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This only really works as a psychological/political/philosophical manifesto, and at 600 pages of length it is far too long for that. And that's before taking into account that its political argument is personally abhorrent to me (and probably not for the reason most would guess).

The novel part works but only before taking into account its extremely dated sanctioning of domestic violence and statutory rape. But then even the intriguing plot gets drowned about halfway through in metaphysical and sociological musings. It's a shame because the premise is super compelling -- a systematically oppressed and downtrodden man gets almost literally a new lease on life -- it's just that Wright uses it toward a very tedious purpose (to explain... and explain... and explain... why a truly free intellectual must reject all systems of hierarchy and law).

And I guess we can circle back to the political argument. I understand the issues with mid-20th century Bolshevism/Stalinism, especially the international offshoots, and I don't begrudge Wright for having been mistreated by CPUSA and resenting them for it. But his portrayal of the movement in this book is hilariously uncharitable, and his equation of CPUSA with all of communism is so absurd as to be borderline offensive (no mention of socialism is made at any point either). Wright is more of a thinker/intellectual than I'll ever be, but in this case his outlook seems weirdly reductive.

Anyway, I wouldn't recommend this except to Wright completists, or maybe Cedric Robinson devotees (Black Marxism, which discusses Wright and this book). It's too long to be really worthwhile for any particular reason you might want to read it. If you do read this you should read either Native Son or Black Boy first. They're shorter and they'll make you feel less guilty about skimming portions of this one.