The Prophets

Name: The Prophets
Brand: Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand
SKU: 9781529405712
Price: 27.99 NZD
Availability: OutOfStock

a New York Times Bestseller

By Robert Jones Jr.

0.0 (0 reviews)

3.91

( 22,117 ratings, 3,791 reviews)

Summary

The Prophets is a powerful historical fiction debut by Robert Jones Jr. set on the Halifax plantation, where two enslaved young men, Samuel and Isaiah, find sanctuary and love in the barn, away from cruelty and oppression. Their rare bond is challenged when fellow slave Amos grows suspicious, threatening the fragile peace. Through vivid, lyrical prose blending the styles of Toni Morrison and Zora Neale Hurston, the novel explores love, violence, and resilience amid the brutal realities of slavery.
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Format: Paperback / softback

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This novel is ideal for readers interested in poignant historical fiction, evocative lyrical writing, and complex explorations of love under oppression. It is particularly suited to those who appreciate literary narratives addressing LGBTQ+ themes within historical settings.

Love, in all its permutations, is the discovery at the heart of Robert Jones Jr's breathtaking debut, The Prophets.

Description

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

'This visionary and deeply evocative debut carves a radiant love story out of the bleakest of landscapes.' Waterstones - Best Books to Look Out For in 2021

'An Outstanding novel' Guardian

'A lyrical, poetic novel' Independent

'Epic in its scale' Marlon James, author of Black Leopard, Red Wolf

'A rare marvel' Ocean Vuong, author of On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous

'Magisterial' Courttia Newland, author of A River Called Time

'A spellbinding debut' COSMO

'Ambitious and intense' Vanity Fair

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One of:

The New York Times Book Review's Books to Watch for in January

The Washington Post's 10 Books to Read in January

TIME's 10 New Books You Should Read in January

O, the Oprah Magazine's 32 LGBTQ Books That Will Change the Literary Landscape in 2021

Cosmopolitan's New LGBTQ+ Books to Add to Your Reading List

BuzzFeed's Most Anticipated Historical Fiction of 2021

Lit Hub's Most Anticipated Books of 2021

The Millions' Most Anticipated Books of 2021

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In this blinding debut, Robert Jones Jr. blends the lyricism of Toni Morrison with the vivid prose of Zora Neale Hurston to characterise the forceful, enduring bond of love, and what happens when brutality threatens the purest form of serenity.

The Halifax plantation is known as Empty by the slaves who work it under the pitiless gaze of its overseers and its owner, Massa Paul. Two young enslaved men, Samuel and Isaiah, dwell among the animals they keep in the barn, helping out in the fields when their day is done. But the barn is their haven, a space of radiance and love - away from the blistering sun and the cruelty of the toubabs - where they can be alone together.

But, Amos - a fellow slave - has begun to direct suspicion towards the two men and their refusal to bend. Their flickering glances, unspoken words and wilful intention, revealing a truth that threatens to rock the stability of the plantation. And preaching the words of Massa Paul's gospel, he betrays them.

The culminating pages of The Prophets summon a choral voice of those who have suffered in silence, with blistering humanity, as the day of reckoning arrives at the Halifax plantation. Love, in all its permutations, is the discovery at the heart of Robert Jones Jr's breathtaking debut, The Prophets.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Ocean Vuong praises The Prophets as a "rare marvel" that powerfully reclaims erased histories with tenderness and truth. Helen Phillips calls it an "epic and microscopic" lens on love and crisis, describing the story as "painfully harsh and tender." R.O. Kwon hails it as a "symphonic evocation" of pain, joy, and love. Praised for its literary grace and emotional depth, it is recognised as a deeply moving and ambitious debut.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529405712

Publisher: Quercus Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 20 January 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: riverrun

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 30.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 316g

Pages: 400

Collections

Fiction Forbidden Romance General Fiction Historical Fiction Robert Jones Jr.

About the Author

Robert Jones, Jr. is author of The New York Times Instant Bestselling novel, The Prophets, which has been longlisted for the 2021 National Book Award for Fiction. He has written for numerous publications, including The New York Times, Essence, and The Paris Review. He is the creator and curator of the social-justice, social-media community Son of Baldwin, which has over 288,000 followers across platforms.