Kingston Noir

by Colin Channer (Editor, Author), Chris Abani, Thomas Glave

Original stories by: Marlon James, Kwame Dawes, Patricia Powell, Colin Channer, Marcia Douglas, Leone Ross, Kei Miller, Christopher John Farley, Ian Thomson, Thomas Glave, and Chris Abani.

"Kingston Noir subverts the simplistic sunshine/reggae/spliff-smoking image of Jamaica at almost every turn...

From Trench Town to Half Way Tree to Norbrook to Portmore and beyond, the stories of Kingston Noir shine light into the darkest corners of this fabled city. Joining award-winning Jamaican authors such as Marlon James, Leone Ross, and Thomas Glave are two "special guest" writers with no Jamaican lineage: Nigerian-born Chris Abani and British writer Ian Thomson. The menacing tone that runs through some of these stories is counterbalanced by the clever humor in others, such as Kei Miller's �White Gyal with a Camera,” who softens even the hardest of August Town’s gangsters; and Mr. Brown, the private investigator in Kwame Dawes’s story, who explains why his girth works to his advantage: "In Jamaica a woman like a big man. She can see he is prosperous, and that he can be in charge." Together, the outstanding tales in Kingston Noir comprise the best volume of short fiction ever to arise from the literary wellspring that is Jamaica.

Genres: Short Stories, Mystery, Anthologies, Noir, Fiction, Crime

288 pages, Paperback

First published May 29, 2012

Reviews

[Yulande Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

#KingstonNoir This is a an amazing set of stories. Some of them were simply stunning not just in execution but in content. As the name suggests, 'Kingston Noir' explores the dark side of the Jamaican city and its people. I both recognised my city and saw it for the first time in these stories. They remind me that I don't read enough Jamaican fiction and that is a situation that needs to be rectified, there are authors here that need not just to be simply read but devoured - such as Patricia Powell who penned the tale "Tomcat Beretta" about a woman out for revenge and justice; or Marlon James who raised very painful memories for me in his story "Immaculate" about the brutal death of a teenage girl and the futility of seeking justice; or Christopher John Farley who relates the story of two brothers and their search for a missing girl in "54-46 (That's My Number"); or the truly truly haunting story of a women who takes the only way she knows out of a twisted and damaging relationship in Leone Ross' "Roll it".

Highly highly recommended.

[Wilhelmina Jenkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read plenty of novels that could be called "noir", including several in this series of collections of short story mysteries set in various cities, but this book is at an entirely new level of noir-ness for me. The stories are well written and are sufficiently compelling that I read this book straight through, but by the end I felt like taking a long, hot shower. These stories are filled with brutality and sexual violence with very little redemption. They undeniably give a good feel for the ugly underbelly of life in Kingston and I'm sure that the editor chose these stories to convey that feeling. But after this book, I desperately need a book filled with love and light and grace.

My two stars are my personal reaction, not a reflection on the quality of the writing. I wanted to more objectively give it 3 stars, but since 3 stars is defined as "liking" the book, there was no way.

[BookOfCinz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid 3.5

Kingston Noir is a collection of short stories, written by Jamaicans, about Jamaicans and is set in Jamaica. The stories erred on the darker more grim side of Jamaica but I thoroughly enjoyed a lot of the stories in this collection. The major stand outs for me were:
Immaculate by Marlon James
Monkey Man by Colin Channer
My Lord by Kwame Dawes
The White Gyal with the Camera by Kei Miller
Leighton Leigh Ann by Thomas Glave

If you are looking for a strong collection of stories, you should get your hand on this.

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took way too long to read. Most of the stories didn't grip me at all. Marlon James was the clear standout.

[Keeloween · Rating 4 out of 5]

not gonna lie, Marlon's story absolutely broke me... just knowing this is the reality in Jamaica just ... nonetheless, all the stories are very captivating.

[ColumbusReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I typically enjoy short story collections by a group of diffeent writers much more than I do by a single writer. I guess because short stories are not my favorite literary form and therefore most just get monotonous to me after awhile. A group of writers on the other hand has less of a chance to bore me with likeness of writing and singular subjects.

The Akashic Noir short story series is a very successful series of books that solicits writers to write about the dark side of a particular city (has even been extended further with a Prison Noir book just released). Most of the books I've read from the series has offered up mixed results at best. Kingston Noir was released with much fanfare several years ago. The writers selected are the crème de la crème of Jamaican literature: Marlon James; Chris Abani, Thomas Glave; Patricia Powell. See what I mean. For the most part, they deliver the goods.

Most of these stories are dark, violent and reach the parts of Jamaica we never hear about. The underbelly if you will. My favorite here is the Marlon James selection but there are some other good ones as well. But, I think this is a hit or miss collection just like the others in this series. However, I just enjoy the fact that the city plays an important part in these Akashic classics and I will continue to read this series until they run out of cities to use.

