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Three-Fifths
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2020 BY THE GUARDIAN UK Pittsburgh, 1995. The son of a black father he’s never known and a white mother he sometimes wishes he didn’t, 22-year-old Bobby Saraceno is passing for white. Raised by his bigoted maternal grandfather, Bobby has hidden his truth from everyone, even his best friend and fellow comic-book geek, Aaron, who has just returned home from prison a hardened racist. Bobby’s disparate worlds collide when his and Aaron’s reunion is interrupted by a confrontation where Bobby witnesses Aaron assault a young black man with a brick. Fearing for his safety and his freedom, Bobby must keep his secret from Aaron and conceal his unwitting involvement in the hate crime from the police. But Bobby’s delicate house of cards crumbles when his father enters his life after more than 20 years.
240 pages, Paperback
First published September 10, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 353 reviews
September 11, 2019
John Vercher revolutionizes urban fiction with crime, contemporary issues, mystery, and thriller in his debut novel, Three-Fifths, and the outcome blew me away. During various points, I sat at the edge of my seat with bones shaking, eyes tearing, and my heart racing. Although it directly faces controversial topics such as racism and class differences head on, it surpasses those topics and brought me to tears simply as a parent, sister, friend, and human being. It is wrapped in a realism that occurs nearly every day.
The novel starts off with Bobby, an asthmatic young adult, walking back from work when he runs into his lifelong best friend, Aaron, who has just been released from prison. Riding home together, he quickly learns that Aaron views have changed and, terrified, continues driving him to the food mart where he witnesses Aaron’s criminal acts that verify his new allegiance to the Brotherhood. Bobby struggles with his own identity throughout the novel, hiding under his white features and the secret that he is really mixed. No one knows that his father, who was never around his entire life, is black. He feels like he cannot even rely on his own mother most of the time, and now feels his best friend has betrayed him. Now caught at a cross-roads and drowning in accountability, Bobby's racial divide antagonizes his relationships.
The reader also sees Bobby’s mother, Isabel, who is a single white mom struggling to make ends meet. She wants a better life for her son, but her job as a waitress and her own self-coping mechanism, being alcohol, sometimes create a barrier. "But halfway through the month, she and Bobby were still short on rent, and their need for shelter took priority over pride.” Her son, Bobby, is all she has and she is willing to do whatever it takes to pave a way for him. But can she defeat her own monsters? She often wonders if she has made the right decisions and questions her judgment as a parent.
Robert, the doctor who receives the patient that Aaron assaulted the night of his release from prison, also plays a major role in the story. With his co-workers and family members, we see a successful man who wrestles to accept his own identity. “…there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t look in the mirror that I don’t see a black man before I see a doctor. Because I have to.” Robert’s prose contends to express the racial barrier in society that sometimes goes unnoticed.
Both a humbling and intense read, I cannot recommend this book enough. Read the whole thing and don’t stop. Be prepared to be all in your emotions. Have tissues and be ready to have a book hangover. This story resonated with me on a personal level in more ways than one and is a story will stay with me for a long time. Please note, however, that there is an abundance of vulgar language and violence in this novel, so it might not be for everyone.
Thank you again and again to John Vercher for creating this important and inspirational story. An amazing debut novel that I highly recommend to others. Thank you to Netgalley and Agora books for allowing me the opportunity to read this piece of fiction. I will be following this author and eagerly waiting for his next book.
The novel starts off with Bobby, an asthmatic young adult, walking back from work when he runs into his lifelong best friend, Aaron, who has just been released from prison. Riding home together, he quickly learns that Aaron views have changed and, terrified, continues driving him to the food mart where he witnesses Aaron’s criminal acts that verify his new allegiance to the Brotherhood. Bobby struggles with his own identity throughout the novel, hiding under his white features and the secret that he is really mixed. No one knows that his father, who was never around his entire life, is black. He feels like he cannot even rely on his own mother most of the time, and now feels his best friend has betrayed him. Now caught at a cross-roads and drowning in accountability, Bobby's racial divide antagonizes his relationships.
The reader also sees Bobby’s mother, Isabel, who is a single white mom struggling to make ends meet. She wants a better life for her son, but her job as a waitress and her own self-coping mechanism, being alcohol, sometimes create a barrier. "But halfway through the month, she and Bobby were still short on rent, and their need for shelter took priority over pride.” Her son, Bobby, is all she has and she is willing to do whatever it takes to pave a way for him. But can she defeat her own monsters? She often wonders if she has made the right decisions and questions her judgment as a parent.
Robert, the doctor who receives the patient that Aaron assaulted the night of his release from prison, also plays a major role in the story. With his co-workers and family members, we see a successful man who wrestles to accept his own identity. “…there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t look in the mirror that I don’t see a black man before I see a doctor. Because I have to.” Robert’s prose contends to express the racial barrier in society that sometimes goes unnoticed.
Both a humbling and intense read, I cannot recommend this book enough. Read the whole thing and don’t stop. Be prepared to be all in your emotions. Have tissues and be ready to have a book hangover. This story resonated with me on a personal level in more ways than one and is a story will stay with me for a long time. Please note, however, that there is an abundance of vulgar language and violence in this novel, so it might not be for everyone.
Thank you again and again to John Vercher for creating this important and inspirational story. An amazing debut novel that I highly recommend to others. Thank you to Netgalley and Agora books for allowing me the opportunity to read this piece of fiction. I will be following this author and eagerly waiting for his next book.
August 26, 2020
Content and Trigger Warnings in Spoilers
An impactful and powerful novel about the never-ending cycle of violence and hate.
This book punched me in the gut. While I cannot speak on the representation of black people in this novel, I can speak on the white-passing biracial representation. John Vercher did a wonderful job of representing the complex issues that light skinned/ white-passing biracial people can deal with in a racist society and also raised in a white family.
