Welcome to Litsy!

Percival Everett is a genius - I never would have imagined a satire written about such a brutal and horrific part of history, and I never would have imagined laughing whilst reading it (laughing a lot, actually). Someone else said he managed to make something as horrible as racism, funny - and it‘s true (I feel strange saying that, if you‘ve read this you‘ll understand). I found myself researching things, names, people mentioned in the book 👇🏻

book updates:
Read 🍯 Roasted on audio ⭐️⭐️⭐️ A fine continuation, but I guess I think the “romance” drags & resolves in a weird way.

Evil🤰🏽was a fun, quick surprise (audio).
🌟🌟🌟🌟

And my # came up for the Paris Apt. Great so far!

And thx to a generous surprise from @mklong , I got Jade City (per @GrilledCheeseSamurai Rec) & Trees, 1 of 5 I‘m recommending to my #reallifebookclub for May (it‘s my turn :))(others tagged in comments, fyi :)).

I am reading the #tob22 books but not in time to vote. More interested in being exposed to new great literature than voting. But this book. Wow. It‘s why I read. It‘s funny and fast paced. It feels like pulp fiction but it‘s an important book with meaningful message. And just when you think it‘s turned serious there are zombies and ends with mystic stuff. It‘s the kind of book you love, but how do you say you like a topic like this?

Really good. Fictional retribution....

#blameitonlitsy
So many reviews I just had to read. All the reviews are true.
A true literary genius in this book, I have no idea how we‘re laughing at such a tragic history. But we are. But we‘re also taking in all that horror, all that injustice and the terrible stain that violence has left on society.
Amazing read.

Absolutely dynamite! I won‘t be able to offer anything more than what has already been said about this one-of-kind novel, but will add my name to the list of those blown away by it. I think someone has said this here, but it‘s all I can come up with — the funniest book about racism and injustice I‘ve ever read. This is a testament to the author‘s skill. I must read others by Everett. Read this for the Tournament of Books which has broadened ⬇️

They did it again. I can‘t believe what happened today in the real #ToB22: Zombie Klara beat The Trees???? WTF?
A small consolation is that in our tournament it did win. Subdivision was a worthy Zombie, 6 of us (Helen, Cassie, Janelle, Mindy, Tracy and I) nominated it for Zombie. However, in our votes for the match against The Trees it didn't stand a chance, only Cassie and I voted for it.
Wow, I am still SHOCKED by the outcome in the real ToB🤯

It is often a sign of a bad book that it has you rethinking what you have to say about it while reading the last 10-15 pages. The Trees is not a bad book. It is a very good,& funny, book. I was going to call The Trees farcical, but the inclusion of speech patterns & excerpts from 45 on pg. 299-301 points towards reality as farcical &/or Everett to be the Zola of our age. To quote Black FBI agent Hind, “History is a motherfucker.“ When bodies

I just came across this recent news story that sadly reminds me of a scene in the tagged book:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/he-was-a-detective-with-the-kcpd-and-he-still-...

Started this weekend and now a little over 200 pages in.

Despite all the love and praise for Intimacies, it didn't stood a chance against The Trees, not in the real #ToB22 nor in our version. One more week to go, for now I wish you a happy weekend! Next week will be zombie 🧟‍♀️ 🧟‍♂️ time!

Matrix vs The Trees was a no brainer, both in our version of the #ToB22 and in the real one. Except for Meg, Margot and Gayla we all voted for The Trees, who many of us have predicted to take away this year's rooster. Hopefully the Zombie round will stir things up again!

Although All‘s Well receives a lot of positive reviews, all of us (and that‘s a first) voted for The Trees today. The book seems a serious contender for this year‘s Rooster.
In the real #ToB22 The Trees came out as the winner too. According to the judge: “The Trees is the blackest black comedy I‘ve ever read, murderous and morally urgent, and unlike the claustrophobic All‘s Well, uncontainable.”
Let‘s wait and see if Awad makes a 🧟‍♀️ comeback!

The second week of the Morning News Tournament of Books opens today with All's Well vs. The Trees. If I'm being honest, neither of these books worked for me -- they're both purportedly comic novels that didn't make me laugh.

But I think that Percival Everett's The Trees -- a satire about racial violence -- is more successful than All's Well, Mona Awad's take on female pain and female anger.

Interesting article in today‘s Observer newspaper. It will be interesting to see the #tob outcome tomorrow, along with the judge‘s comments. I‘d like this book to win the tournament overall.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/mar/12/percival-everett-id-love-to-write-...

Spending this rainy Saturday (upgrade from snow) trying to catch up on some #TOB titles now that my library holds have come. Several People are Typing is funny, but The Trees seems like a possible contender.

I saved this #ToB22 title for last because it seemed to be the favorite by many.

This is a true work of genius. It's impactful, humorous, and full of rich characters and history. Trying to explain to others why your laughing at a book about Emmett Till's murder is a bit weird, but definitely worth it.

Loved this one. 💛

This is my favourite of the 13 #ToB22 books I've read so far. Absolutely brilliant! It's a darkly humorous and horrific story that is connected to the 1955 lynching of Emmett Till in Mississippi.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Even with all of the love it has received on Litsy I didn‘t expect to feel so strongly about this book- trying to cram in a few pages while I ate lunch at work, texting people when I was only half way through to tell them they had to read it. It made me squirm. It made me laugh. It made me sad and angry and irritated. So many books I read and know I will soon have forgotten their details. This is not one of them.

Happy TOB Eve! So excited for tomorrow.

