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Swamp Man
George Jackson, "Swamp Man," was born and bred in Mississippi as a gentle young man who turned deadly after he saw what four hill boys did to his sister.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1974
11 people are currently reading
701 people want to read
About the author
Donald Goines
30 books758 followersDonald Goines was born in Detroit to a relatively comfortable family - his parents owned a local dry cleaner, and he did not have problems with the law or drugs. Goines attended Catholic elementary school and was expected to go into his family's laundry business. Instead Goines enlisted in the US Air Force, and to get in he had to lie about his age. From 1952 to 1955 he served in the armed forces. During this period he got hooked on heroin. When he returned to Detroit from Japan, he was a heroin addict.
The next 15 years from 1955 Goines spent pimping, robbing, stealing, bootlegging, and running numbers, or doing time. His seven prison sentences totaled 6.5 years. While in jail in the 1960s he first attempted to write Westerns without much success - he loved cowboy movies. A few years later, serving a different sentence at a different prison, he was introduced to the work of Iceberg Slim (Robert Beck). This time Goines wrote his semi-autobiographical novel Whoreson, which appeared in 1972. It was a story about the son of a prostitute who becomes a Detroit ghetto pimp. Also Beck's first book, Pimp: The Story of My Life (1967), was autobiographical. Goines was released in 1970, after which he wrote 16 novels with Holloway House, Iceberg Slim's publisher. Hoping to get rid of surroundings - he was back on smack - he moved with his family to the Los Angeles ghetto of Watts.
All of Goines's books were paperback originals. They sold well but did not receive much critical attention. After two years, he decided to return to Detroit. Goines's death was as harsh as his novels - he and his wife were shot to death on the night of October 21, 1974. According to some sources Goines's death had something to do with a failed drugs deal. The identity of the killers remained unknown, but there were reports of "two white men". Posthumously appeared Inner City Hoodlum (1975), which Goines had finished before his death. The story, set in Los Angeles, was about smack, money, and murder.
The first film version of Goines's books, Crime Partners (2001), was directed by J. Jesses Smith. Never Die Alone (1974), about the life of a drug dealer, was filmed by Ernest R. Dickerson, starring DMX. The violent gangsta movie was labelled as "junk masquerading as art."
During his career as a writer, Goines worked to a strict timetable, writing in the morning, devoting the rest of the day to heroin. His pace was furious, sometimes he produced a book in a month. The stories were usually set in the black inner city, in Los Angeles, New York or Detroit, which then was becoming known as 'motor city'. In Black Gangster (1972) the title character builds a "liberation" movement to cover his planned criminal activities. After this work Goines started to view the social and political turmoil of the ghetto as a battlefield between races.
Under the pseudonym Al C. Clark, Goines created a serial hero, Kenyatta, who was named after the 'father of Kenya', Jomo Kenyatta. The four-book series, beginning with Crime Partners (1974), was published by Holloway House. Kenyatta is the leader of a militant organization which aims at cleaning American ghettos of drugs and prostitution. All white policemen, who patrol the black neighborhoods, also are his enemies. Cry Revenge! (1974) tells of Curtis Carson, who is tall, black, and used to giving orders. He becomes the nightmare of the Chicanos, who have crushed his brother. Death List (1974) brings together Kenyatta, the powerful ganglord, Edward Benson, an intelligent black detective, and Ryan, his chisel-faced white partner, in a war against a secret list of drug pushers. In the fourth book, Kenyatta's Last Hit (1975), the hero is killed in a shootout.
The next 15 years from 1955 Goines spent pimping, robbing, stealing, bootlegging, and running numbers, or doing time. His seven prison sentences totaled 6.5 years. While in jail in the 1960s he first attempted to write Westerns without much success - he loved cowboy movies. A few years later, serving a different sentence at a different prison, he was introduced to the work of Iceberg Slim (Robert Beck). This time Goines wrote his semi-autobiographical novel Whoreson, which appeared in 1972. It was a story about the son of a prostitute who becomes a Detroit ghetto pimp. Also Beck's first book, Pimp: The Story of My Life (1967), was autobiographical. Goines was released in 1970, after which he wrote 16 novels with Holloway House, Iceberg Slim's publisher. Hoping to get rid of surroundings - he was back on smack - he moved with his family to the Los Angeles ghetto of Watts.
