Hell of a BookHell of a Book
What it's about
An unnamed Black author is on a frantic cross-country tour for his bestselling novel, hopping between hotels, interviews and readings. Wherever he goes, he keeps meeting a young Black boy called the Kid, whom no one else seems to see. Interwoven is the story of another boy, Soot, in a small Southern town. Both stories lead to the killing of a Black child by police.
Why it's worth reading
It won the National Book Award. It's funny, surreal and deeply sad, about grief, race and how stories are told.
You'll love it if you liked
Erasure
James
Between the World and MeGood to know
The narrator's reality is unreliable, and the book plays with that. It deals with police violence.
By the numbers
- Readers42 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics63 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller14 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz19 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
- #181 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #220 of the 481 new books we rank
- #1232 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic
If you like this, read next
Fourth Wing
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Quicksilver
The Tainted Cup
A Drop of Corruption
AlchemisedExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Hell of a Book worth reading?
Yes. It won the National Book Award. It ranks #1,232 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 70.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Hell of a Book about?
An unnamed Black author is on a frantic cross-country tour for his bestselling novel, hopping between hotels, interviews and readings. Wherever he goes, he keeps meeting a young Black boy called the Kid, whom no one else seems to see. Interwoven is the story of another boy, Soot, in a small Southern town. Both stories lead to the killing of a Black child by police.
How long does it take to read Hell of a Book?
About 8 hours (336 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Hell of a Book won?
National Book Award (Fiction) winner (2021).
What should I read after Hell of a Book?
If you liked it, try Erasure by Percival Everett, James by Percival Everett or Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates.