One amateur reviewer described this Man Booker prize winner as well rendered and difficult. I have to agree. There are so many characters it needs a list to explain who they are. The story is told by several different characters, often using Jamaican slang that can be difficult to decipher. As for the seven killings of the title, there are many more than that. The story takes place in the political and social unrest in Jamaica in the 1960s and 70s, centered around the 1976 assassination attempt on Bob Marley. On the political side there are two main parties, one funded by the CIA and the other supported by Castro's Cuban regime. It's a gritty view of the race and class conflicts throughout that time period. The Medellin Drug Cartel, crooked politicians, racist and violent police, opportunists, criminals, and victims combine in story that is extremely violent and frequently hard to stomach. This isn't an easy book to read.
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