The premise of Great Black Hope was intriguing to me, but the execution was not. This is a slow read that doesn’t follow a typical story arc and it didn’t work for me. The writing is flowery, often using long and gorgeous descriptions that don’t actually say much and, at least for me, made the intention harder to follow. I am sure other readers will be taken with Dave Smith’s plight, but I was so lost and bored by the writing that the social dilemma lost its power.

Not recommended. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was captivated by Franklin's hypnotic, assured prose in this literary fiction debut. It unravels a slow-burning mystery about a woman's unexpected death within the world of the Black elite.

Smith, a queer Black Stanford graduate, seems to have it all—until an arrest for cocaine possession at a Hampton's party shatters his carefully constructed life. Pulled into the court system and mandated to participate in a treatment program, he quickly learns that while his class may offer some protection, his race does not.

Just weeks earlier, Smith's glamorous roommate Elle, the daughter of a famous soul singer, was killed, attracting significant tabloid attention. The media has revealed details about her private life, highlighting just how little Smith knew about someone he spent time daily with. To escape everything, he returns home.

However, it's a complicated homecoming for a young man now facing drug charges and bringing shame to his family. The conversations are repetitive and focused on highlighting his foolishness. His mother, a practicing lawyer, has witnessed the disparities in drug possession charges between Black and white individuals. How can a well-educated man with financial stability be in the same situation as so many of her past clients?

When another close friend, Carolyn, spirals out of control, Smith returns to New York, desperately searching for answers, especially after his Atlanta homecoming doesn’t bring the comfort he seeks. Readers are taken on a parade of adventures through these city streets to unravel a mystery.

I swam in Franklin's writing, where a simple description of the weather spins out so elaborately that it takes your breath away. "Georgia's winter was a deciduous jumble-days oscillating between fifties and sixties in the illusion of other seasons. The trees kept their leaves; cheating death, they shed them slowly, until one night, they fell all at once."

The book contains primarily unhurried, heavy passages that made me long to write better. However, the plot is very thin, and the presence of two mysterious women feels excessive when the story could have focused more on the journey of Smith and Elle, which turned out to be the most captivating aspect.

Thank you Rob Franklin and NetGalley for the free eARC in exchange for my review.

Reading Great Black Hope by Rob Franklin was a moving and unforgettable experience. The story of Smith, a queer Black Stanford graduate navigating the complexities of race, class, and identity, resonated deeply with me. Franklin’s writing is both gripping and elegant, pulling me into Smith’s journey through the court system, his hometown in Atlanta, and the glittering yet dark underworld of New York City. The exploration of what it means to exist between worlds—upwardly mobile yet spiraling downward—was both thought-provoking and emotional.

I especially appreciated the raw honesty in the narrative and the way it tackled heavy themes like systemic injustice, societal expectations, and personal redemption. Smith’s relationship with his family and the lingering mystery of his roommate Elle’s death added depth and poignancy to the story. While a few moments could have been more tightly woven, the book’s heart and compelling character arcs more than made up for it.

Great Black Hope is a powerful debut that left me reflecting on its themes long after I turned the final page. I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys nuanced, character-driven stories with social commentary. I’d give it a solid 4 stars for its striking prose, layered storytelling, and emotional impact.

This was very disappointing. While the setting was well drawn, the characters were often one dimensional. Unfortunately, I will not be recommending this book to anyone.

Great Black Hope is a debut novel that immerses readers in the contradictions of privilege, race, and self-destruction. The novel follows Smith, a queer Black Stanford graduate, as he grapples with grief, addiction, and the realities of the criminal justice system. Arrested for cocaine possession just weeks after the death of his best friend Elle Smith finds himself in a precarious position. His education and social standing offer him a layer of protection, but his race ensures he is not immune to the consequences.

The novel moves fluidly between spaces—courtrooms, high-society gatherings in Atlanta, anonymous recovery meetings, and exclusive nightlife—painting a portrait of a man both trapped by and complicit in the world he inhabits. The exploration of race and class is particularly compelling, showing how privilege can provide a safety net for some.

Rather than relying on a traditional plot-driven structure, Great Black Hope leans into character, and the slow unraveling of Smith’s internal conflicts. While the mystery surrounding Elle’s death and Smith’s legal troubles provide intrigue, they are secondary to the novel’s deeper questions about identity and belonging.

#GreatBlackHope #RobFranklin #SimonAndSchuster

“Great Black Hope”, a debut novel from writer Rob Franklin, is billed as a sort of crime drama but really it’s character driven literary fiction about a young Black man in NYC grappling with the mysterious death of his best friend Elle and his recent arrest for cocaine possession.

In full transparency, I’m a biased reviewer because I went to high school with Rob! He has always had a big heart and tons of creative energy so I was thrilled when I heard he had a book coming out that is partially set in our hometown of Atlanta. I particularly enjoyed the parts of the book that were set there and gave me a deeper understanding of what it would have been like to live in our community as a young Black man.

I think if you come into this book expecting a fast paced mystery you may be disappointed, so I’d suggest this more for readers who enjoy character studies and literary style writing.

I read an advance copy of this book during Black History Month but it’s actually being released publicly in June and I think it’ll be one of the top reads of the summer for fans of literary fiction!

It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel because Franklin’s writing here is truly that of a seasoned author, and this deserves to be a buzzy book this summer. It’s definitely a character-driven story (which in turn makes the narrative suffer a bit at times) following Smith in the aftermath of not only a drug arrest, but his best friend’s death. However, it’s not quite as dark and heavy of a book as the premise makes it sound. I also found it refreshing that although Smith is a gay character, the story doesn’t revolve around his sexuality.

Great Black Hope introduces us to Smith, a Black queer man living a great life in NYC until he is arrested for possession in the Hamptons.

This book explores how similar situations can take different turns depending on your class and race. The author does a great job in keeping you interested in the story even though there’s not much plot.

Really enjoyed my reading experience and will read this author in the future.

this was a good book ! I like how the thrill and twist and turns keep you on the edge of your seat all throughout reading this book. It was entertaining and I liked the way the author described everything!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

I really wanted to love this novel but it didn't click all the way for me. There are many themes in this story that I felt could've been great in theory, we deal with classism, racism, drug use, grief, NYC nightlife and social scene. So much was going on but this book only scratched the surface, I don't feel like we really dug deep. The writing style was straightforward and the plot itself was easy to follow along. I think what shines in this book is the main character. Smith is deeply flawed, and infuriating at times, but I still found that I cared about the story and his ending.

This was such a strong debut from Rob Franklin and was engaged with the concept and characters. It was realistic and worked with the description that I was hoping for. I was never bored when reading this and thought it dealt with topics that were needed to. I never felt like this was one dimensional and though the characters and world felt based in reality.

The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****