A dizzying, stunning cacophony of voices that come together to create a unique and beautiful novel of love, fear and belief. 
The Prophets’ core plot is the loving and impossible relationship between two enslaved men, Samuel and Isaiah. Woven between their snatched moments of togetherness are the stories of other enslaved people on the Southern plantation, the family who own the plantation and the voices of African ancestors, half-remembered by those sold into slavery. In the hands of a lesser writer the range of characters and their voices could have merged into a jumble of shouting, but Jones Jr. has created a beautifully moving exploration of the slave experience. Each character is powerfully written, with a strong backstory and unique voice that blends perfectly with the more poetic sections describing ancestral religious practices. 
Overall this exceptional debut is sure to attract the attention of literary awards lists, and deservedly so. Highly recommended.

The Prophets is a singular and stunning debut novel about the forbidden union between two enslaved young men on a Deep South plantation, the refuge they find in each other, and a betrayal that threatens their existence. Isaiah was Samuel's and Samuel was Isaiah's. That was the way it was since the beginning, and the way it was to be until the end. In the barn they tended to the animals, but also to each other, transforming the hollowed-out shed into a place of human refuge, a source of intimacy and hope in a world ruled by vicious masters. But when an older man--a fellow slave--seeks to gain favor by preaching the master's gospel on the plantation, the enslaved begin to turn on their own. Isaiah and Samuel's love, which was once so simple, is seen as sinful and a clear danger to the plantation's harmony. 

With a lyricism reminiscent of Toni Morrison, Robert Jones, Jr., fiercely summons the voices of slaver and enslaved alike, from Isaiah and Samuel to the calculating slave master to the long line of women that surround them, women who have carried the soul of the plantation on their shoulders. As tensions build and the weight of centuries--of ancestors and future generations to come--culminates in a climactic reckoning, The Prophets masterfully reveals the pain and suffering of inheritance, but is also shot through with hope, beauty, and truth, portraying the enormous, heroic power of love. A moving, touching and beautifully written ode that speaks to the power of human interaction and love of all kinds, wherever we may find it. Highly recommended.

The Prophets is an absorbing novel, with unsettling overtones, profound and deeply moving. Masterfully written in beautiful poetic prose it enriches the soul through the dreams and expression of love amidst the most repressive and abusive life imaginable.

“Blessèd be the ones who gaze upon the night and holy are the ones who remember. And memory is not enough! To know from beneath: That is a story only a prophet can tell. But with the world being what it is and the world being what it forever will be, never without a grieving heart. Here is the fire now: dancing, destroying. But honestly only wanting to be sung to softly sweetly. It is a dying flame shrinking flickering waiting to be extinguished finally by a lullaby. But there are no singers left.”

The pain and horror experienced by black slaves will continue to echo through time as books like The Prophets continue to tell their story. The inhumane treatment of people who only dream of survival, and avoiding the wrath and cruel entertainment of plantation owners is appalling. How much further could you descend when you are already at the bottom. Yet slaves continued to survive, continued to find love, continued to share their lives with others, and found a dignity that was so far from the character of their owners, that it bestows unreserved reverence for the generations that suffered.

Samuel and Isaiah are slaves on the Halifax cotton plantation, in the Deep South, a place referred to as Empty. The perfect name for a place that strips away your freedom, dignity, peace, happiness and all too evidently, your life. Both men find love with each other and have so much to lose if discovered. Maggie is aware of their relationship and so much of what happens on the plantation. She shares food, advice and as much awareness as possible, especially as she has a gift of foresight. Maggie works in the Big House for Paul and Ruth Halifax, owners who are ruthless, brutal, and cynically manipulative. The great cast of characters are all full of light and shade, and to tell the story from the different character perspectives, gives it a superb observational capacity that is truly epic.

The relationships and the subtle yet distinctive interactions, the dialogue, and the menacing overtones achieve an experience that coalesces such beauty and such sadness. The ending is powerful and as it ends it is worth taking a moment to hold this story in quiet reverence.