All of Goines's books were paperback originals. They sold well but did not receive much critical attention. After two years, he decided to return to Detroit. Goines's death was as harsh as his novels - he and his wife were shot to death on the night of October 21, 1974. According to some sources Goines's death had something to do with a failed drugs deal. The identity of the killers remained unknown, but there were reports of "two white men". Posthumously appeared Inner City Hoodlum (1975), which Goines had finished before his death. The story, set in Los Angeles, was about smack, money, and murder.
The first film version of Goines's books, Crime Partners (2001), was directed by J. Jesses Smith. Never Die Alone (1974), about the life of a drug dealer, was filmed by Ernest R. Dickerson, starring DMX. The violent gangsta movie was labelled as "junk masquerading as art."
During his career as a writer, Goines worked to a strict timetable, writing in the morning, devoting the rest of the day to heroin. His pace was furious, sometimes he produced a book in a month. The stories were usually set in the black inner city, in Los Angeles, New York or Detroit, which then was becoming known as 'motor city'. In Black Gangster (1972) the title character builds a "liberation" movement to cover his planned criminal activities. After this work Goines started to view the social and political turmoil of the ghetto as a battlefield between races.
Under the pseudonym Al C. Clark, Goines created a serial hero, Kenyatta, who was named after the 'father of Kenya', Jomo Kenyatta. The four-book series, beginning with Crime Partners (1974), was published by Holloway House. Kenyatta is the leader of a militant organization which aims at cleaning American ghettos of drugs and prostitution. All white policemen, who patrol the black neighborhoods, also are his enemies. Cry Revenge! (1974) tells of Curtis Carson, who is tall, black, and used to giving orders. He becomes the nightmare of the Chicanos, who have crushed his brother. Death List (1974) brings together Kenyatta, the powerful ganglord, Edward Benson, an intelligent black detective, and Ryan, his chisel-faced white partner, in a war against a secret list of drug pushers. In the fourth book, Kenyatta's Last Hit (1975), the hero is killed in a shootout.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
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October 23, 2025Troubling!
I hated Swamp Man even as I recognised it is probably based on a general truth. The truth of racism, of the interactions between people who only have their belief in their god given rights to being better than others, of hatred and probably an inferiority.
Bigotry, rape, murder, and vengeance sweep across the pages—and I didn’t like it.
A brutal and unforgiving story that I’d rather not read. Yet I discern a truth that I don’t want to know about. I’m reading about the worst of man, mankind without hope.
George Jackson lives on the edge of the Mississippi swamplands. George is waiting for his sister Henrietta to return from New York. He is to meet her but doesn’t make it in time. Henrietta gets off the bus, is followed and brutally attacked by a viscous group of white trash men, Klu Klux Clan members, and is never the same again.
The descriptions of the Everglades, the alligators, snakes of all types, the water moccasin, vipers, cottonmouths, of quick sand and tangled growth are vivid, scary and not a place I would like to be—ever!
Five stars for the darkness of the writing, five stars for how shocking the read was, five stars for how much I hated it.
Goines writing is visceral, gritty, descriptive and troubling. Tortuous to read because of the subject matter.
I’d preferred not to have the subject matter of this book in my head, even as I acknowledge that it’s not beyond the realm of possibility.
A powerful read, I was left bereft.
A Kensington ARC via NetGalley.
I hated Swamp Man even as I recognised it is probably based on a general truth. The truth of racism, of the interactions between people who only have their belief in their god given rights to being better than others, of hatred and probably an inferiority.
Bigotry, rape, murder, and vengeance sweep across the pages—and I didn’t like it.
A brutal and unforgiving story that I’d rather not read. Yet I discern a truth that I don’t want to know about. I’m reading about the worst of man, mankind without hope.
George Jackson lives on the edge of the Mississippi swamplands. George is waiting for his sister Henrietta to return from New York. He is to meet her but doesn’t make it in time. Henrietta gets off the bus, is followed and brutally attacked by a viscous group of white trash men, Klu Klux Clan members, and is never the same again.
The descriptions of the Everglades, the alligators, snakes of all types, the water moccasin, vipers, cottonmouths, of quick sand and tangled growth are vivid, scary and not a place I would like to be—ever!
Five stars for the darkness of the writing, five stars for how shocking the read was, five stars for how much I hated it.
Goines writing is visceral, gritty, descriptive and troubling. Tortuous to read because of the subject matter.
I’d preferred not to have the subject matter of this book in my head, even as I acknowledge that it’s not beyond the realm of possibility.
A powerful read, I was left bereft.
A Kensington ARC via NetGalley.
