Marlon wins 2015’s Man Booker prize

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his year’s Man Booker Prize was won by Marlon James’ 680-page novel A Brief History of Seven Killings. James is the first Jamaican writer to win the prize in its 47 years of running, and of his three novels this one is my personal favourite.

His debut John Crow’s Devil (2005) was a rich read focused on the human struggle between righteousness and the will to do wrong in a village where magic and religion co-exist. This brought James into the limelight, and his next novel did not disappoint. The Book of Night Women (2009) was a fierce story exploring slavery with a precision that many other authors miss. The rebellious ‘Night Women’, while plotting their freedom from slavery, highlight dark secrets and power relationships, as well as trying to bring about an island-wide revolt. It’s a fascinating read, which showed remarkable improvements on his debut novel by earning him comparisons to the stunning Toni Morrison.

It’s a fascinating read…earning him comparisons to the stunning Toni Morrison

Citing reggae music as a heavy influence on his work, James tried to guess the fate of those involved in Marley’s shooting, feeling he should write them into history rather than letting them disappear. After reading Seven Killings, I can’t help but say he did that and more. Set after the attempted assassination of Bob Marley, the novel explores its aftermath, following the seven assassins that were never caught, the Jamaican gang wars and the various witnesses to the event.

James does not just tell a story. He manages to encompass the spirit and soul of Jamaica during the 70s and 80s: the damage done by American colonialism and, most vividly, the violence and turf war in Jamaica. It’s a breathtakingly-honest piece that James writes with flair and originality.

He manages to pull together different voices, languages and accents, making them fluid in juxtaposition to the jarring structure of the book. This makes it an exciting read that leaves the reader happily satisfied while igniting a hunger to find out more. James spanned Jamaica 1976 to New York 1991, and introduced many different characters, all of them so real. He is a true artist, and Seven Killings is a must read.

Image credits: Header (monosnaps/Flickr)