Assessment:

Plot/Idea: The plot follows Black protagonist Haim as he navigates college in Indiana in the 1940s.  While he goes about his daily routine, the effects of casual racism—and how that racism ultimately leads to his death—are skillfully depicted. Actor James Dean is incorporated into the storyline as a close personal friend of Haim's.

Prose: The novel shifts between the perspectives of different characters at each chapter break, and the book's structure affords readers intimate glimpses of the main events as opposed to a lingering study.

Originality: The novel uses a fictionalized account of James Dean’s life as a focal point to explore what America was like for a Black man during the '40s—a unique storytelling method that makes the book stand out.

Character/Execution: Although Jimmy Dean is a character with historical import, the novel focuses primarily on the specificity of race relations through Haim, who is a strongly-developed, powerful protagonist. Aside from his role in the book, the writing style and chapter structure inhibit deep character exploration.

Date Submitted: June 02, 2023