I could not help feeling certain similarities to Sing, Unburied, Sing – not from the storyline perspective, but the emotional impact the story elicits, and the lyrical writing that evokes such vivid images that are forever etched into our minds. The Prophets is a book that is unforgettable and will surely spend considerable time on bestseller lists, and will justly receive nominations and awards recognition for outstanding literature.

I would highly recommend this book and I would like to thank Quercus Books, Riverrun and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for an honest review.

This is an incredible debut novel. It is well written,well crafted and leaves you moved by the plight of these people in these times. It is a gentle book dealing with a beautiful relationship that is contorted by the ignorance of  people and the brutality of slavery. It should be on everyone's reading list in 2021.

The Prophets takes place on a plantation known amongst the slaves as Empty. There is little joy to be found on Empty yet, among the misery, two male slaves Isaiah and Samuel find love - it is a light that shines through an otherwise bleak series of events. 
Throughout the book we hear from 7 powerful ancestors who not only guide us as readers but also guide the characters we are following. We learn how the first slaves were captured when we meet a female King who hosts a delegation of white missionaries only for their arrival to signal the end of her rule and the abuse of her people for centuries to come.  Interestingly, before the missionaries brought their religion to her people, we witness that their attitudes towards homosexuality and gender were far more progressive than those of the white people sent to "civilise" them with the final joyful act on the island being the bonding (marriage) of two men. Names are also important with many of the slaves having a name they keep for themselves and one conferred on them by their masters. In opting to keep that link to their ancestors by remembering their given names or choosing a name of their own, they are able to exercise a small act of agency. 
We follow the events on Empty from multiple character perspectives, some of whom are white slave owners. The views these characters espouse are of course abhorrent but nevertheless helpful in understanding the rationale slave owners used to justify their actions. 

In the acknowledgments Jones credits Toni Morrison with inspiring him to write The Prophets, he also goes by Son of Baldwin on social media. Early reviewers have gone on to name Jones as the successor to James Baldwin and Toni Morrison.  Personally, having read Morrison and Baldwin this year, I don't think Jones' writing style should be compared to theirs. That's not to say Jones is not an excellent writer or that The Prophets is not a fantastic debut however, I worry that such comparisons will put undue pressure on a work that stands on its own. Read The Prophets because it is a good book and because it explores fresh themes in an interesting way not because you are looking for the next Baldwin. It is enough for me to know that this book could only have been written thanks to the pioneering black authors who chose to write about black people before it was considered 'woke' to read their work. The fact this book exists, that it was published at all, that is the lasting legacy of Morrison and Baldwin.

I finished this book a couple of days ago and I’m still trying to find the words to do it justice in a review and I’m not sure I can – but I will give it a go. The story follows two enslaved young men on the Halifax plantation and their deeply beautiful yet intense love for each other. The narrative encompasses many of the voices of the people who live in this place, known as Empty, and culminates in a powerful and violent crescendo.

The Prophets is a truly unique and beautifully written novel which, despite involving a great deal of pain and suffering still manages to demonstrate an incredible tenderness. The writing is lyrical and delicate whilst at the same time being searing and angry. It sounds like these components would fight against each other but Robert Jones Jr. has pulled everything together so skilfully and in such a memorable way that it becomes a stunning tour de force of a novel. You cannot fail to be moved by the way the passion and love between Samuel and Isaiah unfolds on the page and by the way the other characters individual voices are so strongly felt and evoked.

I read The Prophets quickly, in large part because there is a kind of feeling of being drawn in and propelled by the words. There is a searing and passionate movement as the story jumps from one character to another and then occasionally flashes back to another time and place entirely. I really don’t want to give anything away that would detract from readers experiencing this unrelentingly compelling book for themselves. I know this is the kind of book I will glean more and more from by rereading it at a slower pace which I certainly plan to do. I truly believe this will be one of the most impressive and profound books of 2021, it thoroughly deserves to be.

One of the first things that really struck me about this book was how beautiful and lyrical the writing is. There were lines and passages that made me pause or go back to reread them to fully appreciate how powerful they were.

This is not a plot driven story and the "action" only really begins in the final 15% of the book. Instead, this book captures the daily lives and histories of the black slaves at Elizabeth plantation, known as Empty due to its remote location. The main focus is on the characters of Samuel and Isaiah, who are forced to hide their love for each other, and their connection to the other characters around them. 