June 7, 2023
They killed his father... they raped his sister... now, the Jones boys are gonna get what they deserve, by the hands of the SWAMP MAN.
.
.
If you, like me, are a fan of 70's exploitation, then you owe it to yourself to pick up this book. So gratuitous, so bloody, and so offensive! If that doesn't sell you on this book, then you need to work on your tastes.
.
.
The story of Donald Goines life is just as fascinating as his literature. He lived hard, with an addiction to smack and a whole lot of jail time. It's sad to read that he was murdered at a young age in 1974. But he cranked out a lot of books during his short career. Considered one of the forefathers of ghetto realism, Swamp Man is a bit of deviation from his usual, as this book takes place in the country rather than the city.
.
.
Released in 1974, SWAMP MAN goes even harder than it's contemporaries in terms of its content. There's a rape scene that makes Straw Dogs seem tame on comparison. But thankfully, the ve glance is super worth it. There's a LOT of castration action, shoot outs, and chases through the dangerous swamps. We even get a good bit involving some flesh chomping gators!
.
.
As this was an exploitation book written by a Black author, the villains are abhorrent racists, and their dialogue is just as vicious as their cruel actions. Its hard reading, but thats definitely the point. And besides, I like my grindhouse flicks to be controversial and confrontational, so it's only fitting that that sentiment should extend to the books of this era as well. Just know this is NOT for pearl-clutchers.
.
.
SWAMP MAN is the sort of book that comes with a prepackaged aesthetic. I could picture film grain, tinny audio, and a clanging score. The blood is bright red, and the content pushes all boundaries of "good taste." They definitely don't make 'em like this any more... even when they try!
.
.
I recommend SWAMP MAN to fans of movies like The Last House on the Left, Fight for Your Life, I Spit on your Grave, and Blaxploitation flicks like Brotherhood of Death!
.
.
If you, like me, are a fan of 70's exploitation, then you owe it to yourself to pick up this book. So gratuitous, so bloody, and so offensive! If that doesn't sell you on this book, then you need to work on your tastes.
.
.
The story of Donald Goines life is just as fascinating as his literature. He lived hard, with an addiction to smack and a whole lot of jail time. It's sad to read that he was murdered at a young age in 1974. But he cranked out a lot of books during his short career. Considered one of the forefathers of ghetto realism, Swamp Man is a bit of deviation from his usual, as this book takes place in the country rather than the city.
.
.
Released in 1974, SWAMP MAN goes even harder than it's contemporaries in terms of its content. There's a rape scene that makes Straw Dogs seem tame on comparison. But thankfully, the ve glance is super worth it. There's a LOT of castration action, shoot outs, and chases through the dangerous swamps. We even get a good bit involving some flesh chomping gators!
.
.
As this was an exploitation book written by a Black author, the villains are abhorrent racists, and their dialogue is just as vicious as their cruel actions. Its hard reading, but thats definitely the point. And besides, I like my grindhouse flicks to be controversial and confrontational, so it's only fitting that that sentiment should extend to the books of this era as well. Just know this is NOT for pearl-clutchers.
.
.
SWAMP MAN is the sort of book that comes with a prepackaged aesthetic. I could picture film grain, tinny audio, and a clanging score. The blood is bright red, and the content pushes all boundaries of "good taste." They definitely don't make 'em like this any more... even when they try!
.
.
I recommend SWAMP MAN to fans of movies like The Last House on the Left, Fight for Your Life, I Spit on your Grave, and Blaxploitation flicks like Brotherhood of Death!
October 7, 2011
This is no great literary marvel but it is an entertaining read. I've been a fan of Goines for awhile now and have read a few of his books. I have more than a few here left still to read and more than a few I still to get. I'm more partial to Goines than Slim from what all I've read so far.
I'm still somewhat surprised I like Goines' works so much because I'm very sensitive to matters pertaining to race. I don't go for anything racist, no matter how "small" it may be. This is racist not against one race, but two. Blacks are condemned by the whites, whites are looked down on and hated by the blacks.
I can't lie - it does make for hard reading. And more, some of what Goines' wrote was somewhat over the top. As in, the main character, George, is a black man and he has a huge dick. But each and every while man has a "tiny piece of white meat". I'm not sure if Goines' had ever seen any other dicks but his own in his life but I'm here to tell him - and anyone else feeding into this idiocy - that it's not true. There are black men with little dicks and white men with big dicks. That's the way the cookie crumbles folks. So, it's a small aspect of the book but for me it took something away.
