I love reading a fictionalized novel about a very real group in American history.
Kingdom of No Tomorrow takes place in the late 60's and at its core is about a Black woman and how her involvement with the Black Panther Party evolves over time just as her relationship with Melvin, a man that becomes a huge part of the Party begins to take over her life.

The first few chapters had a lot thrown my way and I was a bit overwhelmed with the content. But I couldn't help but stand by Nettie, a woman that wanted her equality and freedom in the world. She was looking for education and to help in the medical field. Coming from a family such as hers, she was looking for change and found it within the Black Panther Movement. Unfortunately, being a woman with that Party didn't give her the equality she was seeking and as the story progresses, we see how her involvement with an Oakland leader takes her to Chicago and everyone and everything seems to be working against her and what she was originally fighting for.

I liked the idea of the story and getting to see fictionalized pieces of a very real time in American history. I liked the fact that Josaphat took fictional characters and had them intersecting with real people that were part of the movement. Using the movement and adding a love story between Nettie and Melvin made this story more relatable. But I did NOT like seeing how Nettie was treated by not only Melvin, but other people that were supposed to be working as a unit. Of course that was probably reality. After some life changing events, we are brought to an ending that seemed rushed and a little messy, but overall still gave us a sense of a woman that was looking to find herself, her voice and her strength during a very difficult time.

Overall, this story seemed true to history in which we don't have a lot of books about. I liked that the story was divided into 3 distinct parts that helped keep things straight. In addition, there was character growth over the course of the story. The ending was a bit muddled, but I liked the fact that it came full circle and brought back a character that was in Nettie's life earlier on in the book.
Fabienne Josaphat's novel will appeal to the historical fiction readers that want more insight into the Black Panther Party.

By the end of chapter two, it had already felt cluttered with too much going on. All of that early on made the reading feel overwhelming for me, and I had to set it aside.

This is the 2023 winner of the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction - the prize created by Barbara Kingsolver, so you know that you are getting great literature with a punch!

I first learned about the Black Panther Party in grad school. It was incredibly gratifying to read a novelization of the community organization.
Nettie Boileau, from Haiti joins the Black Panthers’ Free Health Clinics in Oakland in 1960's. After successfully organizing, the next move is to Chicago where she is caught in the crosshairs of J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI campaigns against all civil rights leaders. Much like we learned over and over again in the freedom fighters of the 60's, the rights of women were generally shelved as an afterthought or a "second thought." Nettie is pushed and pulled in her love affair and her love of her community and what she believes is right.

This is a love song to the 60's, to all freedom fighters before today and now.
#algonquin #kingdomofnotomorrow #fabiennejosaphat

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and it only took a few days to read. I think this is going to be a good book club option for several clubs. I plan recommending to my book friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Utilizing the rise and the development of the Black Panther Party as the foreground for the plotline, we meet Nettie (Antoinette) who flees her native Haiti for a chance at a peaceful life. During one of her medical encounters with her best friend Clia, she meets Melvin, a member of the Black Panther Party. From there, she reluctantly joins, facing challenging situations that test her.

I loved the way that Fabienne Josaphat develops her characters. How their values shift was very realistic. The plot was great until the end where I felt like it was a bit rushed. I also had an assumption of the author's view of the BPP but was a little disappointed that there were elements that portrayed Melvin especially, in a more negative light. After speaking so much of unification, I think adding in that element with all her relationships (Melvin's specifically) would have strengthened the novel.

Nonetheless, I think this was a timely read that incorporates a period in history that is not prevalent in fiction.

Thank you Netgalley, Fabienne Josaphat, and the publisher for a fantastic read!!!