Their stories are brutal, harrowing and eye-opening and the book does not shy away from detailing the ordeals inflicted on the slaves, particularly those which formed parts of breeding practices . The contrast of these barbaric acts with the unconditional and intense love and passion between Samuel and Isaiah was powerful and gave a sense of hope which ran throughout the story.

The last few pages of this book took my breath away and I know this is a story which will stay with me and that I will be so glad to have read.  

Thank you to Quercus Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

It is plain to see that this book is a love letter to the cannon of great African American writers and their works.It is heavily influenced by the authors Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Octavia Butler and Maya Angelou amongst others. This is a sweeping story following a plantation in the Deep South of America and follows the slaves Samuel and Isaiah. Sam and Isaiah form a budding sexual and intimate relationship despite their struggles to survive on the plantation. However their daily lives on the plantation are far from harmonious and it only gets worse for the two black men as the novel progresses. 

The novel also focuses on different characters perspectives like the other slaves and the slave owners family. This novel also has similar supernatural / spiritual elements like The Water Dancer which I didn’t enjoy as much as the main plot line but I do feel added to the overall epicness of the novel. This will not be great for readers who need propulsive writing as this book is lilting and more of a slow burn. 

But I will be ordering this in physical copy at some point as I feel I haven’t got the most out of this book in an ebook format. I would love to re read this book much more slowly and take my time to connect with the slower pacing and lyrical writing style. Although I do think the last quarter of the novel could have been more purposefully condensed.

Thank you to the author Robert Jones Jr., riverrun publishing and NetGalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rarely have I read a book that moved me and unsettled me so profoundly. 
The Prophets is set on the Elizabeth Plantation, known as Empty by the slaves that live and work there. The central characters are Samuel and Isaiah, adolescent slaves who have grown up together and found love as they share the barn where they work and sleep. Their illicit relationship is discovered which sets off a train of events which can only end in disaster. 
The story is told by many different voices; Samuel and Isaiah, the ambitious Amos who brings religion to the slaves as an attempt to ingratiate himself with the master, the women of the camp who quietly wield more power than is understood, Paul, the owner of the plantation, and his wife and son.  This gives an important understanding of each character’s motivations, hopes and fears. It also highlights the innate goodness and evil that can be at the core of someone and raises profound questions about nature versus nurture. 

Robert Jones Jr has written an astonishing debut novel. His use of language is lyrical yet every word is used so precisely - he knows exactly where he is going with this story. I expect it to be one of the novels of 2021, it is unflinching in the way it holds a mirror to the horrific history of slavery. I felt disgust and anger, and a need to understand the repercussions of this terrible period. The ending is shocking but gives us thought and some hope that a strength and power developed from these dark days, even if we must never pretend that the fight is over. 
Thank you to #netgalley and #quercus  for allowing me to review this advance copy

In the acknowledgements of this extraordinary book, Robert Jones Jr. mentions so many names in gratitude, it feels like a lifetime of all those he may have met, been taught by, read, listened to, watched, and this collective speaks to the nature of the work itself. The prophets, the old gods of Africa who survive the slave ships to the plantations of the American South, alive in the blood of people tearing their hands picking cotton, are a group that speak together. Behind every foretelling, foreshadowing is perhaps a better word for them, is a history of multitudes that presents alternative social and religious structures unbound by a Christian, patriarchy of shame.

I appreciate this shift in contemporary literature to embrace the chorus, for individuals are always an expression of the whole and this book is so brilliant at making the horrors of life on a plantation breathe with different facets of one jewel.

Robert Jones Jr. also writes to Toni Morrison in the acknowledgements, wishing she’d been able to read the book, hoping that somewhere in the universe she is able to be pleased with it. I feel certain if she is somewhere and has been able to see this book, she would indeed be pleased with it. He does such a brilliant job of showing what it means to love, how it shines, attracting and repelling others with its magic. The love between two young male slaves in the barn is one of the most beautiful depictions of love I’ve ever read. Their looks and bodies speak without sound, their love creates an awesome hope in the darkness.