[Sheehan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty solid collection of short stories focused on the Kingston area; the tales are indeed dark.

Thankfully, not more than a couple of them went in whole-hog for the archetypal detective dramas re-situated in Jamaica, aka Chandler's Sandals vacation. In fact, the greater majority were really more about uncovering a dark underbelly of a space than just straight ahead narrative arcs.

Book is broken into three sections, and while I most enjoyed Marlon James' construction of his piece (which brought me to the collection in the first place) I can say each section had a shining star or two. There is not one boring or tedious to read story in the whole book, which in my experience with collections is kind of rare.

Faves from the book include:
Marlon James' - Immaculate
Thomas Glave's - Leighton Leigh Anne Norbrook
Colin Channer's (editor) - Monkey Man

But like I said, there were no stinkers...

[Simone · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Peta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this short story collection. Review here->https://youtu.be/K24sXvVqsY0

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my days! That last story by Colin Channer....I’ve no words! Wow! Just, wow! 😲

[P. Afua · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read! Jamaica has some amazing literary talents and Colin Channer and Co. has been sharing them with the world through the Calabash Festival and anthologies such as Kingston Noir. I'm not even going to pick favourites! Sure there was one or two weak pieces that would have been even more dynamic with a little more editing. I will say this, these short stories travel through Jamaica and paint a pretty realistic canvas of individuals living out their lives in the birth place of some of the most outstanding writers in the English speaking Caribbean.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like dark & disturbing stories, this is the book for you. I thought Kwame Dawes, Marlon James, and Marcia Douglas had the best stories. James' was the darkest and the most disturbing, but also the most sophisticated in craft!

[Shana-Kay Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING!!!! Best collection of stories I have read so far!!!

This is probably the best collection of stories I have read and yes as a Jamaican I'm probably biased and I don't care. Do yourself a favor and read this book, you will not regret it!!!

First of all, the intro to the book was fabulous, had me dying from laughter. If you're Jamaican or from a similar culture you'll understand because we can't give directions to save a life but its gonna be hilarious. Ps: this review was written as I read each story so I don't forget things I want to say by the time I'm finished reading.

Story 1 My Lord: its a good starter story and I'm hoping the rest are even better. Anyway, I love how it feels like I'm standing at a road side stall listening to someone tell their story. I'm anxious to know the ending but I'm also enjoying the journey to the end. Well, he definitely played himself and ruined his life. The story was enjoyable.

Story 2 White Gyal: "A white gyal playing dominoes was even worse than a white gyal trying to shake her flat batty to Vybz Kartel or Beenie Man: them things wasn’t normal; them things couldn’t ever look right."

"I tell you already, at a certain hours of night or morning, is only gunman and duppy supposed to be on the streets. We all know who the gunmen was. That was Soft-Paw and the bwoy-dem. So maybe the white gyal with the camera was practicing to be a duppy all along."

"The white-gyal staring up at Soft-Paw. She trembling. And my dears, who to tell why she do it, but she box him in him face. Box him, right there in front of all of we."

Kei Miller is such a great writer and this story is just another proof of that. ps: when she boxed him I knew it was the end for her.

Story 3 Tomcat Beretta: good story but wasn't a stand out story for me. It is interesting enough to make you wonder about the mystery man.

Story 4 A grave undertaking: Good writing though not a stand out story for me. Quite impressed that the character handled the repatriation process so well in an unfamiliar country.

Story 5 Immaculate: This story hit me all the way to my soul. The writing was superb but the story itself brought tears to my eyes and the sad thing is, it's very possible that something similar to this has happened in real life because I know how this country operates.

Story 6 Rol It: This was an interesting story. Sounded like she caught herself on fire. Was that a part of the plan or did she do it to spite Parker?

Story 7 One Girl Halfway Tree Concert: if you've ever read and liked The Marvelous Equations of the Dread by Marcia Douglas then you will love this. Her writing is very descriptive and kinda weird but in a good way that keeps you hooked. Another good story.

Story 8 Leighton Leigh Ane Not too: I absolutely enjoyed this story. The author captured the essence of people from uptown Jamaica quite well and the story itself was riveting. I'd say this is the best story for me so far.

Story 9 54-46: if you love a good crime story then you'll love this Jamaican version. The Jamaican Sherlock Holmes.

Story 10 Sunrise: 😲😲😲 well, that was an ending I did not expect! God help those who help themselves but I'm not sure if this is what the saying means 🤷

Story 11 Monkey Man: This last story had me in its grips because I could not believe that they actually got a monkey as part of the revenge plot and the ending omg.

