Deacon King Kong by James McBride

emotional funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

When Sportcoat, a cranky but beloved deacon, gets drunk and shoots the neighborhood drug dealer who was once a promising baseball player, it sets off an unexpected chain of events and the 1960s Brooklyn community is never the same. 

James McBride’s DEACON KING KONG is a remarkable multicultural story that is filled with heart, intrigue, and laugh-out-loud comedy. 

I read this for a second time and returning to this endearing cast of characters was like a family reunion. And like a family reunion- there are a lot of people. I always give a fair warning to readers that you need to be in the right headspace to take them all in. But I promise they each add value and all interconnect in the most brilliant way. 

It was an honor to read this book, not once, but twice.