Scan barcode
juliewrayh's review against another edition
5.0
This is the second middle grade book featuring Carrie and her best friend Zora. (Zora is none other than Zora Neale Hurston, (1891-1960) who grew up to be a famous writer.) This time Carrie alternates the narration with Lucia, whose early life informs so much of the town in which Carrie and Zora live. Themes of what it means to be enslaved, the American history of the post Civil War South from a perspective too-little told, and the true meaning of family bind a suspense-filled tale. I do hope that Simon keeps this series going because I want to read more! [b:The Cursed Ground|38256472|The Cursed Ground (Zora and Me #2)|T.R. Simon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1522286173s/38256472.jpg|59937275]
bookdragon_library's review
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and CandleWick Press for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Cursed Ground is the 2nd in the Zora and Me series, which is a fictionalized representation of the childhood of Zora Neale Hurston. It can stand on its own though and you do not need to read the first one to appreciate this book. Hurston was an influential author of African-American literature and anthropologist, who portrayed racial struggles in the early 20th century American South. This book is told from the perspective of Zora's best friend, Carrie, in Eatonville, Florida, which is historically significant because it was the first self-governing all=African American town in the US. The pair of 12-year-olds work to discover the story behind Mr. Polk's mysterious injury and escaped horses.
Alternating between 1903 and 1855, the narrative goes from vivid accounts of slavery to the hatred and racial tensions of the Jim Crow era. It was heart-wrenching and eye-opening at the same time, with the children so confused on how they could be hated just for the color of their skin. The antics of Zora and Carrie were a little more light-hearted which balanced the seriousness of the slavery era flashbacks. I was riveted by the 1855 storyline and there was a twist I definitely didn't see coming. I really liked how they blended together in a full circle at the end of the book. It was very well done.
Due to the fairly elevated vocabulary and the serious subject of slavery and racial tensions, I would consider this advanced middle grade and would not suggest reading it until learning about the history of slavery in America. I definitely recommend it if the reader is mature enough to handle the topic.
#zoraandme #netgalley #slaveryinbooks #middlegradelit
The Cursed Ground is the 2nd in the Zora and Me series, which is a fictionalized representation of the childhood of Zora Neale Hurston. It can stand on its own though and you do not need to read the first one to appreciate this book. Hurston was an influential author of African-American literature and anthropologist, who portrayed racial struggles in the early 20th century American South. This book is told from the perspective of Zora's best friend, Carrie, in Eatonville, Florida, which is historically significant because it was the first self-governing all=African American town in the US. The pair of 12-year-olds work to discover the story behind Mr. Polk's mysterious injury and escaped horses.
Alternating between 1903 and 1855, the narrative goes from vivid accounts of slavery to the hatred and racial tensions of the Jim Crow era. It was heart-wrenching and eye-opening at the same time, with the children so confused on how they could be hated just for the color of their skin. The antics of Zora and Carrie were a little more light-hearted which balanced the seriousness of the slavery era flashbacks. I was riveted by the 1855 storyline and there was a twist I definitely didn't see coming. I really liked how they blended together in a full circle at the end of the book. It was very well done.
Due to the fairly elevated vocabulary and the serious subject of slavery and racial tensions, I would consider this advanced middle grade and would not suggest reading it until learning about the history of slavery in America. I definitely recommend it if the reader is mature enough to handle the topic.
#zoraandme #netgalley #slaveryinbooks #middlegradelit
sevenacrebooks's review
4.0
Zora and Me: The Cursed Ground is a powerful middle grade novel that combines history, fiction, and fantasy. Told through the eyes of Carrie Brown, a young girl who is best friend to Zora Neale Hurston and who stays with Zora's family after her father dies and her mother has to go away to work for a short time. One night, the girls are woken up by the sound of horses outside their window. When the girls sneak out to discover why the horses would have run away from their home and owner, they discover that their neighbor Mr. Polk has been gravely injured. This is just the beginning of the girls' dangerous adventure to discover why someone would hurt Mr. Polk and how dangerous their world truly is. Alternating between two time periods and two narratives, we learn the tragic history of America's first all black township.
T.R. Simon provides an unflinching view of post-Civil War Florida and how deeply the effects of slavery shape individuals. Zora and Me: The Cursed Ground is an incredible story of hope, community, and strength,.
Thank you to Candlewick and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
T.R. Simon provides an unflinching view of post-Civil War Florida and how deeply the effects of slavery shape individuals. Zora and Me: The Cursed Ground is an incredible story of hope, community, and strength,.
Thank you to Candlewick and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
shayemiller's review against another edition
I thoroughly enjoyed reading book number one of the Zora and Me series earlier this summer. It was incredibly satisfying, so I was eagerly anticipating book #2: The Cursed Ground. And it did NOT let me down! The sequel is another fictional adventure in the life of a young Zora Neale Hurston. This one, however, has alternating narratives going between 1855 and 1903. In the beginning, we meet back up with Zora, Carrie, and eventually Teddy. But now they face a brand new mystery as Mr. Polk has been badly wounded. When they find him, he speaks for the first time (he has always been a mute, to their knowledge), but they do not understand him.
In 1903, we learn that the town of Eatonville is in trouble with a gang of white men from the next town over. To understand WHY this is a real threat to Eatonville, we must have a firm grasp on what took place back in 1855 when slavery was the norm. Therefore, the story flows back and forth and the two different time period narratives provide a deep, rich story that slowly builds in suspense until the stories collide. All the missing gaps are filled and the truth clicks into place.