As much as I hate that our history is as it is, when I read a book like this I want to be able to feel the realistic aspects. Here, with these parts, I feel like Goines' gave in to his bias and his racism. That's just as bad as any white man giving it to a black man. Racism is racism no matter what way it's going.
But this book is a good one, it's a fast one at something like 180 pages (there's a decent sized portion of Kenyatta's Last Hit included at the end) and it's obvious Goines was a master storyteller in his day.
I'm still somewhat surprised I like Goines' works so much because I'm very sensitive to matters pertaining to race. I don't go for anything racist, no matter how "small" it may be. This is racist not against one race, but two. Blacks are condemned by the whites, whites are looked down on and hated by the blacks.
I can't lie - it does make for hard reading. And more, some of what Goines' wrote was somewhat over the top. As in, the main character, George, is a black man and he has a huge dick. But each and every while man has a "tiny piece of white meat". I'm not sure if Goines' had ever seen any other dicks but his own in his life but I'm here to tell him - and anyone else feeding into this idiocy - that it's not true. There are black men with little dicks and white men with big dicks. That's the way the cookie crumbles folks. So, it's a small aspect of the book but for me it took something away.
As much as I hate that our history is as it is, when I read a book like this I want to be able to feel the realistic aspects. Here, with these parts, I feel like Goines' gave in to his bias and his racism. That's just as bad as any white man giving it to a black man. Racism is racism no matter what way it's going.
But this book is a good one, it's a fast one at something like 180 pages (there's a decent sized portion of Kenyatta's Last Hit included at the end) and it's obvious Goines was a master storyteller in his day.
November 3, 2025
Swamp man by Donald Goinse, this is a book about harsh crude happenings and due to the book being realistic it also has harsh and crude language. Being someone who loves revenge books especially for those who deserve it like these four brothers I just really wanted to get past all the ugliness and to the justice but what I kept realizing was a lot of the book didn’t seem realistic. My main issue with the book was when the old man told Henrietta to cut across to the plantation because the white men were out for her she just disregard what he says. Anyone who grows up fearing someone else just the thought of them being out for you would be enough to set your heels a flame but not for Henrietta who will suffer the consequences. Well she’s on her way Home after arriving from Atlanta where she goes to college her brother George sets out from their swamp cabin to meet her. of course the four bumpkins get to her first and by the end of it the grandpa will be dead she will be a shadow of her former self and George will be angry and out for revenge. I found a lot of things to do with the sex scene the sex talk and things like that could’ve been said in a different way and I don’t know why we had to get a description of grandpa’s penis I found that unnecessary either way Henrietta is broken George is out for revenge and I thought the good times we’re going to roll but yet again I think the language was just way too harsh there were things in the book that didn’t have to be but having said that the revenge was satisfying the country bumpkins got there just desserts. If this sounds like something you would like then definitely read it I didn’t know the book was so detailed and it’s telling and had I known that I would’ve definitely skipped it. I mean there’s one point where she puts a stick in her and they don’t skip on any details. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #DonaldGoins, #TheSwampMan,
October 17, 2025
4.5 🌟 rounded up
I have yet to read a Donald Goines novel that doesn't receive five stars from me. His writing style is dark, unfiltered, and hard to put down. Swamp Man is a story of retaliation, but really, there are no winners here. This is the kind of novel that hollows you out emotionally, and you find yourself staring at a wall afterward, wondering what the hell you just read. As a fan of dark fiction, I mean this as a compliment. I had no genuine desire to visit a swamp before reading this, and even less so afterward.
Recommended for fans of dark, gritty crime novels. [Check trigger warnings first.]
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC.
I have yet to read a Donald Goines novel that doesn't receive five stars from me. His writing style is dark, unfiltered, and hard to put down. Swamp Man is a story of retaliation, but really, there are no winners here. This is the kind of novel that hollows you out emotionally, and you find yourself staring at a wall afterward, wondering what the hell you just read. As a fan of dark fiction, I mean this as a compliment. I had no genuine desire to visit a swamp before reading this, and even less so afterward.
Recommended for fans of dark, gritty crime novels. [Check trigger warnings first.]
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC.
June 5, 2023
3.5 stars. I had to suspend disbelief a bit as the drug that was used on Henrietta is an urban myth but this is an horrific tale in any case. No happy endings here.