Nb: there were about two or three stories that were not standout stories for me but it's not because they weren't good because they were. I just liked the others better. Nonetheless, the collection was well written, enjoyable and definitely worth your time.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colin Channer, the editor of Kingston Noir, says that he saw the collection as an opportunity to create a solid masterpiece because the writers he selected are so distinctive, good and tough. I have to agree that he achieved his goal. Kingston comes alive in so many ways and with such strength that you won't be able to stop reading. For me, the writing is gripping and varied; and the neighborhoods come alive in all times of the day and night. You will want to take this collection with you to your next relaxing weekend to make the quiet time vibrate with discovery. This is one of the most successful of the City Noir collections and devotees of the series will want to check it out . The grittiness and tension in the tales will, however, ensure that you will want to avoid Kingston as a vacation destination. and while you read it, make certain that all the doors are locked..

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started out with great potential, even if I questioned whether some of the short stories were truly "Noir". But as the number of stories with women and girls as victims often of horrific crimes increased, I grew less impressed. Especially when many of these crimes were described in explicit detail by the (male) authors.
What were they trying to prove? What was the point of those stories? That horrific things happen to women and girls? Well, yes thank you they do. How does writing about those crimes graphically help? Does it move anything forward? No. Does it empower women? No. Does it help victims of those crimes? No.
To be fair, there were some stories with men as victims. And there were many really good, well-written stories. But the other stories eventually made me stop reading for a while and when I picked the book up again, I struggled to get to the end, DNF-ing with only a chapter
to go.
Truly dissapointing. And, I am beyond done with Marlon James.

[Hector · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absorbing collection of short stories set in Jamaica, most of which are very dark (well, 'Noir' is right there in the title). The combined stories create a strong impression of Kingston and its environs, and the encounters with crime experienced by locals and occasionally tourists. "The White Gyal with the Camera" is a terrific short story that would work in almost any short story collection; "My Lord," "Tomcat Beretta," and "54-46 (That's My Number)" are really solid and enjoyable crime stories. A couple of stories lean into the patois of the island and are a little more difficult, but worth the effort (making the effort is kinda what the Akashic series is all about).

[Gail (The Knight Reader) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Grade: 2.5/5

I wanted to enjoy this collection but it was not for me. Some stories stood out and enabled me to finish the book (because I kept hoping for one more diamond in the rubble) but those were few and far between. Cheers to Kwame Dawes, Marlon James and Kei Miller.

I feel relieved I completed this collection but desperate for the lightest and most whimsical read in existence. Noir, indeed.

[Bobby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hang On

Get ready for several rides as you move through these stories without stopping to take a breath! Was never sure where they were taking me but I went along for the trip and what a trip it was. I traveled down dark, rainy, curry-scented filled streets in Kingston knowing danger was everywhere! Macabre being the password to entering so many violent environments I lost track. I was constantly humming Electric Avenue throughout each tale.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Available from the Anchorage Public Library via Libby.

Fair warning: The title says noir, and it means NOIR. That said, within that constraint, this is an excellent collection with a diverse set of voices - some sympathetic, some less so, but all complex as befits the genre. Some high points for me were the vivid descriptions of day-to-day places and life in Kingston, and the pop culture moments that reminded me how close we all are. Also, some excellent new swear words.

[Tuxlie]

"Thoroughly well-written stories...fans of noir will enjoy this batch of sordid tales set in the sweltering heat of the tropics."
--Publishers Weekly

"Kingston Noir subverts the simplistic sunshine/reggae/spliff-smoking image of Jamaica at almost every turn...The collection amply rewards the reader with a rich interplay of geographies and themes."
--The Los Angeles Times

"Kingston Noir goes darker and deeper than any before...the purest of noir, and the richest depictions of Jamaica."
--The Huffington Post

“Kingston Noir is an eclectic and gritty melange of tales that sears the imagination . . . Kingston Noir proves its worth as a quintessential piece of West Indian literature—rich, artistic, timeless, and above all, draped in unmistakable realism.”
--The Gleaner (Jamaica)

"Some of these stories are mysterious, some are straightforward, but all are dark. There isn’t a single light-hearted story in the bunch, which falls in line perfectly with the noir theme. Readers beware, there are some stories in this book that address the darkest parts of human nature: rape, torture, murder. It’s not for the faint of heart. However, they are all well-written and tap into the true underbelly of another culture."
--Examiner.com

"Several of the stories in Kingston Noir succeed brilliantly in reproducing the simultaneously estranging and horrifying effects of urban violence in Jamaica. And there is something appropriately unsettling about the differences between the stories, collected and edited by Colin Channer, such that the sense of being dislodged somewhere puzzlingly dissimilar from the place one began sometimes mimics the feeling of moving through Kingston… traversing this collection as if going 'down the road,' with all the abrupt stops, shifts, and turns that Jamaicanism implies, does offer a way of connecting, piece by piece, story by story, to fragments of the city tucked away in consciousness and memory. It is a city rarely encountered in fiction; this collection satisfies a need and makes one hungry for more."
--sx salon: a small axe literary platform

Original stories by: Marlon James, Kwame Dawes, Patricia Powell, Colin Channer, Marcia Douglas, Leone Ross, Kei Miller, Christopher John Farley, Ian Thomson, Thomas Glave, and Chris Abani.