The way such a short book tackled multiple difficult topics like racism, homophobia and alcoholism was masterful and thought-provoking.
I found the writing to be compulsively readable and while I would not necessarily call this book a thriller, the way tension was built had me on the edge of my seat in places.
While I want to say I loved this, I can't say I enjoyed a book that is both difficult to read in parts and also a little heartbreaking, but I do think it was an excellent novel.
An impactful and powerful novel about the never-ending cycle of violence and hate.
This book punched me in the gut. While I cannot speak on the representation of black people in this novel, I can speak on the white-passing biracial representation. John Vercher did a wonderful job of representing the complex issues that light skinned/ white-passing biracial people can deal with in a racist society and also raised in a white family.
The way such a short book tackled multiple difficult topics like racism, homophobia and alcoholism was masterful and thought-provoking.
I found the writing to be compulsively readable and while I would not necessarily call this book a thriller, the way tension was built had me on the edge of my seat in places.
While I want to say I loved this, I can't say I enjoyed a book that is both difficult to read in parts and also a little heartbreaking, but I do think it was an excellent novel.
January 28, 2020
In Pittsburgh during the winter of 1995 Bobby is a young biracial man passing for white who has never told anyone that his father was black. So when Bobby’s old buddy Aaron gets out of prison and shows up looking like a ‘roid monster with neo-Nazi tattoos, it’s not a great situation. It gets even worse when Aaron viciously beats a young black man, and Bobby unwittingly acts as his getaway driver. Terrified both of being arrested and of Aaron finding out his true heritage, Bobby also has to deal with his alcoholic mother who has a starling encounter of her own with a doctor who is struggling through a divorce.
When I attended the 2019 Bouchercon everyone was raving about this book, and I saw John Vercher a couple of times. After reading this now I’m kicking myself for not taking the opportunity to meet him.
I’m not sure if this is social commentary as crime fiction or crime fiction as social commentary, but whatever you call it, it’s a great book. In an incredibly tight 200 pages Vercher not only creates several vivid characters, but he also manages to make all of their backstory part of a personal mystery that revolves around exactly why Bobby is so committed to hiding the fact that he’s biracial.
When I attended the 2019 Bouchercon everyone was raving about this book, and I saw John Vercher a couple of times. After reading this now I’m kicking myself for not taking the opportunity to meet him.
I’m not sure if this is social commentary as crime fiction or crime fiction as social commentary, but whatever you call it, it’s a great book. In an incredibly tight 200 pages Vercher not only creates several vivid characters, but he also manages to make all of their backstory part of a personal mystery that revolves around exactly why Bobby is so committed to hiding the fact that he’s biracial.
February 16, 2020
Yet another outstanding debut novel, this highly engaging story is timely given the current state of democracy and race. While the theme is honesty between family and friends, the core element is racial divide and correlation of crime with race. Torn by loyalty and seeking truth the protagonist is taken through the wringer of life as the author immerses the reader into his journey. Anger gives way to compassion and truth rises to the surface. Hard to put down, you'd never know this was a first effort. I look forward to sequels from this author!
April 16, 2022
Bobby and his mom are just scraping by, working extra shifts at diners and bistros - whatever it takes to pay the rent. Enter Aaron, Bobby's best friend, sprung from prison, sporting some new VERY white supremacist tattoos, and a new confrontational attitude.
Prison had created Prison Aaron and Prison Aaron did what he thought he had to do . . .
His time inside has altered his outlook on life, and poor Bobby happens to be along when Aaron commits a horrific crime against a young black man.
Now Bobby's living in fear of being caught by police, and also in fear of his friend finding out that Bobby's father is black.
. . . he sat terrified. Terrified of the guy who used to be his best friend, terrified about what he had done, terrified about what he might do, about what he'd become.
This is an excellent book, offering frank conversations about race, good pacing, believable characters, and great dialogue.
I'd be happy as a frickin' clam if this were my first book.
Prison had created Prison Aaron and Prison Aaron did what he thought he had to do . . .
His time inside has altered his outlook on life, and poor Bobby happens to be along when Aaron commits a horrific crime against a young black man.
Now Bobby's living in fear of being caught by police, and also in fear of his friend finding out that Bobby's father is black.
. . . he sat terrified. Terrified of the guy who used to be his best friend, terrified about what he had done, terrified about what he might do, about what he'd become.
This is an excellent book, offering frank conversations about race, good pacing, believable characters, and great dialogue.
I'd be happy as a frickin' clam if this were my first book.
July 5, 2022
Bobby is a mixed race young man who has always passed for white. Originally, that was a necessary deception perpetrated by his white mother to ensure Bobby’s acceptance by his racist grandfather. Bobby was partially raised by that grandfather since his alcoholic mother wasn’t coping very well, in fact Bobby looked after her more than the other way around. At 22, Bobby is still looking after his mother and still passing when his best (only) friend Aaron comes out of prison, having picked up a new physique and new white supremacist attitudes, and involves Bobby in a violent attack on a black boy.
This is the second book that I have read by this author and I can confirm that he does not write feel good stories. What he does do is create believable characters and situations and he tackles complicated issues with honesty, perception and compassion for all of the characters. This book will make you think as well as feel. If people discover that your father was black, does that suddenly turn you into a different person? How much loyalty do you owe a friend, even when you are afraid of him? There is a lot of depth to this book.
This is the second book that I have read by this author and I can confirm that he does not write feel good stories. What he does do is create believable characters and situations and he tackles complicated issues with honesty, perception and compassion for all of the characters. This book will make you think as well as feel. If people discover that your father was black, does that suddenly turn you into a different person? How much loyalty do you owe a friend, even when you are afraid of him? There is a lot of depth to this book.
September 24, 2019
3.5 stars rounded up.
