Black Leopard, Red Wolf

Trigger warnings for rape and violence, strong language and semi-spoilers ⚠️

I'm no prude but this book should have some form of warning on it.

The cover intrigued me, the blurb inside intrigued me and all of that was backed by the ringing endorsement from Neil Gaiman on the back. I had wanted to get it for months, I finally bought it on my birthday and couldn't wait to read it.

I have never been so disappointed in a book ever. Not because Marlon James isn't an extraordinary writer, he is and he paints an incredibly vivid world, but this book was so far from anything I expected. It is, in fact, utterly horrible. I've read dark fantasies before but this is in a whole other level....

I nearly gave up after the first page when a man fucks a goat. (It's not the only mention of beastiality - there's more)

I nearly gave up when every single female character (the number of which I can count on one hand) turned out to be either a witch or a whore.

I nearly gave up at the mention of fgm

I nearly gave up at the endless description of men and women as just a collection of holes to be fucked. It is all cocks and cum, like the very worst porn.

It is literally page after page after page of excessive, extreme and very graphic rape and violence.

I kept going because he won the Man Booker Prize and I felt he deserved to be heard, I kept going because I've never given up on a book yet. I kept going because behind the horror was a fascinating story that was so unfortunately drowned out by everything else.

I have never been so relieved to finish a book before! Unless this is very much your cup of tea, do yourself a favour and don't read this.