December 18, 2025
swamp man by donald goines gave the audience a chilling story from the bewildering bayous of the south. this novel highlighted some of the challenges African Americans faced during the jim crow south. all of the characters were defined in a way where you would be able to recognize them in reality! overall i enjoyed the novel! the way mr. goines describes the terrain of the swamp allows the reader to be alongside the protagonist, George Jackson, as he seeks revenge of those who have done wrong by him and those he loves.
September 5, 2012
My favorite Book!!
May 19, 2013
great great book
December 23, 2015
This is very different from my usual reads. I was fully engrossed and finished in 2 days. The ending was kinda abrupt though
January 17, 2023
A glimpse into how depraved evil once freely roamed, and the repercussions it yielded.
July 29, 2025
Donald Goines’ 1974 novel is brutal, violent and shocking, and a great read. Set in the swamplands of the Mississippi and rooted in grief and vengeance, it’s the story of George Jackson, a “swamp man”, an essentially gentle and loving young black man who is transformed into a ruthless killer when he witnesses the horrific rape of his sister by a group of white men. It’s a dark and unflinching description of a man fuelled by rage and a desire for vengeance, and is emotionally intense and ultimately heart-breaking. The rape scene is prolonged and difficult to read, and at first I thought it was just too graphic, but having read on I felt that in the circumstances it was a necessary scene describing as it does the reality of the time and place and the inherent racism displayed. My only quibble of this powerful and compelling novel is that the ending was too abrupt. It just seemed to end so suddenly, and although the conclusion was inevitable it rather let down the effect of the book as a whole. Nevertheless, my introduction to the writing of Donal Goines has given me a desire to read more, as I found the writing spare, controlled and vividly atmospheric.
July 22, 2025
This was a powerful and emotional read. Right from the start, I was pulled into the dark, eerie world of the Mississippi swamp and George Jackson’s quiet pain and growing anger.
George starts off as a gentle guy, but after what happens to his sister, something in him snaps. Watching him change and go after the ones who hurt her was chilling but also deeply moving.
The writing sets the mood perfectly—tense, dark, and slow in a way that makes every moment hit harder. The swamp almost feels like its own character, hiding secrets and helping George along the way.
This isn’t just about revenge—it’s about grief, love, and justice. If you like Southern fiction with heart and grit.
Thanks Netgalley and Kensington Publishing | Holloway House ARC and opportunity to provide an honest review.
George starts off as a gentle guy, but after what happens to his sister, something in him snaps. Watching him change and go after the ones who hurt her was chilling but also deeply moving.
The writing sets the mood perfectly—tense, dark, and slow in a way that makes every moment hit harder. The swamp almost feels like its own character, hiding secrets and helping George along the way.
This isn’t just about revenge—it’s about grief, love, and justice. If you like Southern fiction with heart and grit.
Thanks Netgalley and Kensington Publishing | Holloway House ARC and opportunity to provide an honest review.
July 19, 2023
This book was recommended in a Facebook group, so I purchased it. I am so glad I did!
Donald Goines, from what I have read, was a tortured soul. Yet the story he tells in “Swamp Man” sounds like something that could actually happen. Being from south Louisiana, I enjoyed the swamp setting. The “revenge story” is not forced. Goines is so descriptive that I wondered if it was based on a real occurrence in his past.
Unfortunately, the author died much too soon so I could not ask him. The only reason I did not give this book 5 stars is that the ending did not satisfy. It felt a little too contrived. It would spoil things to reveal the ending here. Check it out for yourself!
Donald Goines, from what I have read, was a tortured soul. Yet the story he tells in “Swamp Man” sounds like something that could actually happen. Being from south Louisiana, I enjoyed the swamp setting. The “revenge story” is not forced. Goines is so descriptive that I wondered if it was based on a real occurrence in his past.
Unfortunately, the author died much too soon so I could not ask him. The only reason I did not give this book 5 stars is that the ending did not satisfy. It felt a little too contrived. It would spoil things to reveal the ending here. Check it out for yourself!
July 26, 2025
Thanks again to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was familiar with Donald Goines having read a biography of him many years ago, so when the opportunity to read some of his work, I jumped at the chance to read Swamp Man. Remember that it was first published in 1974, so some of the subject matter seems non-PC in today's climate. With that in mind, I have to say I love period crime fiction and period crime fiction by a BIPOC author. Goines thoroughly entertained this reader with some rough subject matter. You feel for the characters, even the villains.
Highly recommended.