Three Fifths by John Vercher was a quick read with engaging characters and the first chapter rapidly drew me into the plot. I'll admit it contained some violence which I did not enjoy but it was critical to the storyline and was not graphic. I was swept up into the story turning page after page and have to say the ending, though fitting, was simply not at all what I was expecting.
Bobby's best friend Aaron unexpectedly rocks up at his workplace surprising Bobby in more ways than one. Not only is Aaron fresh out of prison after three years but he's a changed man - not for the better. This new Aaron looks, speaks and acts differently and to put it plainly, kind of scares Bobby. Aaron has become some kind of neo-Nazi and, whilst beer fuelled, he commits a violent and hate filled race crime. Bobby finds himself in the unenviable position of not only being an accessory to the crime but carrying a
frightening secret. Though white skinned, Bobby's father had been a black man, yet Bobby has managed to deny his race his entire life. Aaron's dangerous new ways cause Bobby to acknowledge the truth he's buried deep and to fear for his safety.
Set in 1995 against a backdrop of some high profile race related cases the book was well written. It shone a spotlight on racism and made me think about some of the many ways it impacts lives. It challenged racial programming and stereotyping, and portrayed some of the after effects of racism and race denial on individuals.
My thanks to the author, to Polis Books and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Three Fifths by John Vercher was a quick read with engaging characters and the first chapter rapidly drew me into the plot. I'll admit it contained some violence which I did not enjoy but it was critical to the storyline and was not graphic. I was swept up into the story turning page after page and have to say the ending, though fitting, was simply not at all what I was expecting.
Bobby's best friend Aaron unexpectedly rocks up at his workplace surprising Bobby in more ways than one. Not only is Aaron fresh out of prison after three years but he's a changed man - not for the better. This new Aaron looks, speaks and acts differently and to put it plainly, kind of scares Bobby. Aaron has become some kind of neo-Nazi and, whilst beer fuelled, he commits a violent and hate filled race crime. Bobby finds himself in the unenviable position of not only being an accessory to the crime but carrying a
frightening secret. Though white skinned, Bobby's father had been a black man, yet Bobby has managed to deny his race his entire life. Aaron's dangerous new ways cause Bobby to acknowledge the truth he's buried deep and to fear for his safety.
Set in 1995 against a backdrop of some high profile race related cases the book was well written. It shone a spotlight on racism and made me think about some of the many ways it impacts lives. It challenged racial programming and stereotyping, and portrayed some of the after effects of racism and race denial on individuals.
My thanks to the author, to Polis Books and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2022
This was a compelling, well written and powerful novel. Less a crime novel than an examination of issues, such as race, identity, alcoholism and loss. Whilst it sounds like a novel that might groan under the weight of its seriousness, I found Three-Fifths to be highly readable, with the action compressed into a span of around 72 hours. The characters are complex and flawed and invite empathy, so that the emotional impact of the novel's final moments are inescapable.
This is not a novel that I would typically pick up, but a boutique bookseller here in Melbourne recommended it when I was trying to spend a generous gift voucher. I'm glad he did. Now I'm recommending it to you.
This is not a novel that I would typically pick up, but a boutique bookseller here in Melbourne recommended it when I was trying to spend a generous gift voucher. I'm glad he did. Now I'm recommending it to you.
June 11, 2019
Thanks to Polis Books for the ARC at BEA 2019, and to John Vercher for signing my copy!
This book shook me to my core. Set in Pittsburgh in 1995, it tells the story of Bobby, a 22 year old white passing mixed kid who grew up with a white mom and never knowing his dad. When his best friend from high school returns from 3 years in prison for drug dealing as an open and avowed white supremacist, we see Bobby struggle with who he is and what he wants to be. All of this is going on while the O.J. Simpson trial is raging, and the memory of the 1992 L.A. riots are still fresh on a lot of people's minds. A short but powerful story about race, crime, family, and loss.
Warning: this book is very triggering. Racial slurs and sexual slurs are used by several characters. One of the main characters struggles with substance abuse. There are scenes containing street and domestic violence. I did not find any of this to be gratuitous or unnecessary; it all worked into the overall story. But I feel it bears mentioning. This is not a happy book.
With that said, it was a phenomenal look at race and identity, and how we can and often don't confront ourselves until it's too late. Highly reccomend, a strong favorite for the year.
This book shook me to my core. Set in Pittsburgh in 1995, it tells the story of Bobby, a 22 year old white passing mixed kid who grew up with a white mom and never knowing his dad. When his best friend from high school returns from 3 years in prison for drug dealing as an open and avowed white supremacist, we see Bobby struggle with who he is and what he wants to be. All of this is going on while the O.J. Simpson trial is raging, and the memory of the 1992 L.A. riots are still fresh on a lot of people's minds. A short but powerful story about race, crime, family, and loss.
Warning: this book is very triggering. Racial slurs and sexual slurs are used by several characters. One of the main characters struggles with substance abuse. There are scenes containing street and domestic violence. I did not find any of this to be gratuitous or unnecessary; it all worked into the overall story. But I feel it bears mentioning. This is not a happy book.
With that said, it was a phenomenal look at race and identity, and how we can and often don't confront ourselves until it's too late. Highly reccomend, a strong favorite for the year.
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February 9, 2020
Wowzers! Three-Fifths is a SOLID 4.5 read. I had issue with the last scene with Bobby and Aaron. For me, it was confusing and wasn't impactful as anticipated. Immediately after finishing this book I thought of Forty Acres by Dwayne Alexander Smith. Maybe because they both read as movie scripts in my head. RUN to read this book.
I can't thank the Netgalley and Polis Books enough for approving me to read this gem. I'm big on covers and if being honest, without reading the synopsis, I would've passed this book right on up. There's a lot to discuss and unpack here. I highly recommend and when you do read Three-Fifths come back and lets discuss it.
