Colson Whitehead can write a description like it’s nothing! Harlem Shuffle is a completely different genre for this Pulitzer Prize winner, but his top notch writing shines in any genre.

I loved the vibrant world he created for Ray and his motley crew of characters. Ray tries to be an honest business man, but the money isn’t in honest business in 1960s Harlem. His deep loyalty to his family and his desire to keep up with the Joneses (in this case his jn-laws), has him stumbling back into the crime underworld and dealing with the fall-out when all goes awry.

This one started a bit slow for me, but was required reading to become immersed in the culture of Harlem. There were more than a few “smack my forehead” moments for Ray, but I continued to root for him as his double life began to spiral out of control.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the ecopy of this book.

Colson Whitehead has a unique style of writing and in the past I’ve been blown away by his writing. I enjoyed this story, but it definitely left me with a few questions and wanting more. Overall this was Interesting, but slow.

I struggled with Colson Whitehead's Harlem Shuffle a lot more than I thought I would.
Mostly the disconnect might have been my expectation going into the book, as I was expecting an Ocean's 11 type heist story set in 1960's Harlem, but that's not what I got. I expected action, thrill, fast paced adventure, but instead received a lot of internal struggle and so so so much backstory.
Whitehead's writing itself is great, as always, he really has a knack for creating great characters and vivid settings, tho the pacing felt a little inconsistent.
I think I will give the book another try down the line, knowing what it is and isn't and see if it lands better with me, the reader, being in a different mood.

For those who've only read The Underground Railroad and The Nickel Boys, Whitehead's new novel is going to feel like a huge departure; this is more like Sag Harbor, his 2009 novel set in 1980s New York City. (As you can see, Whitehead has range.) At the center of the story sits Ray Carney, a man caught between two worlds: he wants to be a respectable family man, but can't seem evade the pull of the crime scene of 1960s Harlem, and its profits. This has been often described as a heist novel—and it is—but please know going in that it is carefully-constructed and slow-building, with rich character development and a sly sense of humor.

I really like Colson Whitehead's perspective, and that he's willing to take risks and try new things in his writing. Somehow, though, his execution falls short. The concepts of Underground Railroad and The Intuitionists were really interesting, but the books were not. Nickel Boys was a pretty good story, but largely forgettable, and Harlem Shuffle walks in the same footsteps. The writing feels uninspired and flat. It's not a bad book, it's just not a great one. Three stars.

This books had such a unique and creative premise! It was a little slow and occasionally hard to continue going, but I loved the history and culture presented in this story.

I loved Underground Railroad and just assumed I would love this too. What I found missing were female characters. I finished the book, but overall it was a miss for me.

It's always a surprise when a Pulitzer Prize winner can write genre fiction as well (though certainly Whitehead's two Pulitizer Prize winning novels are more accessible than many). Whitehead's Harlem Shuffle is a crime/heist novel, set in 1960s Harlem. It feels a little noir/a little historical fiction/a little classic examination of race in America. Whitehead's protagonist Ray Carney is a likeable family man with some success as the owner of a furnitue store...but this is not enough to satisfy the dreams he has for his family. Carney's involvement in a hotel heist may provide the upward mobilitiy he wants for them, but it also sets up a series of fortunate and unfortunate events. This is an interesting and fun read.

I love Colson Whitehead and I love that all of his books are very different. This one, however, was not one of my favorites. The story did not capture me but it was still very well written, the setting always so real and engrossing.

If you like Colson Whitehead's meaty writing style, give this one a try. It's very descriptive and made me feel like I was following people around in an old movie set in Harlem. I wouldn't call it fast-paced or actually a thriller, but that doesn't mean it's not worth a read!

The reader is transported into 1960s Harlem, meeting intriguing characters and situations that they won't forget.

I had a hard time getting into this one. The writing was extremely excellent and I think if stuck it out I may enjoy it. I will hopefully revisit it one day. 3 stars for the writing!

As with any Colson Whitehead, I got what I went in for. A complex, multilayered, beautifully written novel. And I got that. Beyond that, I went in blind. And I am so glad I did. This novel reflected the realities of the crime in Harlem, but it also delved into the changes of their culture throughout the 50s, 60s, and 70s. It was stunningly crafted.

I had high hopes for this, but it ended up not being what I expected and put it down about halfway through.

I've read most of Mr. Whitehead's work and enjoyed most of it. This was not his strongest outing in my opinion. The story as a whole was slow paced and doubled-back on itself one too many times. By the end I thought, what was the point of that?

This was an interesting story, about a man who owns a shop where he sells items that aren't stolen but shouldn't be looked at too quickly. Everything is priced to sell and sell quick. I liked learning about his life and the times he lived in. I found his relationships and his tightrope walk of running a good business but also making enough money to live. I found the story easy to slide in to, as he got cornered in to joining this group that just kept getting shadier and shadier. This was well written but not a page turner. I didn't find much of a mystery, just an interesting story. I liked it, didn't love it.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I wish I had liked this better than I actually did. On paper, it really grabbed me as I’m obsessed with the 60’s and all the cultural, political and historical happenings of that time period. Unfortunately, this book was just okay for me. I never did connect with any of the characters and it took me a while to stop putting it down every few pages. The second half definitely picked up and I ended up glad I stuck with it. **Thanks to NetGalley for this free ebook in exchange for an honest review.**

This novel is set in the 196os with a family in a small apartment. The protagonist, Ray, balances the edge between his "good" side and his "darker" (but more lucrative) side.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. While I love Whitehead's other novels, I, unfortunately, had a hard time getting into this one and put it aside at about 10% in. This could very well be a case of wrong time, as I started the book at 9 months pregnant and my attention span was not great. I hope to be able to pick this up again in the future.

Ray Carney is a Harlem furniture owner who tries to do business legitimately, but accepts goods from questionable characters, When his contacts bring him into the dangerous underworld, he must figure out how to resolve the situations he finds himself during Harlem in the late 50s/early 60s (i.e., protests, riots). This book shares a lot about the history of Harlem. Even though it is not my typical genre, I did appreciate the writing and could picture the time period.