Crook Manifesto is strike two for Colson Whitehead’s 'strangely inert' Harlem crime saga
- Written by Sascha Morrell, Lecturer in Literary Studies, Monash University
Midway through Colson Whitehead’s new novel Crook Manifesto, a filmmaker muses on how “reviewers like to trap you in their idea of you”, just as old friends and family only see “who you used to be”. The critical reception the book has received so far bears this out. Expecting yet another bravura performance from a writer whose accolades include two Pulitzer prizes and a MacArthur “genius grant”, most critics have found Crook Manifesto to be just that.
Review: Crook Manifesto – Colson Whitehead (Hachette)
There is, however, one cherished notion about Whitehead that critics have had to let go this time. Reviews of Whitehead’s novels typically extol his versatility: he is a writer who always surprises you; his lightning talent never strikes the same genre twice, or it forks and hits multiple genres at once – The Underground Railroad’s effortless blending of historical and speculative fiction is but one example.