I can't thank the Netgalley and Polis Books enough for approving me to read this gem. I'm big on covers and if being honest, without reading the synopsis, I would've passed this book right on up. There's a lot to discuss and unpack here. I highly recommend and when you do read Three-Fifths come back and lets discuss it.
December 7, 2020
Vercher's powerful novel is set in Pittsburgh in 1995 with the backdrop of the LA Riots and the O.J. Simpson trial. It is billed as a 'hard-boiled noir' but that alone doesn't do justice to a piece of literature that is far more than that, an astute commentary on race in today's American cities.
The book’s protagonist is Bobby, a teenager of mixed-race descent who works as a waiter after school to help support himself and his alcoholic mother, Isabelle, an Italian-American, the daughter of a racist white police officer. The action centres on the return from prison of Bobby’s best friend Aaron, a convicted drug dealer now a fully-fledged white supremacist. In a dramatic opening chapter, Aaron savagely attacks a black teenager in a fast-food restaurant.
Like with the best noir writing, Vercher writes an authentic and dynamic dialogue, but in the other aspects he takes on he is as strong; the emergency ward at the hospital, the diner, and particularly racist America. This is really good throughout, and timely - an all-round triumph.
The book’s protagonist is Bobby, a teenager of mixed-race descent who works as a waiter after school to help support himself and his alcoholic mother, Isabelle, an Italian-American, the daughter of a racist white police officer. The action centres on the return from prison of Bobby’s best friend Aaron, a convicted drug dealer now a fully-fledged white supremacist. In a dramatic opening chapter, Aaron savagely attacks a black teenager in a fast-food restaurant.
Like with the best noir writing, Vercher writes an authentic and dynamic dialogue, but in the other aspects he takes on he is as strong; the emergency ward at the hospital, the diner, and particularly racist America. This is really good throughout, and timely - an all-round triumph.
November 21, 2025
This book was extremely heavy, but it was well written and the kind of story that will stick with you for a long time. The characters were compelling, even if they weren’t especially likable. It is a heartbreaking story and the reader is left wondering what if about so many things and if those changes could have led the characters to a better ending. This one is hard to describe without giving everything away. This book tackles racism, homophobia, family drama, and poverty. It’s beautifully written and tragically sad. I highly recommend it, but be prepared for a heavy story that will make you think long after you close the pages.
June 15, 2020
I am still reeling from that ending. It was just heartbreaking.
There are some types of stories that never have happy endings, because when it comes to racism, poverty, alcoholism, white supremacy, cultural appropriation, denying who you are, there are no happy endings. So do not dive into this book as a form of escape (like I did) or think that there will be a happy ending. There won't be. What you will get is an in your face, you cannot escape this, because these issues are happening in our world and so far, there hasn't been a happy ending, yet. That's the reality of it.
What impressed me the most about this book was how Vercher was able to pack in so many issues in such a short story. They weren't small societal issues, they were huge.
It's been over a week since I read this book and I really needed a week to mull it over. Let it truly sink in, because honestly, I have no words to describe what this book did for me besides break my heart and make me sad.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, but not for enjoyment. Read it to educate yourself. Read it to feel something much deeper, to understand the world of pain around you and within you. It will help you relate to others dealing with a whole realm of issues.
I think the hardest lesson in this book surrounds the idea that you cannot deny who you are. Pretending you are something else will completely destroy you and everyone around you. Just be you. Don't deny it. The longer you lie to yourself and everyone around you, the worse the destruction in the end.
You'll never forget this book. It really hits you hard. A must read.
There are some types of stories that never have happy endings, because when it comes to racism, poverty, alcoholism, white supremacy, cultural appropriation, denying who you are, there are no happy endings. So do not dive into this book as a form of escape (like I did) or think that there will be a happy ending. There won't be. What you will get is an in your face, you cannot escape this, because these issues are happening in our world and so far, there hasn't been a happy ending, yet. That's the reality of it.
What impressed me the most about this book was how Vercher was able to pack in so many issues in such a short story. They weren't small societal issues, they were huge.
It's been over a week since I read this book and I really needed a week to mull it over. Let it truly sink in, because honestly, I have no words to describe what this book did for me besides break my heart and make me sad.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, but not for enjoyment. Read it to educate yourself. Read it to feel something much deeper, to understand the world of pain around you and within you. It will help you relate to others dealing with a whole realm of issues.
I think the hardest lesson in this book surrounds the idea that you cannot deny who you are. Pretending you are something else will completely destroy you and everyone around you. Just be you. Don't deny it. The longer you lie to yourself and everyone around you, the worse the destruction in the end.
You'll never forget this book. It really hits you hard. A must read.
September 4, 2019
Polis imprint, Agora, designed to usher in fresh, diverse voices to crime fiction, bursts onto the scene with this wonderful character driven novel about race, identity and trying to belong.
Bobby is a half white/half black man living as a racist white man who is met at the end of a work shift by his best friend, Aaron, who has just been released from prison. Prison has changed Aaron from a wannabe black man to a member of the Ayran Brotherhood. He's tracked down Bobby to catch up on old times, but an encounter at the fast food restaurant sets them on a different path that will see them examine everything they know.
The book is set in 1995, but the themes raised are especially prescient to the time we live in. The casual, outspoken brand of racism on display in the book is hard to believe, but we are readily seeing such things on social media and across the internet nowadays that it is in fact a stark reality.
The novel also shows us the viewpoints of Bobby's mother, Isabel and her struggle with alcoholism and Bobby's estranged father, Robert, who doesn't know about Bobby's existence and whom Bobby believes is dead. He is dealing with the fallout of his wife's miscarriage and the subsequent divorce she has requested following this.
The novel reminded me of William Boyle's sublime "Gravesend", not simply for the plot parallels, but for the delivery of an essential character driven novel and one that makes you think deeper about the world around you. The characters have excellent fully rounded stories throughout the novel which contrasts their pasts and their present.