I don’t want to say a lot more about this book. It comes out on the 5th January 2021 and you should pre-order it now. This is a book that will be on all the prize-winning lists of next year. All the praise you read about it isn’t hype, it’s true. This book is a majestic epic that asks all sorts of questions of the past and present, that seeks to find new ways of looking at the history of slavery and our connection to the land. The writing is fresh and ancient all at once. The Prophets is a fabulous novel and Robert Jones Jr. a writer whose work I will be waiting to read again with great anticipation.

It is very difficult to write a review that does justice to this book. It is a historical fiction novel that tells us the lives of multiple people who live in a cotton plantation called Empty by the slaves, and Elizabeth by the owners.

At the center of the story we have Isaiah and Samuel, two slaves who love each other. Amos, another slave (who wants to be toubab - white) sees their love and contempt for authority as danger to the rest of the slave community, so he actively starts preaching against them. But that is really not the full story. We have a book with multiple (many!) points of view, some centered on the slaves, some of the owners, and if you go into it thinking that it's all about a love story you're in for a surprise. In reality, it's not about Isaiah and Samuel. The story goes much deeper than that (I did say it was difficult to do justice to the book!). It's about life in the plantation, about the relationships between the different characters with each other, about beliefs and religion (it had to, with that title), about the way slaves are treated, about the power of the female slaves. Each chapter is a window into someone's mind, and not one of them was uninteresting.

It is not an easy read, not only because of the story it tells, but because of how it's told. The prose is almost too beautiful for such a hard story. In turn, it requires the reader to pay attention and remain focused on the book. I firmly believe this will be one of the top books of 2021, and I can't thank NetGalley, Quercus Books and Robert Jones Jr for the privilege of receiving an ARC of this book.

This is the story of Isaiah and Samuel, two slaves on the Elizabeth Plantation who find love and joy with each other until someone discover their secret. Part historical fiction and part literary fiction, it is a deeply affecting story which pulls you between the love between 'The Two of Them" and the barbarity, abuse and cruelty of slavery. Using multiple POVs allows a rich tapestry of voices, each with their own experience and stories, which creates layers upon layers to this story.

I’m sure we’ve all read books that feel really special, ones that leave a silence in their wake - the ones that stun with their cruelty and their beauty, all at the same time, so let me say right now, that in author Robert Jones Jr, there is a master wordsmith at work, taking the written word and transforming it into something magical. Even more remarkable, is the fact that this is the author’s debut novel!

The Halifax cotton plantation in the Deep South (otherwise known as Empty) isn’t somewhere you’d choose to be, it’s where unfortunate people have ended up, having been taken from their homeland, sometimes even torn from a distraught mother’s arms.

The storyline centres around Samuel and Isaiah, slaves at the cotton plantation. Two young gay men who fall in love, and love (forbidden or otherwise) is very hard to come by in a place that grinds down even the strongest of people.

Various characters, both the slaves and the slavers, are given a voice, describing their lives , and their feelings, and out of these many characters, it was Maggie that I personally found to be one of the most interesting. She likes to ‘mother’ Samuel and Isaiah, sneaks extra bits of food for them from the Big House whenever she gets the chance, and gives them the benefit of her great wisdom, and special powers.

Maggie is a complex but utterly fascinating character, she has ‘the favour’ (she ‘sees’ things before they happen). She works in the Big House, as cook/housekeeper for Massa Paul and Missy Ruth, neither of whom can be trusted, both devious and cruel personalities. Massa Paul makes Maggie do things she doesn’t want to do - degrading things that she doesn’t understand, whilst Missy Ruth, in the pretence of being a friend, then accused Maggie of theft, which wasn’t true. Still, Maggie gets back at them in her own little ways without them ever suspecting a thing, and that feels so good, it’s the only control she has in life - her one bit of power. 

Slavery, and its ensuing pain, misery, and hardship, makes one wonder at the fortitude and perseverance required both to live, and to survive, the cruelty and oppression. Though it depicts a terrible time in history, and the bonds of slavery were extremely harsh, this novel lifts it up, characterising as it does, a different kind of bond - the invisible bonds of true love. A truly magnificent and unmissable novel.

