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GraceLand : A Novel
GraceLand A Novel
Author: Chris Abani
In this dazzling debut by a singular new talent, the sprawling, swampy, cacophonous city of Lagos, Nigeria, provides the backdrop to the story of Elvis, a teenage Elvis impersonator hoping to make his way out of the ghetto. Broke, beset by floods, and beatings by his alcoholic father, and with no job opportunities in sight, Elvis is tempted by a...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780374165895
ISBN-10: 0374165890
Publication Date: 2/15/2004
Pages: 336
Rating:
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
 8

3 stars, based on 8 ratings
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Book Type: Hardcover
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review
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cubedst avatar reviewed GraceLand : A Novel on + 5 more book reviews
I loved "Becoming Abigail" by Chris Abani, so I went out and got "Graceland" only to be disappointed. While the poetic prose that made Abigail so good are still sprinkled in, the story is just "blah". You never get make a connection with the main character, Elvis. The attempts made at going back and forth between his youth and adulthood are extremely difficult to follow, and the story just lacks a solid purpose with which to hold the reader's interest.
I so wanted this book to be awesome, but I found myself bored with it. Usually when I have free time, reading is my go to activity, but while this was the book I was reading, I avoided it like a teenager does homework.


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