Vercher and Agora have announced themselves with aplomb with this one and I look forward to what is next from both.
Bobby is a half white/half black man living as a racist white man who is met at the end of a work shift by his best friend, Aaron, who has just been released from prison. Prison has changed Aaron from a wannabe black man to a member of the Ayran Brotherhood. He's tracked down Bobby to catch up on old times, but an encounter at the fast food restaurant sets them on a different path that will see them examine everything they know.
The book is set in 1995, but the themes raised are especially prescient to the time we live in. The casual, outspoken brand of racism on display in the book is hard to believe, but we are readily seeing such things on social media and across the internet nowadays that it is in fact a stark reality.
The novel also shows us the viewpoints of Bobby's mother, Isabel and her struggle with alcoholism and Bobby's estranged father, Robert, who doesn't know about Bobby's existence and whom Bobby believes is dead. He is dealing with the fallout of his wife's miscarriage and the subsequent divorce she has requested following this.
The novel reminded me of William Boyle's sublime "Gravesend", not simply for the plot parallels, but for the delivery of an essential character driven novel and one that makes you think deeper about the world around you. The characters have excellent fully rounded stories throughout the novel which contrasts their pasts and their present.
Vercher and Agora have announced themselves with aplomb with this one and I look forward to what is next from both.
December 9, 2019
This was fast and the writing was of a quality that kept me going even as I muttered no, no, no at the numerous poor decisions made by all of the characters - smoking while asthmatic, having that one drink even when you know you won't be able to stop, continuing to hang around with your childhood friend who's now a nazi. The only thing that really gets me is the ending . The fact that I wasn't wild about it doesn't really mean a whole lot since I am obviously in some sort of mood, reading as many books as I have these past few weeks yet truly enjoying nothing but the cannibal hell pirate stuff. This reminds me of Pelecanos without the music and it makes a possibly unintentional yet compelling case for prison abolition, and these are never going to be bad things.
September 1, 2020
If it seems I’ve been reading more black American and African fiction lately, it’s because I really have and the library is to blame. Our library appears to be on the mission to solve the racial crisis in the US by acquiring as many relevant and diverse books for their digital catalogue as possible. The thing is (and this is quite telling in itself) no one seems to be reading them. While popular fiction such as thrillers, NYT bestsellers, etc. is always out with months long waiting lists, race related fiction by authors of color, etc. just sits there, perennially available. So I check these books out, to gain perspective, to self edify, to possibly find that magical impossibility…a book on race that actually works. And this one actually came close, surprisingly so, for a random debut, but there you have it. A story of a 22 year old kid who, despite mixed genes, passes for white and, due to an early upbringing by a vitriolically racist grandfather, grows up to be a very ethnically and ideologically confused young man. Nevertheless, he’s a decent kid, he works a lot to help out his alcoholic single mother, he lives a quiet life, he follows all the rules. Until an old schoolfriend of his gets released from prison and crashes back into his life like some sort of an incendiary device. Aaron is white, from a well to do family, back in the day he was a scrawny comic geek with a potent affinity for black culture bac, which made him a laughing stock and an outcast back in school. Now he’s a musclebound juggernaut of rage with white power ideology prominently tattooed on his brain and body. First thing out Arron already gets into a racially charged confrontation and bricks a kid, making his friend an unwilling accomplice. The rest of the book our protagonist spends in a permanent conflict of conscience and a permanent state of fear. There seems to be no easy choices between loyalty, family, friendship, doing the right thing, etc. And on top of it all his mother who can’t seem to stay on the wagon manages to reconnect with his father, the man he was told was dead all these years. It’s a lot for anyone to process. Especially a kid. Especially with the O.J. trial ruled 1995 for a set scenery. So there you have it, a proper drama, a complex character driven drama featuring genuinely complex multilayered characters. It’s a sad story, a tragedy, really, and it wouldn’t have worked any other way. Some messages are best delivered that way, to make more of an emotional gut punch. And yes, it does offer a very potent somber conversation on race and does it well. Sure, one can argue that it features some oversimplifications, like how every white character in the book is horrible in some way, while the black ones stay fairy noble. But there’s enough grey territory and moral ambiguity overall to make the story function. Plus that’s the entire thing about racism…it can’t be talked about with pure perfect objectivity, there’s always going to be some sort of bias, it’s too inherently loaded and perspective based matter. Also, there are some random things, like why did the mother decide to not go through with abortion is never explained properly. She had no education, barely any means of support and a fondness for drink, the father bails and she’s suddenly all about bringing a biracial baby into her profoundly racist family. I mean, she had no idea he’d turn out white enough to pass. Things like that, small things. But overall, the novel worked, I found it to be very engaging and difficult to put down. A very dynamic narrative, optimal for its essentially snowball to avalanche like structure and the character writing was really excellent. All in all, a pretty good entry into a necessary but nearly impossible conversation. Recommended.
April 12, 2020
This is the last pre-pandemic library book I had.
I avoided reading it because I knew it would be a hard one.
And was it ever.
After finishing it I felt all shaky and off kilter. This is not an easy read. It deals with racism, poverty, alcoholism, and a host of unpleasant topics. I rarely read these, and that’s a personal choice - I read to escape. And I prefer it to either be pleasant or fantastical. Not realistic. But sometimes it’s good to have a dose of that.
Anyway, back to the book.
You start off really, really rooting for Bobby. He just kind of grabs you and makes you feel for him. And that doesn’t end until the last shattering scene.
Lots of flawed characters, like his mom Isabel. None more flawed than Aaron, his former best friend newly released from jail.
The book isn’t long (mercifully) but every character is well fleshed out, and the plot is well paced and races to its conclusion. You feel like you’re with Bobby, living his life, struggling with his impossible choices.
