Review of Unconscionable
Posted: 25 Aug 2024, 17:56
[Following is a volunteer review of "Unconscionable" by Charles R. Butts Jr..]
Unconscionable, by Charles R. Butts Jr., is a very captivating fiction story about racial injustice in rural Georgia. It is a story in which Peter Crawford, while with his son Benny out hunting, finds a horribly murdered black man in a field. The man, identified as Johnny Lee Grier, was beaten and stabbed before being dumped. A turn of events reveals the deep-seated prejudice and incompetence within local law enforcement as a series of events takes place while Peter and Benny report the crime to the Bibb County Sheriff's Department. And so the plot thickens when the victim's mother, Gracie, undertakes her desperate search for her missing son. An example of police treatment towards her is so lackadaisical and with such disregard for urgency, particularly where a young black man is concerned. Will justice be met? Read the book, if only to find out.
The best merit that can, however, be assigned to this book is in the way it brings out racial injustices unflinchingly. The author was not shy about bringing out the harsh realities that characterized the lives of black Americans in the South in the 1980s. The book points out the prevalent biases and other practices that hamper justice in these seemingly ordinary communities. The light thrown by the author on such matters surfaces important questions of social change and equality. Detailed and vibrant in description, he laid down the scene of the crime, the work of the sheriff's department, and the community's reaction to highlight systemic racism in the setting. The novel becomes very strong in narrating the atmosphere of fear and tension in such cases, which is otherwise quite redundant right from the end.
I have no dislikes. The structure of the novel, which alternates between the past and present, adds to its suspense and intrigue. This approach allows the author to gradually reveal the full extent of the crime and its impact on the characters, keeping the reader engaged and eager to uncover the truth. The pacing is well-balanced, with moments of intense action and drama interspersed with quieter, more reflective scenes. This ebb and flow of tension helps to maintain the reader's interest throughout the book, making it difficult to put down. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars because of the positive aspects I mentioned. The book is professionally edited.
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Unconscionable
View: on Bookshelves
Unconscionable, by Charles R. Butts Jr., is a very captivating fiction story about racial injustice in rural Georgia. It is a story in which Peter Crawford, while with his son Benny out hunting, finds a horribly murdered black man in a field. The man, identified as Johnny Lee Grier, was beaten and stabbed before being dumped. A turn of events reveals the deep-seated prejudice and incompetence within local law enforcement as a series of events takes place while Peter and Benny report the crime to the Bibb County Sheriff's Department. And so the plot thickens when the victim's mother, Gracie, undertakes her desperate search for her missing son. An example of police treatment towards her is so lackadaisical and with such disregard for urgency, particularly where a young black man is concerned. Will justice be met? Read the book, if only to find out.
The best merit that can, however, be assigned to this book is in the way it brings out racial injustices unflinchingly. The author was not shy about bringing out the harsh realities that characterized the lives of black Americans in the South in the 1980s. The book points out the prevalent biases and other practices that hamper justice in these seemingly ordinary communities. The light thrown by the author on such matters surfaces important questions of social change and equality. Detailed and vibrant in description, he laid down the scene of the crime, the work of the sheriff's department, and the community's reaction to highlight systemic racism in the setting. The novel becomes very strong in narrating the atmosphere of fear and tension in such cases, which is otherwise quite redundant right from the end.
I have no dislikes. The structure of the novel, which alternates between the past and present, adds to its suspense and intrigue. This approach allows the author to gradually reveal the full extent of the crime and its impact on the characters, keeping the reader engaged and eager to uncover the truth. The pacing is well-balanced, with moments of intense action and drama interspersed with quieter, more reflective scenes. This ebb and flow of tension helps to maintain the reader's interest throughout the book, making it difficult to put down. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars because of the positive aspects I mentioned. The book is professionally edited.
******
Unconscionable
View: on Bookshelves