"They stepped on people's throats with all their might and asked why the people couldn't breathe." That's just one of the many lines from The Prophets, a novel set in the antebellum South, that will jolt readers awake to contemplate the horrendous legacies of the past.
This dazzling debut from Robert Jones, Jr., creator of the social justice community The Son of Baldwin, is as captivating as it is brutal. There are passages that will make readers cringe in horror, it's true, but one can do no less when looking back at the monstrous period of American slavery. There are also scenes of immense beauty that inspire awe for the strength of the human spirit.
At its heart, The Prophets is a story of love--romantic love--between two young, enslaved men, Samuel and Isaiah, and a society that would not allow them joy. "They thought we was something dirty, but it won't nothing like that at all," remarks one of the lovers. Each chapter is named after a book of the Bible and invites examination of those ancient religious stories through the perspective of American history.
The Prophets is a stark reminder of a horrific past, but also looks to the future with hope. Jones shapes the narrative with a deft and evocative lyricism and introduces characters that are multi-layered and pulsing with human vulnerability. That is sure to guarantee The Prophets a place among the literary greats. --Grace Rajendran, freelance reviewer and literary events producer