It’s raw. There’s violence, outright and recounted. It’s human. And it’ll break your heart.
One more thing: this book could have used a better proofreader - it’s upsetting because the writing is EXCELLENT - sharp, tight. I didn’t mark any examples, but there were a good handful, and this book deserved better.
I avoided reading it because I knew it would be a hard one.
And was it ever.
After finishing it I felt all shaky and off kilter. This is not an easy read. It deals with racism, poverty, alcoholism, and a host of unpleasant topics. I rarely read these, and that’s a personal choice - I read to escape. And I prefer it to either be pleasant or fantastical. Not realistic. But sometimes it’s good to have a dose of that.
Anyway, back to the book.
You start off really, really rooting for Bobby. He just kind of grabs you and makes you feel for him. And that doesn’t end until the last shattering scene.
Lots of flawed characters, like his mom Isabel. None more flawed than Aaron, his former best friend newly released from jail.
The book isn’t long (mercifully) but every character is well fleshed out, and the plot is well paced and races to its conclusion. You feel like you’re with Bobby, living his life, struggling with his impossible choices.
It’s raw. There’s violence, outright and recounted. It’s human. And it’ll break your heart.
One more thing: this book could have used a better proofreader - it’s upsetting because the writing is EXCELLENT - sharp, tight. I didn’t mark any examples, but there were a good handful, and this book deserved better.
October 1, 2021
I usually reserve that 5th star for books I love and I have a hard time saying I love this but seldom have I read such a slender, tightly crafted volume that packed such an intense emotional wallop. So many times I had that desire to yell at the characters, Hollywood horror movie style, No! Don’t open that door, go down to the basement, call that neighbor feeling as the plot unspooled over just two days. Two days built on a lifetime.
My head and heart ache. I really do need a “heavy reads” support book group, LOL.
Content addresses racism, biracialism, prison, violence, rape, alcohol addiction, hate, love, friendship, secrets - I do not know how Vercher packed so much intense material into not much more than 200 pages. Intense.
My head and heart ache. I really do need a “heavy reads” support book group, LOL.
Content addresses racism, biracialism, prison, violence, rape, alcohol addiction, hate, love, friendship, secrets - I do not know how Vercher packed so much intense material into not much more than 200 pages. Intense.
November 23, 2019
Three-Fifths is a story about Bobby Saraceno, a twenty-two-year-old biracial black man who passed for white his entire life. When his best friend, just released from prison, involved him in a hate crime, he is forced to confront the lies of his past.
This is an excellent debut novel by John Vercher. I was drawn into his masterfully crafted plot from the first chapter. It is a disturbing story about racism, criminal justice system, family separation, isolation, alcoholism, and violence. But it is also a story about friendship, love and forgiveness. Get this book, it's a must read.
This is an excellent debut novel by John Vercher. I was drawn into his masterfully crafted plot from the first chapter. It is a disturbing story about racism, criminal justice system, family separation, isolation, alcoholism, and violence. But it is also a story about friendship, love and forgiveness. Get this book, it's a must read.
January 28, 2020
As the number of mixed raced couples increases in this country (personally think is great), several social issues are making their presence known. This book uses a racial crime to explore such issues and how people react to it. I thought the dialogue and character development were very good as was the writing. My attention was kept through out the narrative but I had to put the book down as at times the story was emotionally exhausting. A very good first novel.
November 10, 2019
3.5 stars. I'm not even sure what to say about this book. I would definitely recommend it, but prepare yourself for a heavy read. Brutal, impactful, and heartbreaking.
July 12, 2021
Um drama e thriller policial realmente muito bom sobre colorismo e racismo.
November 30, 2025
CELADON•READSTOGETHER
#ad much love for my copy @celadonbooks #partner
🆃🅷🆁🅴🅴-🅵🅸🅵🆃🅷🆂
4.5
“You have to understand that this system is designed to keep you young bucks in it. Once you got that label, that prison stink on you? You never really have a shot after that,” (p. 5).
For this readalong I was paired with the most perfect group of peeps ever:
@bookstasamm
@gymgirlreads
@booksnbikram
@getlostinabookwithme
Celadon knowns what’s up because this is the third time I’ve been paired with Sam so I was excited when I saw her name on my list of partners.
ᥫ᭡𝕽𝖊𝖛𝖎𝖊𝖜ᥫ᭡
Brutal. Absolutely fking brutal. It’s sad that there’s so much truth in this story. That many have walked this line, lived that life. Heart-breaking. This is the world we live in. It may be uncomfortable read for some, but it’s an important one.
I have read several fictional and nonfiction books that deal with the topics in this book, so my expectations were extremely high for this one. Did it live up to those expectations? I’d say yes, this book had me stressed the f out.
Vercher has a talent for writing intensely stressful scenes. Oof! I also loved that Michelle character. You. Tell. Them. Girl.
A raw and gritty look into the racial issues in America. An examination of the criminalizing of people of color. On both sides. I feel the points were made well, but the story just needed a little more fleshing out. Though I prefer books that stay in the present of the book’s plot, I feel books like this need some backstory.
I think using a protagonist that is mixed race was genius. While he can walk through this world passing as a white man, he’s also a black man - and hiding that half of his genes has dire consequences. There’s a solid message behind this story - so on that front, I loved the story.
biracial identity • racial passing • internalized racism • social injustice • literary noir • explosive secrets • identity crisis • Pittsburgh noir • moral reckoning • confronting truth • fast-paced literary fiction • gut-punch read • compact but powerful • race + identity • character-driven tension #celadonreadstogether
#ad much love for my copy @celadonbooks #partner
🆃🅷🆁🅴🅴-🅵🅸🅵🆃🅷🆂
4.5
“You have to understand that this system is designed to keep you young bucks in it. Once you got that label, that prison stink on you? You never really have a shot after that,” (p. 5).
