Blonde Faith

Walter Mosley
Little, Brown and Company (2007)
ISBN 9780316734592
Reviewed by Leslie Granier for Reader Views (9/07)


“Blonde Faith” is set in Los Angeles in 1967 where racism is running rampant.  Ezekiel “Easy” Rawlins is a private investigator who is pining after his former girlfriend Bonnie, who he threw out of their house when he discovered she was having an affair with a prince.  Now that Bonnie has announced that she is getting married, Easy has difficulty dealing with his regrets.  On top of this, he has been left to raise their two adopted children and a good friend leaves his young daughter with Easy after he has run into trouble.  However, his problems do not end there.  As a recovered alcoholic, he constantly must fight to maintain control.  When the military comes looking for information from him regarding a murder thought to have been committed by his friend, Easy becomes involved in an effort to save this friend's life.

Walter Mosley does an excellent job of developing the character of Easy Rawlins.  His bitterness about how he was treated in the past because of his race is prominently featured throughout the book.  His passion for uncovering the truth irrespective of any possible danger to himself makes him into a respected hero among those around him.  His concerns for his friends and family make him human in a sometimes inhumane world.  The unexpected ending was an appropriate culmination of the demons that Easy faced.

At times, the pace of this story was too slow.  There were also too many minor characters who seem to have no purpose in advancing the story line.  It was also confusing because characters were sometimes referred to by their given names and other times were called by nicknames.  (I kept forgetting which characters had which nicknames.)  I was also somewhat dismayed at how Pericles' children were constantly referred to as “ugly.”

“Blonde Faith” is a story about loyalty, friendship and the quest to find the truth.  It should be read by adults since it contains some profanity and adult situations.  Upon completion of this book, the reader will be left with deep feelings about the situations Easy Rawlins encountered and possibly with a resolve to make things right in the world when presented with such opportunities.

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