From Trench Town to Half Way Tree to Norbrook to Portmore and beyond, the stories of Kingston Noir shine light into the darkest corners of this fabled city. Joining award-winning Jamaican authors such as Marlon James, Leone Ross, and Thomas Glave are two "special guest" writers with no Jamaican lineage: Nigerian-born Chris Abani and British writer Ian Thomson. The menacing tone that runs through some of these stories is counterbalanced by the clever humor in others, such as Kei Miller's “White Gyal with a Camera,” who softens even the hardest of August Town’s gangsters; and Mr. Brown, the private investigator in Kwame Dawes’s story, who explains why his girth works to his advantage: "In Jamaica a woman like a big man. She can see he is prosperous, and that he can be in charge." Together, the outstanding tales in Kingston Noir comprise the best volume of short fiction ever to arise from the literary wellspring that is Jamaica.

Original stories by: Marlon James, Kwame Dawes, Patricia Powell, Colin Channer, Marcia Douglas, Leone Ross, Kei Miller, Christopher John Farley, Ian Thomson, Thomas Glave, and Chris Abani.

"Kingston Noir subverts the simplistic sunshine/reggae/spliff-smoking image of Jamaica at almost every turn...The collection amply rewards the reader with a rich interplay of geographies and themes."
--The Los Angeles Times

"Kingston Noir goes darker and deeper than any before...the purest of noir, and the richest depictions of Jamaica."
--The Huffington Post

"Thoroughly well-written stories...fans of noir will enjoy this batch of sordid tales set in the sweltering heat of the tropics."
--Publishers Weekly

From Trench Town to Half Way Tree to Norbrook to Portmore and beyond, the stories of Kingston Noir shine light into the darkest corners of this fabled city. Joining award-winning Jamaican authors such as Marlon James, Leone Ross, and Thomas Glave are two "special guest" writers with no Jamaican lineage: Nigerian-born Chris Abani and British writer Ian Thomson. The menacing tone that runs through some of these stories is counterbalanced by the clever humor in others, such as Kei Miller's �White Gyal with a Camera,” who softens even the hardest of August Town’s gangsters; and Mr. Brown, the private investigator in Kwame Dawes’s story, who explains why his girth works to his advantage: "In Jamaica a woman like a big man. She can see he is prosperous, and that he can be in charge." Together, the outstanding tales in Kingston Noir comprise the best volume of short fiction ever to arise from the literary wellspring that is Jamaica.

[Zoë Siobhan Baillie · Rating 3 out of 5]

[CN for child sexual abuse, sexual violence]

Variable stories, some utterly brilliant (Kei Miller, Marcia Douglas, Christopher John Farley), some so graphic and sadistic in their depiction of the violence and humiliation of women that I wish I hadn't read them. The good stories were brilliant tho and to be fair even the ones that were not for me were all really well written.

[Gabriela Galescu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Never thought I’d say that about a noir book: too violent!

Some truly remarkable stories. “A Grave Affair” by Ian Thomson could be in a New Yorker. However, as a collection this book is subpar. Mindless violence, especially when the theme of too many stories, is at the same time disturbing and boring. Quite a pernicious combination for a reader.

[Peat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well written and evocative, but the stories have abrupt ends for me - don't know if that's a cultural difference, or the way Channer likes to edit, but that part of it didn't work so well for my taste.

[humansreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the stories in this collection didn’t grab me as I thought they would. Only one of the stories really shone for me and that’s “54-46 (That’s My Number)”. I really enjoyed that one. The others were either way over-the-top in terms of the nature of the crimes committed or lacking that oomph.

[Felicia York · Rating 3 out of 5]

see my review at banditbookreviews.wordpress.com

[Nadia Willie]

Very authentic and sets the context well for what the Kingston atmosphere purveys. I did find a few of the short stories hard to read and found that it started and ended well.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Mlenners · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is definitely interesting. It was a bit hard to follow, but easily solved by just rereading.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent writing, but too dark to keep going

[Ciara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection is worth the read for the Marlon James story alone!

Favorites:
Immaculate by Marlon James
My Lord by Kwame Dawes
One-Girl Halfway Tree Concert by Marcia Douglas