Wonderful book! I was a little worried at the start when they were introducing so many characters that I wouldn't be able to keep them all straight but it all worked out in the end. The narrator was brilliant and made an amazing book even better! I loved the whole story

James McBride developed many cross culture and hopeful American scenes. His characters were well developed and his story telling is so believable. Thank you Mr. Mc Bride.

James McBride develops a strong storyline and believable characters.

Wonderful book. Perhaps not perfect, but really excellent. Dominic Hoffman deserves an award for mastering so many accents, foreign pronunciations, ethnic tones, etc.

This book was an amazing look at our past. I didn’t want to put it down, and when I did I couldn’t wait to rush back to it. Great great great writing.

Very good

This book gave me a new understanding of segregation and racism and people who challenged the lines. And that it wasn’t just black and white. Far more complicated than that. Very intriguing book that invites you to think and see things differently.

I enjoyed listening to the story. It kept me engaged wanting to keep listening as to what was going to happen to the characters in every chapter.

This book had so much potential to be brilliant. Maybe if broken up into a second book. There were parts that's should've been extended (like learning about the Low Gods, or the first character you meet). And other parts that could've been shortened or not included (the frog/water discussion, or too much time with the gross guy and his inner thoughts). Both book clubs I was in disliked this book because of how slow it was. I enjoyed many parts but not the whole. And a trigger warning should've been included because of two scenes.

It was hard to listen to. Sad

Didn’t enjoy this book as much as others.

such an engaging and wonderful story. Narrator is great.

I love this book! Well written & narrated.

Love this book! Love the colorful characters and their stories.! One of my favorites . James McBride is a master storyteller!

It was not easy to follow storyline. N word was overused.

Narrator was brilliant! Story was rich and layered. He was bold and told it like it was.

Wonderful narration. We are reading this in my book club and someone recommended listening to the book because of the engaging and accurate narration of accents. I was engaged in the beginning of the story as opposed to so many books that take so long to engage me in the characters and the story. The book was interesting with real life people being thrown in every once and a while. It was an easy listen.

Too hard to keep track of characters

As a Black person. I found this book disturbing. I personally don't enjoy the use of the N-word so frequently. Even though I know its use was branded about during the period of the story.

It was a great read!

There were so many characters to keep track of. Lost interest 3/4 through. Powered through and finished it because I wanted to see Doc Roberts get what was coming to him

Such a wonderful book.

Excellent! One of the best books I've read in recent years!

5 hours in and I don’t know what is so great about the book. The author goes off on tangents every time a new character is introduced. The narrator is great and the only thing saving the book.

James McBride is always a good read. I knew someone from Pottstown a long time ago and that made it interesting too! Some things in America haven't changed much. :(

The story captures the intersection of immigrants and Black Americans as they warily join forces and struggle to find acceptance in an America that advertises freedom and equality, but fails to live up to its promises.

The overall story was good but it it dragged on and included a lot of unnecessary side stories with too many names to keep track of.

nice story

It was a beautiful book. There are many characters to keep straight and many dialects, accents and they were read with care and excellence.