From the Bookshelf of Around the World in 80 Books…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
No group discussions for this book yet.
What Members Thought
I went to some effort to track this debut novel down, based on rapturous newspaper reviews, and while the setting and multicultural cast are certainly timely, I'd hesitate to suggest that anyone else seek it out. It uses the crime genre as framework for a kind of pulpy portrait of religious intolerance and hypocrisy -- the title is a nod to James Elroy's Los Angeles crime novel White Jazz, with which is shares certain plot elements.
The story starts with the protagonist, a young atheist Moroccan ...more
The story starts with the protagonist, a young atheist Moroccan ...more
I struggled with this one. My meager knowledge of Islam and Judaism when the author assumes one is familiar with both religions was the main source of my agony. Once II ot the gist of the plot, things improved, but those with a better background in these religions would find it more entertaining than I did.
Apr 22, 2020
Janet Whalen
marked it as to-read
