The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr.

☆☆☆☆1/2
.ePUB, 368 pages
Expected publication: January 5th 2021 by Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam's Sons

About the Book:
Isaiah was Samuel's and Samuel was Isaiah's. That was the way it was since the beginning, and the way it was to be until the end. In the barn they tended to the animals, but also to each other, transforming the hollowed-out shed into a place of human refuge, a source of intimacy and hope in a world ruled by vicious masters. But when an older man--a fellow slave--seeks to gain favor by preaching the master's gospel on the plantation, the enslaved begin to turn on their own. Isaiah and Samuel's love, which was once so simple, is seen as sinful and a clear danger to the plantation's harmony.

My Review:

If you’re looking for a fast paced, plot-centered novel this book is not for you. The Prophets reads more like an in-depth character study than anything else. This novel is about Isaiah and Samuel their life, their experiences and their feelings of pain and insurmountable shame. It is a story about their relationships and the impact on the people around them. It is a story about love and loss, of betrayal and friendship, of perseverance and giving in. And because it follows the story of such broken, intense young men, it is a difficult read.

It was not an easy read. It is heartbreaking, it’s a gut punch, it rolls right over your heart again and again. It made me sad and feel many other heavy emotions. It knocked the wind right out of me. Told with remarkable perception of the human psyche, this elegiac work of art will haunt me for a long time to come.

Disclosure:
Thank you NetGalley, Robert Jones Jr. and Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam's Sons for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.

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