This is not a book for the feint hearted as it centres on slavery and all the horrors and brutality that go with it. It tells the story of the forbidden love and ultimate betrayal of black gay slaves Samuel and Isaiah.

The writing is very well done with history woven with biblical references in a lyrical style. Some parts  have so much richness within them that you feel you need to reread and really focus in order to grasp all of the meaning. However, it was not a story I enjoyed reading and maybe one that I should not have chosen in the first place as I find any writing about torture too disturbing. Reading it in the darkness of 2020 maybe did not help. I have no doubt that many will find it one of their top reads but it was not for me.

With thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books  for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

🌿BOOK REVIEW🌿

The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼/5

TW// racism, slavery, sexual abuse, homophobia, physical assault 

The Prophets is centred around Isaiah and Samuel who reside on the slave plantation dubbed “The Empty”. Their story is told not only through their own narrative, but also from the perspective of fellow slaves and slave master alike. When Amos, an older slave, wants to move himself up the hierarchy by becoming a preacher he betrays another and makes Isaiah’s and Samuel’s relationship dangerous to the harmony of the plantation. 

No matter how long I spend on a review for this book, it will never do justice to how impactful and beautiful it is. Starting with Isaiah and Samuel who are each other’s rock and support, their love for each other is obvious. But homosexuality is not allowed and the two are punished for this, not only from the slave master but from their fellow slaves. We also hear the perspective from women in the plantation and these narratives explore the complexities of racism and sexism. It shows how women were responsible for healing beaten slaves back to life and were often the backbone of these communities. 

This is a story of domination: slave owners dominating slaves, men dominating women and straight people dominating queer people. Every single chapter was hard hitting, each in its own way and even though there were many individual stories they all came together to explore central issues. 

This is one of the most heartbreaking and emotional books I’ve ever read and I really do recommend it if you are looking for a black, queer book! 

Thank you so much to Viking Publishing for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley.

I have little doubt that this story of forbidden love and betrayal of slaves Samuel and Isaiah will be one of the most talked about books of 2021, probably to critically acclaim and could well be a contender for literary awards, that’s how good the quality of the writing is. The story centres on the Elizabeth Plantation owned by Paul and Ruth Halifax and their son Timothy and is simply known as Empty to the slaves. The story is Biblical, it’s epic and some chapters are Old Testament books whose words are indeed prophetic. It doesn’t just cover events on the plantation but backtracks via chapters like Kings I and II to the arrival in Africa of slave traders and the slave ships. 

This is one of the most affecting books I have read, it pulls absolutely no punches either on the love between ‘The Two of Them’ or on the barbarity and cruelty of slavery. It makes you ashamed especially when later in the book via Samuel you appreciate the emptiness that is felt  inside in order to cope which is similar to Nazi camp survivors descriptions. Words like ‘indifference’ are daggers to the heart. Some sections are hard to read as they are graphic but this story cannot be sanitised. Some parts I have to reread to be sure I’ve understood so I’m not going to pretend it’s an easy read as it’s clearly not but it’s well worth the effort. Although sections are horrifying at the heart of the book it’s a story of deep love and not just between Samuel and Isaiah. There are a lot of characters and my initial thoughts are there are too many but I soon realise I’m wrong. The multiple points of view is very illuminating as we see differing perspectives especially about Samuel and Isaiah. The characters are vivid and come to life before our eyes especially the two men at the centre of the storm but also Maggie and Amos. Some of the voices that echo the loudest are the ‘toubabs’ - Ruth, Paul and Timothy, especially Paul. His voice comes across loud and clear which initially surprises me but it fits with his position at the apex of the plantation slave version of the feudal system. All three toubabs are immoral in more ways than one. The ending blows my mind. It’s devastatingly powerful, jaw dropping and amazing. 

Overall, this book will live with me for a long time. It’s vivid, the characters come to life, it’s deeply emotional and affecting. It’s lyrical, biblical, magical, and spiritual with the ever present threat, inhumanity, degradation and cruelty of slavery. Yes, it’s a hard book to read but it’s one that should be read. 