For this readalong I was paired with the most perfect group of peeps ever:
@bookstasamm
@gymgirlreads
@booksnbikram
@getlostinabookwithme
Celadon knowns what’s up because this is the third time I’ve been paired with Sam so I was excited when I saw her name on my list of partners.
ᥫ᭡𝕽𝖊𝖛𝖎𝖊𝖜ᥫ᭡
Brutal. Absolutely fking brutal. It’s sad that there’s so much truth in this story. That many have walked this line, lived that life. Heart-breaking. This is the world we live in. It may be uncomfortable read for some, but it’s an important one.
I have read several fictional and nonfiction books that deal with the topics in this book, so my expectations were extremely high for this one. Did it live up to those expectations? I’d say yes, this book had me stressed the f out.
Vercher has a talent for writing intensely stressful scenes. Oof! I also loved that Michelle character. You. Tell. Them. Girl.
A raw and gritty look into the racial issues in America. An examination of the criminalizing of people of color. On both sides. I feel the points were made well, but the story just needed a little more fleshing out. Though I prefer books that stay in the present of the book’s plot, I feel books like this need some backstory.
I think using a protagonist that is mixed race was genius. While he can walk through this world passing as a white man, he’s also a black man - and hiding that half of his genes has dire consequences. There’s a solid message behind this story - so on that front, I loved the story.
biracial identity • racial passing • internalized racism • social injustice • literary noir • explosive secrets • identity crisis • Pittsburgh noir • moral reckoning • confronting truth • fast-paced literary fiction • gut-punch read • compact but powerful • race + identity • character-driven tension #celadonreadstogether
November 24, 2025
I heard about this novel from a fellow bookstagrammer and I knew I wanted to read it based on the premise.
This is an intense crime fiction story about racism and how it tears apart the lives of a biracial young man (who looks and identifies as white), his Black father (who he never met and who he thinks is dead), his alcoholic white mother, and his racist, white ex-con friend.
Written in 2019 but reissued this year, the story is set in Pittsburgh in 1995, during the OJ Simpson trial and racial unrest, but its relevance sadly remains today. The novel is inspired by the author’s experiences as a student in Pittsburgh.
While the topic is heavy, the writing was easy to read and flowed well. The characters, particularly the morally gray ones, were interesting and, in fact, I would have liked to have learned more about them. In addition, a great sense of foreboding hung over the novel, kicked off by a key incident that reverberated throughout the novel. The middle part was more character-driven until the action ramped up at the ending.
This is a gritty story that delves into issues around identity and belonging as a mixed-race person, the corrosive effects of family secrets, and living with the repercussions of our choices.
A very good read and it was a debut back in 2019!
This is an intense crime fiction story about racism and how it tears apart the lives of a biracial young man (who looks and identifies as white), his Black father (who he never met and who he thinks is dead), his alcoholic white mother, and his racist, white ex-con friend.
Written in 2019 but reissued this year, the story is set in Pittsburgh in 1995, during the OJ Simpson trial and racial unrest, but its relevance sadly remains today. The novel is inspired by the author’s experiences as a student in Pittsburgh.
While the topic is heavy, the writing was easy to read and flowed well. The characters, particularly the morally gray ones, were interesting and, in fact, I would have liked to have learned more about them. In addition, a great sense of foreboding hung over the novel, kicked off by a key incident that reverberated throughout the novel. The middle part was more character-driven until the action ramped up at the ending.
This is a gritty story that delves into issues around identity and belonging as a mixed-race person, the corrosive effects of family secrets, and living with the repercussions of our choices.
A very good read and it was a debut back in 2019!
November 7, 2025
Ooof, just like Devil Is Fine (the first of John Vercher's novels I read), this novel packs a punch. It's a bit slow and was (for me at least) a bit confusing at first getting all the characters and storylines in order, but once this novel hit its stride, it told a powerful story of racial identity, friendship, family, and the horrors of racism in our country up until its quite shocking ending.
This novel/story was emotional and raw, but told with great skill, and leaves quite an impact after the last line is read.
This novel/story was emotional and raw, but told with great skill, and leaves quite an impact after the last line is read.
December 1, 2025
had no idea what to expect from this book.
The blurb was very interesting. The beginning of the book was ok!
I had an idea of what was happening but the ending wasn't what I
Identity! We all want to belong and know our own identity.
Bobby lives like a white man since his skin is light. When his best friend comes out of prison well! He has changed I mean CHANGED. He now is full of tattoos and is racist too.
An incident happens and both of their lives are in jeopardy.
Then, Bobby meets is black father realizing that he is biracial. This puts a twist on his friendship.
To conclude, the ending wasn’t what I expected. It really was shocking.
What happened between Bobby and his best friend Aaron? You’ll need to
read it!
The blurb was very interesting. The beginning of the book was ok!
I had an idea of what was happening but the ending wasn't what I
Identity! We all want to belong and know our own identity.
Bobby lives like a white man since his skin is light. When his best friend comes out of prison well! He has changed I mean CHANGED. He now is full of tattoos and is racist too.
An incident happens and both of their lives are in jeopardy.
Then, Bobby meets is black father realizing that he is biracial. This puts a twist on his friendship.
To conclude, the ending wasn’t what I expected. It really was shocking.
What happened between Bobby and his best friend Aaron? You’ll need to
read it!
Read
August 27, 2019Last December, Polis Books announced that it was launching Agora Books, an imprint devoted to finding new, diverse voices in crime and noir fiction.
“Having been to more conventions and readings and events than I can count,” said Polis founder Jason Pinter, “it began to feel like the books being published weren’t representing society or a culture as a whole. The more time that passed without active measures to counter this, the more it began to upset me first as a reader and fan, and then as a publisher. We were doing something wrong. Rather than simply talk about the issue, we had the chance to try to do something about it.”
