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66th out of 104 books
—
52 voters
A Visitation of Spirits: A Novel
by
Randall Kenan (Goodreads Author)
"Marks the debut of a very gifted writer.... Kenan speaks eloquently and with a great deal of courage."--Gloria Naylor
Randall Kenan's daring and innovative first novel weaves a vivid and horrific tale through the generations of a black Southern family.
Sixteen-year old Horace Cross is plagued by issues that hover in his impressionable spirit and take shape in his mind as lo...more
Randall Kenan's daring and innovative first novel weaves a vivid and horrific tale through the generations of a black Southern family.
Sixteen-year old Horace Cross is plagued by issues that hover in his impressionable spirit and take shape in his mind as lo...more
Paperback, 272 pages
Published
January 25th 2000
by Vintage
(first published 1989)
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this book is so ridiculously good, i had to check and check again that this author has in fact written only one novel, and no fiction at all (at least in book form) since 1993. NINETEENNINETYTHREE???? what are you doing, randall kenan? can you pleasepleaseplease write us another novel?
what flows in the arteries of this magnificent mixture of narrative, hallucination/visitation, snippets of playwrightery, first-and-third-person chapters, old stories and present stories -- what keeps it alive and...more
what flows in the arteries of this magnificent mixture of narrative, hallucination/visitation, snippets of playwrightery, first-and-third-person chapters, old stories and present stories -- what keeps it alive and...more
It may be a notable artifact of its time and a significant step in its author's development, but I found this to be an immature and confused book. It uses hallucinatory passages to review the past, slips in and out of reality, and varies so wildly between coherence and an overboard striving for lyricism that I was annoyed throughout. The problem for me: I have to talk about this book twice to library audiences in the next couple of weeks, so I will talk about the extremes, the constraints and di...more
It is always an accomplishment when a writer completes a novel, never mind publishes one. Anyone who does the former gets immediate points, but doing the latter doesn’t mean it’s a great novel or even a very good one. Randall Kenan’s first novel, 1989’s A Visitation of Spirits, is neither great nor very good, but it is a notable entry in post- Alice Walker and Toni Morrison African American, particularly Gen X African American, fiction. Kenan could very well find his niche somewhere between thes...more
Debut novel from Kenan. Experimental choices--use of stage directions for dialogue, for example--enhanced the narrative without distracting from the story. Plot centers on struggles of Horace & Jimmy, cousins from the small Southern town of Tim's Creek (also used by Kenan in his excellent "Let the Dead Bury Their Dead"). Horace faces emotional and literal demons, while Jimmy copes with losses and faith. Tangential plotline with Ruth and Ezekiel rambled, but still retained a degree of relevan...more
Goodreads seriously needs to consider putting in a rating system broken down into half-stars. I feel bad giving this only 3, but I don't feel satisfied enough to give it four. So, for the record, this gets 3 and one half stars from me!
Horace's story was fan-freaking-tastic. I was very invested in his break-down and his horror filled night. James Greene's narrative was also pretty interesting. Kenan has an uncanny ability to grotesquely and vividly describe the killings of things. In fact, some o...more
Horace's story was fan-freaking-tastic. I was very invested in his break-down and his horror filled night. James Greene's narrative was also pretty interesting. Kenan has an uncanny ability to grotesquely and vividly describe the killings of things. In fact, some o...more
This is the best piece of Southern literature I've read in years!
As close as you'll get to O'Connor, Faulkner, or Welty these days.
Couldn't put it down after the first ten pages!
As close as you'll get to O'Connor, Faulkner, or Welty these days.
Couldn't put it down after the first ten pages!
Didn't realize how old this book was when I picked it up, from 1989. But a solid read that stands the test of time. Still has a powerful message with good characters.
A tragic story beautifully told, but sometimes confusing. Kenan was great with the family dialogue.
Haunting and beautiful, this book broke my heart!
One of the best book I've read in the last 5 years.
Oct 12, 2011
Emily
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people confused, oppressed, sad; my son or daughter
Recommended to Emily by:
Brian Desarro
"Even television had played a role in his mysterious search. It was the magical blue box, soon to become the yardstick against which he measured his world."
This was very Toni Morrison-esque. It switched narrators, even from first to third. It skipped through time. It even changed genres here and there. Parts were good, but I just didn't have concentration that it took to truly understand what was going on at each moment. I kept wanting a family tree to keep everyone straight. It would have been better if I had given more of a crap.
I actually read this book years ago but it is definitely one of my favorites. It is beautifully written and I was amazed that this was his first novel. I don't understand why Randall Kenan is not on the level of a Toni Morrison for example. He's that good.
Kenan teaches at UNC and was raised in a small town in North Carolina, much like the one where he sets this novel. The novel has an interesting structure and some very poignant moments, but it wasn't quite as captivating as I'd hoped.
I just finished re-reading this magical, heart-quickening, darkly erotic novel. I'm so in awe of Kenan's talent, courage and language. I wish him millions of readers all over the world for centuries to come.
disturbing at times, but a real page-turner. want to discuss this with my wise son when he reads this. I would definitely read more from him.
This book is about a gay black kid living in the south who's pondering whether to kill himself, or everyone else. After I read this I had very intense dreams.
A somewhat strange, but very successful and beautifully written book. This is Randall Kenan's first novel, but it is so well done that it is hard to tell.
One of the best I've ever read. Amazing writing, great style, ripping story
A super intense read. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, but it makes you think.
May 15, 2013
Angelo
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May 14, 2013
Molly
marked it as to-read
May 11, 2013
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marked it as to-read
May 05, 2013
Notinfrontoftheklingons
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May 01, 2013
Rebecca Sofish
marked it as to-read
Apr 27, 2013
Kiesha
marked it as to-read
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Randall Kenan's first novel, A Visitation of Spirits was published by Grove Press in 1989; and a collection of stories, Let the Dead Bury Their Dead, was published in 1992 by Harcourt, Brace. That collection was nominated for the Los Angeles Times Book Award for Fiction, was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and was among The New York Times Notable Books of 1992. He is also th...more
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Nov 04, 2011 06:28am
Nov 04, 2011 07:28am