Palace Council by Stephen L. Carter
Historical Fiction 1954-1975 United States
Eddie, a budding novelist, combines his unrequited love for Aurelia, his obsession for his sister Junie whose disappearance is intertwined with Civil Rights violence, and his writing. Peopled with some of the most interesting characters I’ve seen in a while and set against a Harlem I never knew existed, the plot has a texture rich with twists, turns and more than one coincidence that while vital to the story seemed a bit hard to accept. After all, how often does a man, walking alone through Central Park, stumble over the body of a man grasping a cross in his had – a cross that we soon discover is a symbol of a secret conspiratorial group whose membership even includes Richard Nixon.
As the author relates in his notes, the story is mostly about the 60’s. All the movers and shakers of the Civil Rights movement are included; political intrigue in the highest levels of government is examined; and there is more conspiracy than I could keep track of. More than once, I reread sections and even whole chapters to make sure I had the right character in the right place at the right time. Even with all the attention I paid to the details of all the layers of the plot, I was surprised at the ending.
Reading the book during the heat of the 2008 presidential campaign was a special treat. All the dirty politics fit right in with the greed and struggle for power I found in the book.
What I didn’t like:
The multiple layers of plot and the huge cast of characters required way too much patience.
Some components of the plot seemed more contrived than believable.
What I liked:
Even the most minor characters were interesting. The author made me care about them.
The author used this entertaining story to teach about Harlem of the 50’s and 60’s, the Civil Rights movement and the many levels of our government that lay open to corruption.There was the underlying reminder that democracy is only as good as its people. It is our responsibility to hold our elected officials responsible for their actions.
