I was so excited when this book came out. the title is amazing, the story seemed like it would be exactly what I enjoy. It turns out Archangels of Funk: Episodes from the Continuing Drama of Cinnamon Jones, A Scientist, Artiste, and Hoodoo Conjuror, A Novel of What Might Be - is the second in a series, and I did not realize this until I started to review it. Whoops. This book vaguely fit into my water theme as it explores a world after a series of wars over water.
In short, I did not like this novel. I might have liked it more had I read the first, but as it stands, it was essentially a slice of life type novel, where Cinnamon is an older woman getting ready for a festival and interacting with her futuristic neighborhood and a little but haunted by her past. There's lots of action, and a lot of terrifying surveillance and discussion of corporate greed etc, but it almost seemed to be missing essentially a central plot with a beginning, middle and end that I could discern. I felt more like I was reading a series of journal entries with extra dialog than a novel. Perhaps that was the point?
The thing is, there were SO many beautiful references to wonderful music and pop culture that I really wanted to love this, and yet, I just...did not.
in addition... the quotes stuck me as amazing.
"Collect the stars in people's eyes, you'll know which ones are shining for you"
"Trouble is the Fuel you use to burn your way across the sky"
And....
"The most a person can do for another is to believe in them until they come true"
I mean... gorgeous! I keep thinking about those three quotes all the time, with an emphasis on the last one, we really should be believing in people as they claw away at their dreams, but often we just dismiss their hopes as something that's aspirational but not going to happen. Maybe if we believed harder, others could have more success. Maybe not. So while I listened to this one on audio for a whole whopping 15 hours, I think it was worth it just for that one quote.
So.... I did not enjoy this novel, but that does not mean that someone else will have the same reaction!
Who should read this book? People who enjoyed Will do Magic for Small Change (the first book in the series), Theatre people, former theatre kids, and those who are comfortable with less concrete storylines. If you've read this and feel I missed the plot points, please... let me know!
STATS
First Published 2024
Pages: 384
Available as an Audio Book : YES (gorgeous narration by January LeVoy)
Trigger Warnings: Death of parent, death, classism, violence,
(this is not a full list, read responsibly)
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