Challenge Corner discussion

In September 1969, a fumbling, cranky old church deacon known as Sportcoat shuffles into the courtyard of the Cause Houses housing project in south Brooklyn, pulls a .38 from his pocket, and in front of everybody shoots the project's drug dealer at point-blank range.

In Deacon King Kong, McBride brings to vivid life the people affected by the shooting: the victim, the African-American and Latinx residents who witnessed it, the white neighbors, the local cops assigned to investigate, the members of the Five Ends Baptist Church where Sportcoat was deacon, the neighborhood's Italian mobsters, and Sportcoat himself.

As the story deepens, it becomes clear that the lives of the characters--caught in the tumultuous swirl of 1960s New York--overlap in unexpected ways. When the truth does emerge, McBride shows us that not all secrets are meant to be hidden, that the best way to grow is to face change without fear, and that the seeds of love lie in hope and compassion.

@25% (view spoiler)[ I love the way the drug dealers id’d the police Jet undercover by the poor state of his cheap trainers! (hide spoiler)]

I will jump into this one after I finish Seven Devils

Ch 9 (view spoiler)[ Sister Gee and Potts are really sweet together. I wonder if they’ll get together. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 1-7: (view spoiler)[So far this is pretty interesting. Lots of information and characters to process. The drug dealing business is a huge so it will be interesting with what happens next to anyone involved. (hide spoiler)]

Emma wrote: "@25% [spoilers removed]"

Yes, that was pretty funny and something I wouldn't even pick up on.

Emma wrote: "Ch 9 [spoilers removed]"

That would make me so happy!

Ch 8-14: (view spoiler)[So he knows about Earl going after Sportcoat.. but does he know about what happened? (hide spoiler)]

Ch 14
(view spoiler)[ shit! It’s incredible how everything is spiralling out of control all from one senile drunken old man’s daft actions! Now the gangsters are looking to take Deems out as well as Sportscoat - and bringing in an outside hit man- meanwhile Sportscoat is completely oblivious! (hide spoiler)]

Alaina wrote: "Ch 8-14: [spoilers removed]"

I was surprised to see Earl had told him about his 3 cockups!

Ch 17
(view spoiler)[ well I guess that makes up for shooting Deems! How was he there? Probably went to see how Deems responded when Sausage tried to give him a message..I wasn’t expecting the girl to shoot.. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 15-21: (view spoiler)[Well, we got to some twists that finally surprised me. I wasn't expecting her to be the shooter. (hide spoiler)]

Emma wrote: "Ch 14
[spoilers removed]"

Yes, it's crazy but very entertaining. I never know what's going to happen next.

Emma wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Ch 8-14: [spoilers removed]"

I was surprised to see Earl had told him about his 3 cockups!"

SAME!

Emma wrote: "Ch 17
[spoilers removed]"

I was completely shocked by her!

Ch 22-Finish: (view spoiler)[Wow. A lot happened and I'm kind of sad that he actually died but he did find peace. That and the outcome of Deems turning out straight after all that was good too. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 20
(view spoiler)[ that must have been heart breaking to learn that Hettie had saved a large patch of garden for him to grow things and then he just chose to be drunk when he came to NY (hide spoiler)]