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whatallisonwrote's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
I hope this book gets the attention it deserves. Expertly written and covers the views of both enslaved and enslaver.
A definite need to read for anyone who likes mid-19th century history.
A definite need to read for anyone who likes mid-19th century history.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Slavery
merit_willa's review against another edition
A plucky plantation owner and an overseer who's nice, actually, save the slaves ... Started intriguing, but the pacing is loose, the book is far too long for the story it's telling, and it reeks of white saviorism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Racial slurs, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Rape
lulu_readsalot's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5
The novel is good and so is the writing.
The characters are engaging. I would like to have seen more from the slave characters, Ben and Ona, Zadoc, George and Ceecee.
I was hard to stop reading or put it down, as I wanted to know what happened next, how is Polly going to solve this and that.
However, it is not the best book I have read and I am still reticent to like slaver redeeming books. I am sure there were some good slavers, as far as they can go (I mean... They still owned people) and that some of them were abolitionists and worked hard to tear the whole system down. Still, it is hard for me to be on their side, I tend to go to the slaves side.
It is a good read, but like uncle Tom's cabin, I am not sure it is the time for such books anymore, or that it will ever be again.
The characters are engaging. I would like to have seen more from the slave characters, Ben and Ona, Zadoc, George and Ceecee.
I was hard to stop reading or put it down, as I wanted to know what happened next, how is Polly going to solve this and that.
However, it is not the best book I have read and I am still reticent to like slaver redeeming books. I am sure there were some good slavers, as far as they can go (I mean... They still owned people) and that some of them were abolitionists and worked hard to tear the whole system down. Still, it is hard for me to be on their side, I tend to go to the slaves side.
It is a good read, but like uncle Tom's cabin, I am not sure it is the time for such books anymore, or that it will ever be again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery, Violence, War, Rape, and Murder
readingwithmuggy's review against another edition
5.0
Wow wow wow this book is a great example of what it looks like to change your actions and stand up for what you believe in when you see things that are wrong. Throughout the whole story, not only was I rooting for Polly, but the story line invites you into the gross injustices and horrors that black people face. There are gruesome and hard to read moments in this book but I can assure you the amount of discomfort is only a fraction of what black people actually faced. I’ve fallen deeply in love with the characters in this book. Ben, Ona, Tom Roper, Cissie, George, Zee, little Lydia, and sweet Kate will live deep in my heart.
Overall, 10/10.
note: I think there will always be limitations when a white person writes a story around slavery but I felt the genuine sense of sorrow from this author over the role that our white ancestors have played in this story.
Overall, 10/10.
note: I think there will always be limitations when a white person writes a story around slavery but I felt the genuine sense of sorrow from this author over the role that our white ancestors have played in this story.
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