Starred review from October 3, 2022
The immensely enjoyable latest from Booker-shortlisted Everett (The Trees) sends up spy movie tropes while commenting on racism in the U.S. The narrator is Wala Kitu, a Black mathematics professor researching the substance of “nothing,” which yields endless clever riffs (in his search for nothing, he has “nothing to show for it”). Kitu is recruited by John Sill, a Black billionaire and aspiring supervillain hoping to use the power of “nothing” to terrify the nation, all in retaliation for the murder of his parents by a white police chief. Intrigued by the possibilities of furthering his research, Kitu joins Sill and is whisked to a Miami lair to begin plotting the attack on Fort Knox, which Sill claims contains no gold, just a powerful “nothing.” Along for the ride is Kitu’s sheltered white colleague, topologist Eigen Vector, whom Sill drugs into becoming his arm candy. As Kitu learns more about Sill’s plan and witnesses his ruthlessness, he tries to escape and save Eigen. Another Sill associate, Gloria, a Black woman with an “enormous afro” who also seems to be under Sill’s spell, tells Kitu her brother was shot for “standing around being Black.” Throughout, Everett boldly makes a farce out of real-world nightmares, and the rapid-fire pacing leaves readers little time to blink. Satire doesn’t get much sharper or funnier than this.
March 1, 2023
Wala Kitu is a math professor whose specialty is nothing. John Sill is a villain who wants to break into Fort Knox to steal a box containing nothing. He employs Kitu to assist in this caper. Everett (Booker-shortlisted for The Trees) delivers this clever story brimming with math humor. Narrator Amir Abdullah skillfully differentiates characters, while sounding confident in his understanding and portrayal of nothing. He nails the witty dialogue--including conversations with a one-legged dog who talks to Kitu in his sleep--with the right mix of seriousness and absurdity. This madcap romp may remind listeners of a James Bond film. Logic and math prowess are not great tools for a conflict with an evil criminal, but what Kitu lacks in experience, he makes up for with a photographic memory, allowing him to tap into every book he's ever read (a librarian's dream!). Will Kitu safely get out of the heist, or is he in too deep? VERDICT Abdullah's narration brings this novel to the next level; a highly recommended purchase for all public libraries.--Christa Van Herreweghe
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