A Brief History of Seven KillingsA Brief History of Seven Killings
Score Modern
What it's about
In December 1976, gunmen burst into Bob Marley's house in Kingston, Jamaica, and nearly killed him. Marlon James builds a huge novel around that real attack, told by dozens of voices: gang leaders and gunmen from the slums, a CIA agent, a Rolling Stone journalist, a woman who once slept with the Singer, and the ghost of a murdered politician. The story runs into the 1980s and the crack trade in New York.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Booker Prize, and the New York Times named it one of the best books of the 21st century. It's violent, ambitious and electric.
You'll love it if you liked
The Book of Night Women
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
The SympathizerGood to know
It's nearly 700 pages, with extreme violence, sexual violence and heavy Jamaican patois. A character list helps.
By the numbers
- Readers24 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics90 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller45 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz3 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #68 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #115 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #517 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #994 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Moving
More by Marlon James
The Book of Night Women
The DisappearersIf you like this, read next
Where the Crawdads Sing
True History of the Kelly Gang
Burial Rites
The Frozen River
The God of the Woods
Arthur & GeorgeExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is A Brief History of Seven Killings worth reading?
Yes. It won the Booker Prize, and the New York Times named it one of the best books of the 21st century. It ranks #994 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 73.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is A Brief History of Seven Killings about?
In December 1976, gunmen burst into Bob Marley's house in Kingston, Jamaica, and nearly killed him. Marlon James builds a huge novel around that real attack, told by dozens of voices: gang leaders and gunmen from the slums, a CIA agent, a Rolling Stone journalist, a woman who once slept with the Singer, and the ghost of a murdered politician. The story runs into the 1980s and the crack trade in New York.
How long does it take to read A Brief History of Seven Killings?
About 17 hours (688 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has A Brief History of Seven Killings won?
Booker Prize winner (2015).
What should I read after A Brief History of Seven Killings?
If you liked it, try The Book of Night Women by Marlon James, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz or The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen.