The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr.

 Feb. 5, 2021--San Antonio

The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr., is his first novel.  It was one of the most anticipated books of January, 2021 with more than 20 major recommendations including TIME, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, Cosmopolitan, etc.  It is the story of the people on a plantation in Mississippi, but it is mainly the story of the slaves there including the lingering memories that have been carried forward by word-of-mouth of where their people came from, how they traveled to America, and what happened to them over time in America and specifically on this plantation.  It is unflinchingly specific about the treatment they have received as captives and slaves.  The reader learned that they have retained certain knowledge of their own culture and understandings even after generations in America even when separated from others of their families and tribes.  There are many major characters in the book--the owner of the plantation who is harsh but maybe not as much as some other slave owners, his cousin who is the overseer of the slaves and thinks that the owner should be more harsh, the house slaves who have suffered greatly over time even though their living conditions are a bit better than those of the field slaves, the slave who maneuvers to have a higher position by adopting the religion of his owners and seeks permission to preach to the other slaves and who eventually positions himself as the arbiter of what is right and wrong within the slave colony, the son of the plantation owner who has been North for college and has no interest in taking his father's role when the time comes, the wife of the plantation owner who had many miscarriages before the son was born and has developed mental instability due to it, etc.  But the two central characters the story revolves around at least half the time are two young men barely past puberty who are in charge of the barn and its animals, have been friends since childhood, who are quite different in each of their outlooks toward life, but whose friendship has turned into a loving sexual relationship over time.  I found it difficult at times to comprehend what the author was trying to communicate with his rather "lofty" language, but the stories of all the characters were fascinating to read.  I gave the book 4 stars out of 5.