The Haunting of Hip Hop : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Impressive Work!!!
Review: In the "Haunting of Hip Hop", Berry creates a prolific story filled with mystery, drama and intrigue. Harry "Freedom" Hudson is a successful twenty-something producer of Rap and Hip Hop. Ava Vercher is Freedom's thirty-something lawyer, who is a hard hitting, anti-establishment, independent attorney who handles all of Freedom's affairs, including the purchase of a house on Tubman Terrace in New York, that Freedom is inexplicably drawn to, and is rumored to be haunted. The story unfolds when Ava and her childhood friend, Charles Campbell, an attorney who happens to represent the owner of the house, confront "The Gathering" of spirit memories who have put a call out to Freedom so that their stories could be told.
I loved Berry's writing style, as well as her plot and character development. The story, however, lacked a little substance. For example, Freedom's story and purpose were not completely developed. Also, it was not clear to me who the central character was, Freedom, Ava or Ngozi (the spirit of the captured African slave who desired to pass on the "beat" from the ancestors). I believe that Berry sacrificed "bite" for "breveity" and should have greatly expanded this very intriging tale. The "Haunting of Hip Hop", was still enjoyable and had a message that was clear and direct.

Rating:
Summary: It's okay
Review: The Haunting of Hip Hop starts off fierce. The main character Freedom is a hip hop producer who's eager to purchase a house on Tubman Terrace in Harlem. Whenever he's there he hears this drumming sound that makes him feel like he belongs there. His lawyer Ava and her friend Charles believe the house is haunted and want him to reconsider buying the house. Trying to find out what is in the house will keep you turning the pages. Suddenly tragedy strikes and the plot slows. The secret about the house is revealed in a melodramatic way and the story ends with everyone's life changed forever for the best.

For those of you who really enjoyed Redemption Song, you'll find some of its charm in this book. It differs because of the setting and but the message is still the same.

I liked it but it's not my favorite pick of the year.

Rating:
Summary: Looking Back to Move Forward
Review: The Haunting of Hip-Hop is a well-written tale of how the past affects the future.

Berry does it again weaving the past and the present. The underlying presence of the African drum is interspersed throughout the novel. We are introduced to Freedom, a successful hip-hop producer who is intrigued by a brownstone in Harlem that people feared was haunted. Freedom directs his lawyer, Ava to purchase the house for him. Ava becomes reacquainted with an old friend, Charles, a real estate attorney. Ava and Charles encounter a gathering of ghosts all of whom are a mission to settle scores in order to rest in peace. How will the ghost find peace?

The novel is full of surprises and twists to keep the reader enthralled to the end.

Berry has done an excellent job with The Haunting of Hip-Hop. She has a unique way of tying the historical influences with a present day storyline. The theme of honoring our past is alive in the novel. I look forward to the next literary offering by Berry.

Reviewed by Robilyn
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers