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Title: Tough going.
Review: I had read two of Carter's previous non-fiction works and enjoyed them, however after struggling through half of his first novel, I have to recommend that he stick with non-fiction. This novel is simply too plodding and dull to get through. The characters are unlikeable, the narrator is extremely repetitive, and the plot moves so slow it is almost as if it is an afterthought. It seems as if Carter is trying to make some points here about the black bourgeoisie which would be interesting if they were tied to a more lively entertaining novel with a discernable plot. Instead whatever insight he offers are bogged down by this ponderous effort at creating a mystery leaving the reader bored and exhausted.
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