I hope The Trees takes it all, I hope The Sentence wins tomorrow but I will be fine if Cope makes it through, too. #TOB22 #TOB2022

This is from the Pen/Faulkner Longlist. I could have read it in one sitting it was super good! A fast paced mystery: white men linked to past lynchings start getting murdered in ritualistic fashion. The author kept me on the edge of my seat and surprisingly, despite the seriousness, made me laugh with his dry humor many times.

March Spin Bingo! I have failed epically January and February but I‘ve got great intentions for this month! 😜

I liked this novel enough that I read it on my phone when I couldn't get it to load to my e-reader. The character names are a little too cutesy/punny at times and there are enough typos to be distracting, but this book provides an interesting answer to the question of how we as a country can atone for and move forward from centuries of white supremacy. #ToB2022

My #March2022 #BookSpinBingo #BookSpin #DoubleSpin

@TheAromaofBooks

Incendiary is how I would describe this book. It‘s aggressive, disturbing and uncomfortable in a most necessary way. It‘s an incredibly effective method to convey the urgency of the message. And the (many!!) character names are absolutely brilliant. A strong contender for #tob22! 17 of 18 done for me.

My penultimate book from the Tournament of Books shortlist, and I had to reread the end before I weighed in. This is an engaging read, about mysterious deaths in the town of Money, Mississippi, and they seem to be related to racist killings from previous generations. The white sheriff's department comes up against two Black MBI agents as they try to figure out what's happening.↘️

#ToB2022

For those who have read these books, which one should I buy?

These are the last 3 I need to read for the TOB shortlist. I can only purchase one at this time, so which was your favorite?

Nothing that I say about this book could possibly do it justice. It is, in a word, brilliant.

So good! I‘ll definitely be rooting for this one in the upcoming #tob.

I laughed out loud several times despite the gruesome scenes. I suppose I have a soft spot for dark humor. I will also add that it‘s heartbreaking.
#ToB2022

Well, this was completely unexpected. I‘m in awe of how the author managed to make a comedic novel about racism and lynchings in the Deep South; and the dark comedy just serves to make the message so much stronger.

I‘ve not read anything else by this author and now I want to read *everything*.

The Lockwood was my favourite on the list, but I read that what feels like years ago, so now I‘m torn as to whether this overtakes it….

This book is _wild_ and I have no idea where it is going. #morningreads

“I hate murder more than just about anything,” said Sheriff Red Jetty. “It can just ruin a day.”

“Because it‘s such a waste of life?” the coroner, Reverend Cad Fondle, asked.

“No, it‘s because it‘s a mess.”

#morningreads

I love when a book knocks me sideways. I love finding an author I've never read who moves & intrigues me so much that I need to find all of their previous books immediately. This just, for now at least, rocketed to the top of my favored #TOB22 shortlist. An ultimate revenge novel for the sins of this country's past served with just the kind of humor that I like. I went in knowing nothing about the story and I'm happy I did. (Who did I not tag?)

I think what Everett does here is very clever, and important. It‘s not quite satirical but VERY darkly comedic and at times this is uncomfortable in a way that I have no doubt Everett intends it to be. I think to say much about the plot is to ruin a reading experience for a potential reader, but this story is one which examines American history, and particularly Southern society past and present with a very critical, unflinching eye.

Review in my previous post, but this was also my selection for this photo. #aestheticallymatched @Clwojick

I was not expecting Tarantino level gore mixed with slapstick comedy in a novel that takes aim at White supremacy, racism, and the legacy of lynchings. This book is quite unlike any other I‘ve read, and I thought it was fantastic.

You will notice names on the cover. Those names fill a chapter as well. A chapter that should be read aloud.

#tob #tobshortlist
#booked2022 #murdermystery

This book is fantastic. Definitely my favorite #TOB book so far. I wish I had more reading time so I could finish it!

#bookandbreakfast

I‘m really enjoying this #tobshortlist book so far. As long as I have enough reading time, I‘m hoping to fly through this one today. It‘s my first time reading Everett, and I really love his style.

Bad lighting, but here‘s my last minute #bookspin list! Filled with #tob, #booked2022 and other challenge books!

#12BooksOf2021

I am sharing my almost-favorites of the year. The ones who didn‘t make my #Top21Of21 but are favorites nevertheless. One for each month.

My #November choice is The Trees, the new Percival that I hadn‘t even heard of but that appeared on the #ToB22 shortlist. And he delivers again. So good.

Now I know what other readers are raving about. This book made me laugh and at the end, cry. A modern horror story built upon the travesty of justice which allowed Emmet Till‘s murderers to walk away scot free. #ToB #ToB2022

I read the entire list of names out loud.

An amazingly good dark humor revenge tale from a societal perspective.

Starting this tonight! Just picking it up from the library. #tob2022

#tob22 progress report such as it is! 😂 Read 2 and The Sentence and Libertie are in progress. I loved both Klara and Trees but Sentence got my zombie vote even though I‘m not finished. 😬 It‘s so great thus far that I took a leap of faith that it will hold up for me. I have 11 days off at the end of the month and expect to get lots of tob reading in. 🌲

This book is a powerful commentary on racial violence toward people of color in this country. It is raw and takes the issue head on in an unexpected way that makes for a riveting story. #ToB2022

I didn‘t realize the origin of The Trees was a non fiction story. Makes it ever worse. And in the news again. Read this book! #tob22

https://www.npr.org/2021/12/06/1061945195/emmett-till-investigation-closed-justi...

Yaaaas! This novel about retribution has the satiric edge of other recent novels like The Sellout or Black Buck, but with more revenge fantasy satisfaction. I think I may have found my zombie for #ToB22

#BookReport 48/21

This week was all about the #ToBLonglist. I finished these two books and I was deeply impressed by the tagged one. Happy it made the shortlist.
The Other Black Girl has a unique concept but lacked balance in its execution.