OH MY GOODNESS I loved the second book even more than the first one. The writing and language were beautiful — I sincerely didn’t want to put it down. I might as well admit it: I cried. While there are sweet and giggly parts to this series, there are some deeply moving scenes that hit me right where it counts. I really, really, really hope this series continues because the stories and characters are so well-crafted and the history is important and powerful. Don’t just take my word for it, it has already received starred reviews from both Kirkus and The Horn Book. My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for access to an e-ARC of this book.
In 1903, we learn that the town of Eatonville is in trouble with a gang of white men from the next town over. To understand WHY this is a real threat to Eatonville, we must have a firm grasp on what took place back in 1855 when slavery was the norm. Therefore, the story flows back and forth and the two different time period narratives provide a deep, rich story that slowly builds in suspense until the stories collide. All the missing gaps are filled and the truth clicks into place.
OH MY GOODNESS I loved the second book even more than the first one. The writing and language were beautiful — I sincerely didn’t want to put it down. I might as well admit it: I cried. While there are sweet and giggly parts to this series, there are some deeply moving scenes that hit me right where it counts. I really, really, really hope this series continues because the stories and characters are so well-crafted and the history is important and powerful. Don’t just take my word for it, it has already received starred reviews from both Kirkus and The Horn Book. My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for access to an e-ARC of this book.
toucanpie's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
This fictionalized account of Zora Neale Hurston's childhood, told from the perspective of her best friend, is a solid five star read. Carrie's voice is clear, intuitive, and insightful. The story begins the night Zora and Carrie discover a neighbor bleeding on his porch after being attacked by white men trying to coerce him into giving up his land. "It wasn't until that night," she says, "that Zora and I began to forge a real connection with the land, a connection that let us know ourselves through a past we hadn't lived but was inside us all the same."
Then, the narrative jumps back 40 years to that past, to two girls--sisters-- one enslaved and the other free-- and traces the same story forwards eventually bringing us to the moment they converge.
The whole thing is seamlessly and brilliantly plotted, and beautifully written. I didn't realize until I had already begun that it's a sequel, so I will have to go back and read the first. I dearly hope there will be more.
kellyhager's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the most powerful books I've read in ages. The synopsis doesn't tell anywhere near the whole story. (Which obviously is good; who wants to know everything?)
This is set in two times--the early 1900s and the late 1800s, but pre-Emancipation Proclamation. Zora and her friend Carrie are in the early 1900s; Lucia is late 1800s. Even though Zora has only ever known freedom, it's clear that slavery still has a powerful legacy in her town (Eatonville). Because of this, basically any white face is cause for concern. There are exceptions, but not many.
But the value in this book is the way it lays bare how monstrous slavery was. Most of the white people in the 1880s section are what we would consider kind people. A couple of them are horrible, but most of them aren't. They would never whip a slave. But they would absolutely sell them. One of them says to another white person (and I'm paraphrasing). "Slaves aren't people and they aren't pets. They're property and they aren't your property. They belong to the plantation."
Read that a couple times and let it sink in.
It wouldn't even occur to them that Lucia is an actual person, with worth beyond what she can do for the white people in her life.
This book gave me the bad kind of chills.
But it's also incredibly well-written and, while it's hard to read, it's also hard to stop reading. We need to remember what we, as a country, allowed to happen in order to keep it from happening again.
Highly recommended.
This is set in two times--the early 1900s and the late 1800s, but pre-Emancipation Proclamation. Zora and her friend Carrie are in the early 1900s; Lucia is late 1800s. Even though Zora has only ever known freedom, it's clear that slavery still has a powerful legacy in her town (Eatonville). Because of this, basically any white face is cause for concern. There are exceptions, but not many.
But the value in this book is the way it lays bare how monstrous slavery was. Most of the white people in the 1880s section are what we would consider kind people. A couple of them are horrible, but most of them aren't. They would never whip a slave. But they would absolutely sell them. One of them says to another white person (and I'm paraphrasing). "Slaves aren't people and they aren't pets. They're property and they aren't your property. They belong to the plantation."
Read that a couple times and let it sink in.
It wouldn't even occur to them that Lucia is an actual person, with worth beyond what she can do for the white people in her life.
This book gave me the bad kind of chills.
But it's also incredibly well-written and, while it's hard to read, it's also hard to stop reading. We need to remember what we, as a country, allowed to happen in order to keep it from happening again.
Highly recommended.
readandfindout's review against another edition
4.0
Trigger warnings: Slavery, beatings, violence, threatened lynching, racism
4.25 stars. My Video Review
4.25 stars. My Video Review
mrsginthelibrary's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you Candlewick Press for the free review copy on Net Galley. I love Zora Neale Hurston's work and find her to be such an interesting person. Simon beautifully captures the spirit I image you Zora to have embodied. The story explores the remaining divide and violence that remains after slavery. Through the eyes of young Zora and her friend Carrie we witness the impact that lingers decades after the end of slavery. The flashbacks to events that occurred during the slavery are so descriptive that young readers can get an impactful picture of what it might have been like for young slaves. The story and characters are engaging and thoughtful, and I think young readers will learn from this book. And, they will love it!
More...