Plotting in Dialect

Well, I picked up a book I had never heard of in the grocery store the other day simply because it mentioned taking place in the 18th century (which is my favorite of the centuries) and seemed interesting. What I got was surprising and something else entirely. Let’s check it out.

Title: The Book of Night Women
Author: Marlon James
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Date: 2009
My start date: 6/13/10
My finish date: 6/18/10

James’ recent novel, The Book of Night Women is absolutely stunning. I am not even sure where to begin. So I will just try the beginning. Like I said, I picked the book up on a whim without really even completely reading the back cover. All I really knew was that it was the story of Lilith, a slave on a 18th century Jamaican plantation. I started reading the novel and, honestly, after the first couple of pages I had to pause and consider what I had gotten myself into. The entire novel is written in period Jamaican slave dialect, which, needless to say, I don’t speak. I panicked. Could I even finish this?? But I was intrigued. The writing was blunt, to the point and violent. I didn’t understand a quarter of the words and none of the grammar was what I was used to. But I was curious about Lilith. So I kept reading. I am so glad I did.

Once you get into the rhythm of the story, the language becomes much easier. I had to look up several words, but most of them could be found on the internet, so that wasn’t really a problem. Sometimes it helped and even added to the reading if I read it out loud. Once having acclimated to the dialect, I found it stunningly beautiful and it added a richness and depth to the novel that couldn’t have been achieved any other way. The characters, the setting, none of it would have been as full without using that language. It opened the characters up in a way that allows the reading to feel more able to intimately understand the thought process. That being said, don’t be like me and just rush out and throw this novel in your shopping basket. Take the time to read the first couple of pages there in the store. If you don’t feel like you can get through a whole novel like that and enjoy it, you may want to rethink buying it. I think it was great, but it can certainly add time to your reading, if it doesn’t prevent you from having access to the novel entirely. Reading in dialect might not be for everybody.

This book is very violent and profane. But how could it be any other way? Slavery wasn’t exactly pretty. The novel is breathtakingly dark, filled with intrigue, mystery, plotting, conspiring, evil spirits, curses, you name it. At times I thought I might hate Lilith, but at others I absolutely loved her. Sometimes the bad guys turned out to be good guys, sometimes the good ones turned bad. The plot was very full. This isn’t the type of novel with a single plotline running from beginning to end. Side stories were followed, lesser characters were developed to wonderful depth, and I found myself falling headfirst into this world.

I want to note another aspect of James’ writing technique beyond just the dialect. His written technique is beautifully constructed, almost formally perfect. He weaves his constructions around and around, frequently repeating the line, “Every negro walk in a circle. Take that and make of it what you will.” He has put a lot of thought into what he is writing and where it goes. You don’t always see that and it doesn’t necessarily require such thoughtful form to make a great novel, but it does add a great degree of aesthetic pleasure to the reading when such a beautiful form exists.

By the time I had worked my way through the novel, I loved it. Really loved it. I loved Lilith. I would read this again and maybe even again still. I will reiterate the warnings one more time, however, to be aware of the potential challenges in reading 430 pages in dialect and also in the very brutal imagery this novel contains, but if you can get past those things, read this novel! Great stuff.

Keep reading!
Sarah