Hell of a book — It seriously is one
“Hell of a book” by Jason Mott is, quite simply, what it says on the tin. Yes, it is literally a hell of a book. Published in 2021 by Trapeze, this novel tells the story of an author on a book tour after publishing a book called “Hell of a Book.” People he meets repeatedly tell him it is indeed a hell of a book. It is also the story of a young black boy named Soot who is tormented by his bullies and learns to make himself invisible to protect himself from tragedies that come for him and his family.
While reading this book, you are not quite sure whether you will be placed in a slapstick comedy or a tragedy. One of the earlier scenes has the unnamed author running naked through a hotel after he is caught sleeping with another woman’s wife. On the other hand, Soot is bullied mercilessly at school because of his Blackness and his family is threatened because of it. The author, who goes unnamed through the entire book, literally called _____when it comes to it, appears to live in a world with his successful book where his Blackness doesn’t matter to the extent that he actually forgets and only remembers in a scene. Mott tells a strong message of what being Black in America may mean today through telling these two stories. Some people are victimised and suffer, whereas others achieve success and are given the privilege of forgetting that they are of an ethnic group often targeted. What is the responsibility then of those in the latter group? During this book tour, the unnamed author happens to meet a small Black boy he calls ‘the kid’. It’s unclear whether this kid is real or is a figment of his imagination. However, people around him coincidentally ask the author about the tragic events in the news about a young Black boy, asking him to say something about it. The author seems bemused by this, not that he doesn’t care, but he really just wants to talk about his hell of a book.
Reading this book, I saw myself somewhat in both characters; like Soot, I have been bullied at school, not necessarily because of my race, but I have at times wanted to become invisible. I also would like to see myself in the unnamed author with my dreams of publishing a book and going on a tour. Mott candidly shows the crazy aspects of publishing a book today, managing to give a satirical look at the industry. Another thing that I may see in the writer but may not be so quick to admit is possibly being oblivious to tragedy and not using my voice or power where I can. With all the tragedy, chaos and shit going on worldwide, you can’t be blamed for wanting to cover your ears and pretend it doesn’t exist in the name of self-care, but who does that help? But what can you do to make people know that black lives matter, that the climate needs to be prioritised, and that trans people deserve rights and peace of mind? It all seems to have nothing to do with you and yet everything. The novel brings to mind the idea that has been beaten down in the media lately and has discouraged many people from speaking up when they should. Though perhaps that may well have been the aim. Luckily, many people remain defiant, with 4 in 5 people in the UK supporting social justice.
Of course, there are no easy answers to the questions raised in this book, but it did leave me with a hell of a lot of thoughts. Yes, this is quite literally a hell of a book.
