I originally put "I liked it" for this book, but after reading other readers reviews, I was reminded of a strong central theme in this book that I really appreciate, so I changed the 3 stars to 4. That theme, or idea (don't know if I'm using "theme" correctly) is that whatever state of mind or being one or a group wants to come to, they have to start by getting into that mindset immediately. 47 is a slave, I think during the 1830s in Georgia on the Corinthian Plantation, where after several chapters he meets Tall John, who repeats the phrase "Neither master nor n***** be." He says it over and over like a mantra, and it is clear that the way he thinks and acts comes directly from his belief in this statement. I have read many accounts of revolutionaries and even people such as Arnold Swartzenegger (sp?) say things similar about a variety of subjects. In his case, if you want to be as fit and muscular as me, you immediately have to start thinking and acting as if you are already there. This means changing your diet, the time you dedicate to exercise. In most people's lives, they would need to make revolutionary changes, but that's what this type of thinking and changing requires and that's what I appreciate so much. For Tall John, who was actually a supernatural being from another planet inhabiting a slave's body on earth (also an interpretation of an African mythological character called High John), he was able to challenge the slave master at Corinthian, Tobias, at least in part due to his thinking, "Neither master no n***** be." He repeated it so often that 47, the main character began to pick it up and correct himself, after many times when Tall John had to confront 47's old ways of thinking. At first, 47 thought Tall John was "crazy" to confront the structure of domination that had been forced upon himself and all other slaves. But every time 47 referred to himself or other slaves using "n*****," Tall John would simply correct him by repeating this ultimately empowering phrase. 47 was eventually able to see that the language he used about himself and others was part of what was replicating this structure of oppression and so he stopped using it. I am glad that a book marketed to and written for African-American young people has this to say and I hope younger readers will be inspired by it, as well as older readers. I'm 31 and enjoyed reading this book myself.

More to come...