5 powerful stars. 

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Quercus /riverrun and Robert Jones Jnr for the much appreciated arc for an honest review.

I learned more about the history and reality of the slave trade from this book than from any number of history lessons. 

Set on but not confined to a US plantation known as Empty, the book succeeds in giving the humanity back to every person it discusses. 

It’s the accumulation of ordinary voices that is so overpowering and moving. The true impact of each story is felt as we hear how each individual has endured horrors at the hands of their captors. 

The lyrical prose has a powerful pull that takes you through the book, relationships both willing and unwilling are explored to good effect aa we try to make sense of a terrible situation. 

The sadness of the ending is very real, and is a strong finish to an extremely moving book. Read it and be witness to it.

A wonderful, amazing book. The lyrical writing was so captivating and brought you straight into the story. All of the characters were beautifully written and the different points of view brought each person to life. The ending was heartbreaking. 

I would fully recommend this book to anyone. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for a review.

To put it simply there just aren’t superlatives enough to do this book justice. What a novel. Definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year and it is book #123 so far which shows you how good this book is. 
 I consider myself well read, literate, familiar with history, the bible and various languages and dialects but this book showed me that I am a grain of salt on the back of an elephant. So many times I had to read and reread passages to make sure I’d understood them fully and got every nuance, I don’t think I’ve EVER highlighted as many sentences as there were so many I was dying to tell my daughter or friends. Jones has a unique voice and what a beautiful tone that voice has. 
As a white woman I have no place talking about race, but I believe this taught me even more than I thought I’d learned this year about white privilege. As a Christian it also provided some serious food for thought as to the role missionaries played and how the gospel music I’ve always loved is in fact slaves assimilating into their captors culture and losing their own religions and beliefs. I think for a passionately Christian African American this book will be startling and provoke some very interesting discussion. 
I’m also in awe and incredibly impressed how well a male author dealt with sexism and the roles of women. This man knows and I hope many others follow him in using their novels to demonstrate their understanding. 
I don’t know how he does it but the author loves words and they clearly love him. The book despite being told from many viewpoints (including some narrative voices that aren’t mortal) and from different times, flows effortlessly. You can hear the crickets in the evening, feel the pain of scratched hands, a damaged hip, smell the sweat of a hard days toil and hear the horses snort in their stalls. The tempo changes and somehow (and I feel slightly crazy for saying it) the light changes when the scenes move between the barn and the big house. 
The characters. I can’t even begin to talk about the characters and how close I hold them to me despite having finished the book yesterday evening. Maggie, Samuel, Isaiah, Be Auntie... all of them so real, so fully fleshed out and unique but also utterly believable. I can’t say much of what I want to say because I hate reviews with spoilers but suffice it to say, I felt these characters. Just as I was beginning to think the plantation owners were a little two dimensional along comes a deep dive into their past, their motivations and experiences which makes them just as contemptible but with some human features. 
I’m going to guess that this novel wasn’t written in 2020 and has been years in the making which makes one of the lines I highlighted so startling and prophetic (funny that, given the title!) 
“They stepped on people’s throats with all their might and asked why the people couldn’t breathe. And then, when people made an attempt to break the foot, or cut it off one, they screamed “CHAOS!” and claimed that mass murder was the only way to restore order”
It left me breathless. Go buy this book. Buy two and give one to a friend. Better still, buy three and leave one somewhere in public for a stranger to pick up.

This is a powerful novel that revisits the sickening horrors of US slavery but it's also a book that I felt ill-equipped to read since so much of it depends on biblical intertexts, from names to chapter headings - without having that biblical knowledge, I felt that some of the significance was being lost on me. 

The language is dynamic, mingling dialects with a biblical formality as voices emerge then are submerged again. There's a sense of community, of factions and breakdowns that supersede the obvious divisions of slave-owners and slaves. Amidst all the violence and violations against humanity are moments of joy: most markedly between the two young male slaves who love each other, but also from mothers even as their love and families are thwarted and broken apart. 

This has an epic feel which makes the biblical and religious components relevant - and I'm sad that my own lack of religion kept me from fully entering into the powerful vision that drives the book.