Veycosi is a chantwell scholar on the magical island of Chynchin and he is currently planning to fulfill his final test when he gets in trouble for destroying one of the islands books and as punishment must stay on the island and collect local tales, this all occurs the same day that the Ymisen invade the island with the attitude of accept our terms or we destroy you.
This is a bit of a slow build and the language takes a minute to get the rhythm of, which I think is partially responsible for slow start because once you get the hang of it the pace really picks up. Nalo's books have all been 5 or 3 stars for me so far, this one sits comfortably in the it was a great story and I might read it again one day slot. The MC is a selfish, flighty man that eventually learns how to think less about himself and more about others, I was worried I would dislike him the whole time but by the end I was rooting for him.

I have never read this author before but I have wanted to so I jumped at the opportunity to try this one. I often enjoy Indigenous fiction, although I'm usually horror, not fantasy. I wanted to like this one but I just couldn't get into it as much as I wanted. I just didn't feel a connection to this one despite really wanting to.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one

I remember years ago, when I was so incredibly lucky to meet Nalo Hopkinson in person at a Toronto public library event, she had been blogging then about a novel that she called "Blackheart Man" and I was just so enraptured by the description, and could not wait until she published it. Years later, that time has come. Nalo Hopkinson is one of the writers whose work has had a profound influence on my own, but also that has inspired me as a reader and shown me different worlds and characters who are among some of the most unique and dynamic. Nalo is a titan of speculative fiction and I’m in constant awe of what she produces.

The novel starts in “Carenage Town, the island nation of Chynchin” and begins with a character who can’t figure out what’s blocking his path. Immediately, the reader is immersed in unique worldbuilding and a setting that captivates with every detail.

Overlapping narratives move the story forward with a lot of sea imagery and fish markets with a distinctly Caribbean flavour and Hopkinson’s versatile linguistic prowess with dialect.

This is also a novel that strongly called to mind for me the works of René Depestre, of the recently passed Maryse Condé, of Dany Laferrière. Even though it is very strongly a fantasy novel, it also is so quintessentially Caribbean and represents a magnum opus for Hopkinson, who has produced so many masterpieces over the span of her career.

People who want swashbuckling or fight scene after fight scene in their fantasy won’t “get” this book and that’s okay because it’s not for them. It’s for readers with more patience who can savour each sentence, and absorb the worldbuilding that Hopkinson has carefully constructed.

Blackheart Man is set on the island of Chynchin, where main character Veycosi is working to become a singer-storyteller and looking forward to wedding his betrotheds, Thandiwe and Gombey. From the outset, it is clear Veycosi is someone keen to accomplish great things and solve problems his community is facing, but he is far from consistently effective. When the Ymisen arrive – whom Chynchin had previously successfully repelled from their island – Veycosi tries to help, but of course it doesn’t go as planned.

Hopkinson’s worldbuilding is, as always, incredible. On Chynchin, the economy is decidedly non-capitalist – people give away items they don’t need in ‘generousities’ and the idea of paying someone for work is seen as an insult (‘I assume you are a layabout who must be bribed to do an honest day’s work’); ship’s captain is a role for women and third-sexed folks and marriages are between threes. This is a world where diverse genders and sexualities are for the most part unremarkable, not marginalized. Chynchin’s Caribbean influences are clear – references to obeah, for example, are plentiful – and Hopkinson’s writing in Chynchin dialects, incorporation of myth, and exploration of the role of storytelling in Chynchin all contribute to making this novel a truly immersive read.

The plot is quite quick. There is a lot going on here. I think there is room for a sequel – if Hopkinson were to write another book in this world, I’d happily pick it up.

Content warnings: violence, colonization, war, death, murder, child death, medical content (not graphic), sexual assault (not graphically described), blood, injury detail, animal death

Thank you to NetGalley & Simon and Schuster for providing me with an ARC to review.

I always love to immerse myself in the words and worlds of Hopkinson. They have such a way with crafting stories that pay the deepest homage to the history of where they were born and grew up. The history of colonization, subjugation, resource theft and pillaging always play a role in world building and flow of her plot.

With Blackheart Man, she is using inspiration from a story that was told to Jamaican and Caribbean children to get them to behave. Our main character is flawed and as he moves towards his goal, is slowly realizing his prejudices and selfish personality towards certain ideas and social dynamics.

I love the intention of how family structures are formed here in Chynchin, representing healthy queer relationships of love and respect. The ways in which these relationships can be betrayed and mended; how characters can go through attitudinal and individual changes as they grapple with their own selfish views and expectations.