“People read for an escape, but also for new experiences and exposure to viewpoints and ideas,” agreed Chantelle Aimee Osman, Agora’s editor. “That is particularly true for crime fiction, because at its core it shines a light on social and moral issues. But there’s so much homogeneity—entire cultures, places, voices and stories are just not there.”
Their first step for changing that? John Vercher’s Three-Fifths.
The year is 1995. Against the constant background buzz of the O.J. Simpson trial, four characters speed on a collision course. Bobby Saraceno, the twenty-two-year-old son of a black father and a white mother, so pale he happily passes as white, is on his way to a reunion with his best friend, Aaron, newly released from prison for a series of escalating crimes. But after three years away, Aaron is no longer the friendly comic book geek white kid he once was. He is virtually unrecognizable – bulked up, shave-headed, inked, scarred, and a member of the Brotherhood: “Prison had created Prison Aaron, and Prison Aaron did what he thought he had to do.”
The rest of the review: https://booktrib.com/2019/08/john-ver...
“Having been to more conventions and readings and events than I can count,” said Polis founder Jason Pinter, “it began to feel like the books being published weren’t representing society or a culture as a whole. The more time that passed without active measures to counter this, the more it began to upset me first as a reader and fan, and then as a publisher. We were doing something wrong. Rather than simply talk about the issue, we had the chance to try to do something about it.”
“People read for an escape, but also for new experiences and exposure to viewpoints and ideas,” agreed Chantelle Aimee Osman, Agora’s editor. “That is particularly true for crime fiction, because at its core it shines a light on social and moral issues. But there’s so much homogeneity—entire cultures, places, voices and stories are just not there.”
Their first step for changing that? John Vercher’s Three-Fifths.
The year is 1995. Against the constant background buzz of the O.J. Simpson trial, four characters speed on a collision course. Bobby Saraceno, the twenty-two-year-old son of a black father and a white mother, so pale he happily passes as white, is on his way to a reunion with his best friend, Aaron, newly released from prison for a series of escalating crimes. But after three years away, Aaron is no longer the friendly comic book geek white kid he once was. He is virtually unrecognizable – bulked up, shave-headed, inked, scarred, and a member of the Brotherhood: “Prison had created Prison Aaron, and Prison Aaron did what he thought he had to do.”
The rest of the review: https://booktrib.com/2019/08/john-ver...
September 3, 2020
Although not published in the UK until October, I wanted to draw your collective attention to Three- Fifths as soon as possible. This seemingly simple synopsis disguises a work of such intensity and emotion that it will rattle around your mind, and intrude on your thoughts for days after reading it. Despite a relatively slim page count, this book embraces such big powerful themes, that it’s pared down style intensifies to the absolute max. The reader is taken on a poignant and disturbing ride through the ills of urban America and the racial tension that has always blighted America and led to continuing division and disparity.
As two young men try to recover their close ties of friendship, after separation, Vercher depicts their individual frustrations and growing antipathy with a clear and unflinching honesty, that will move and shock in equal measure. There are stark revelations for both, with Bobby trying to keep a solid home for himself and his alcoholic mother, and then being confronted by a blast from the past which turns his world upside down. The shocking details of Aaron’s incarceration, his indoctrination in white supremacy and the simmering violence within him that spills over on his release, is so deftly portrayed that the reader is torn between distaste, and yet an innate sympathy for him. I was genuinely breathless and deeply moved at the end of this one with its bleak denouement, but an utterly necessary one. Few books move me to tears, but there was a definite’ oh there’s something in my eye’ moment at the close of this. Three-Fifths is astonishing, important, hugely poignant and very highly recommended.
As two young men try to recover their close ties of friendship, after separation, Vercher depicts their individual frustrations and growing antipathy with a clear and unflinching honesty, that will move and shock in equal measure. There are stark revelations for both, with Bobby trying to keep a solid home for himself and his alcoholic mother, and then being confronted by a blast from the past which turns his world upside down. The shocking details of Aaron’s incarceration, his indoctrination in white supremacy and the simmering violence within him that spills over on his release, is so deftly portrayed that the reader is torn between distaste, and yet an innate sympathy for him. I was genuinely breathless and deeply moved at the end of this one with its bleak denouement, but an utterly necessary one. Few books move me to tears, but there was a definite’ oh there’s something in my eye’ moment at the close of this. Three-Fifths is astonishing, important, hugely poignant and very highly recommended.
September 12, 2019
The story unravels in that year when OJ Simpson was in the courts for murder, with one young man out in the streets, after doing some time in jail for drug dealing, he’s drunk paired up with buddy since back in the day, both out reunited, with a bite to eat in store amongst other actions, conflict in the tale with bad turns, bad moves, spinning things into one helluva evening.
Relevant and potent tale full of character and compelling elements, with a dose of needed human drama and tragedy in framework of fiction. Become an interloper of American dreams askew, fiction narrative dealing with important social and personal things, Identity, race, and inner-city struggles, and that good old fierce pull of blood, family, at core of this tale, broken family, broken lives, in need of mending.
There is Russian doll telling here, a story within a story, there is the crime, but there is the inner and the outer, the other story, the heart at battle with itself great aspect to it.
A memorable meaningful thrilling debut novel.
Review also @ More2Read
Relevant and potent tale full of character and compelling elements, with a dose of needed human drama and tragedy in framework of fiction. Become an interloper of American dreams askew, fiction narrative dealing with important social and personal things, Identity, race, and inner-city struggles, and that good old fierce pull of blood, family, at core of this tale, broken family, broken lives, in need of mending.
There is Russian doll telling here, a story within a story, there is the crime, but there is the inner and the outer, the other story, the heart at battle with itself great aspect to it.
A memorable meaningful thrilling debut novel.
Review also @ More2Read
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