Hell of a Book Summary
Jason Mott

Hell of a Book Overview

In Jason Mott's novel Hell of a Book, an unnamed first person narrator ventures out on a book tour for his new novel, Hell of a Book. Along the way, the narrator starts receiving visits from a young Black boy, whom the narrator calls The Kid. Because of his historically overactive imagination, the narrator convinces himself that The Kid is not real. However, as the novel progresses, current events and elements from the narrator's novel increasingly begin blurring with the narrator's reality. The more disoriented and detached he becomes, the more the narrator realizes he must confront the truth of his childhood trauma, his Black identity, and his role as a famous author. The novel explores themes including change, identity, and fear.