Welcome to Litsy!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Another Goodreads challenge win! I went into this one not knowing anything about the book but ended up loving it. Franklin provides an insightful commentary on cultural narratives surrounding drug use and how these play out within society and the legal system. There's also an underlying reflection on grief and our relationships within social groups. The book is beautifully written 💖

The MC‘s best friend and roommate is found dead. Plus, he‘s in trouble in the Hamptons for possession. Reviews of a “hilarious” and “incandescent” read had my hopes sky-high and this didn‘t deliver for me. I did appreciate the character development but the past and present episodes didn‘t come across clearly in the audiobook. There were some real zingers that rang true but for the most part I muddled through. Class, race, addiction, drugs.

A young black guy working in tech is doing pretty well, but then he gets arrested for possession the same night his best friend/roommate dies. Some of this book is very compelling, but it continually jumps back and forth from current story to backstory, which was a bit confusing on audio. And it just didn‘t entirely hold my attention.

Great Black Hope introduces us to Smith, a Black queer man living a great life in NYC until he is arrested for possession in the Hamptons.

This book explores how similar situations can take different turns depending on your class and race. The author does a great job in keeping you interested in the story even though there‘s not much plot.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #arc

Pub Date: 6/10/25