I was familiar with Donald Goines having read a biography of him many years ago, so when the opportunity to read some of his work, I jumped at the chance to read Swamp Man. Remember that it was first published in 1974, so some of the subject matter seems non-PC in today's climate. With that in mind, I have to say I love period crime fiction and period crime fiction by a BIPOC author. Goines thoroughly entertained this reader with some rough subject matter. You feel for the characters, even the villains.
Highly recommended.
October 22, 2025
“Gritty, emotional, and unforgettable — a raw story of survival and revenge.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 out of 5 stars
Swamp Man by Donald Goines is a raw and immersive read that captures the grit and survival instincts of its characters. Goines’ writing is sharp, emotional, and true to his signature style—it pulls you in and doesn’t let go. The atmosphere feels heavy and real, almost like you can feel the heat and danger of every moment.
Some of the hunting sections dragged a little for me, but the story’s logic and realism made up for it. Even when the pacing slowed, I still wanted to see where it all led. Overall, it’s a powerful, believable story that shows Goines at his best.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 out of 5 stars
Swamp Man by Donald Goines is a raw and immersive read that captures the grit and survival instincts of its characters. Goines’ writing is sharp, emotional, and true to his signature style—it pulls you in and doesn’t let go. The atmosphere feels heavy and real, almost like you can feel the heat and danger of every moment.
Some of the hunting sections dragged a little for me, but the story’s logic and realism made up for it. Even when the pacing slowed, I still wanted to see where it all led. Overall, it’s a powerful, believable story that shows Goines at his best.
May 30, 2017
I expected a good adventure from this and for the most part I got it. A few minor quibbles about what things are actually possible in a swamp and how weapons actually perform, but overall a fun read.
Again, Goines' heros are always misguided souls and he makes sure that there are sympathetic European-American characters. True the 'Jones' brothers and all of the inhabitants of the local Corn Whiskey bar are steriotypes, but the sheriff is seen with almost childlike reverence. Anyone who enjoys the 'pastoral' works of Goines will enjoy this one.
Again, Goines' heros are always misguided souls and he makes sure that there are sympathetic European-American characters. True the 'Jones' brothers and all of the inhabitants of the local Corn Whiskey bar are steriotypes, but the sheriff is seen with almost childlike reverence. Anyone who enjoys the 'pastoral' works of Goines will enjoy this one.
May 27, 2023
Not one of his better ones, but still alright. This one is kind of a departure for him in that he leaves the city for the country, which he doesn't do a bad job of writing about, but I just prefer reading how he portrays the grimness of the city. The other thing about this one is that it felt too similar to other stuff you've already experienced that is way more famous: DELIVERANCE, and I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, for example.
May 26, 2020
A strange story, I couldn't help but hear some urban tones in that swamp! May be triggering for sudden trauma survivors.
September 8, 2021
It was an entertaining books. It makes you think about all the people who had to suffer from the ignorance of the south back in those days. The author is surely now one of my favorites to read.
February 22, 2022
loved the setting being the backwood swamps instead of the inner city. Donald Goines was such a talented author.
December 27, 2022
Quick read. Did not like the ending.
January 11, 2025
Great redemption story, a lot of ignorant racist’ (which I can’t say was my favorite) but when the main character comes back for revenge…. It’s desperate and messed up. Was entertaining to read.
August 5, 2021
Trigger warning for those who have dealt with rape; normally I can handle the topic without any issues & if you've read any of Goines other books, rape comes up numerous times but for some reason the description of the scene in this particular book really unsettled me. I also did not like the flow of the book. He wrote from the perspective of different characters going through situations at the same time but it didn't flow well. At times I had to re-read the paragraph or page before to understand who eyes I was looking through. Marked it off my list... not a book I would read again.
February 16, 2017
I love this book.
September 8, 2010
The events in the book were definitely disturbing but I enjoyed this short tale. Goines portrayal of Pa, George and Henrietta was very realistic and freaking tragic. I remember reading a number of similiar sad real accounts of similar circumstances throught the South. Recently I read a story in the news of some people, like Henrietta who did not heed warnings by locals and suffered a horrible fate. The fact that the news story occurred in during 2000's really did not shock me.
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December 19, 2008this book is about a young black man that stayes with is grandfather by a swamp, And one day his sister comes to visit and she gets raped by this white group of boys called the............you will need to read the book to find out more.
January 27, 2011
Really spooky. Reads quickly but has this eerie level of depth and reality. I love that there aren't many generic conventions at work—it's both what you expect and don't expect to see written out at the same time.
December 27, 2008
The first book that I ever read by D.G. given to me by my mom.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews