Reviews

Gbessa is a cursed girl, living in the village of Lai in West Africa. June Dey is the surviving baby of two enslaved Africans on a plantation in Virginia, North America. Norman Aragon is the mixed child of a fugitive Maroon slave and a British colonizer in Jamaica. Each one of them possesses strange supernatural abilities, and destiny leads them to meet in the settlement of Monrovia, in what would become Liberia.

Those are the characters that the author, Wayétu Moore, decided to create to illustrate the incredible story of the foundation of Liberia, the only Black state in Africa never subjected to colonial rule.

I had heard about Haiti, the first Black Republic, but never knew about Liberia’s history until now. The country was founded by former American slaves who bought land in West Africa with the goal of establishing a new country. This was mainly done through an organization called the American Colonization Society (ACS), composed mainly of White Americans who believed that the men and women recently freed from slavery in the United States could not be integrated into American society and should be sent back to Africa.

It’s not clear if the ACS had completely good intentions or if their acts were based on even more racist theories, but the book doesn’t shy away from this controversy.

* Click here for the full review.

apyzocha's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark hopeful sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

jsav9's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional informative reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

barelyreader's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

Not for me

The book was well written but the plot meandered and was difficult to follow most of the time

I did like certain aspects of it but I did not find the overall read enjoyable

serenedancer's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Very well interesting and well written. I liked learning about the various characters and then seeing how they came together. I was a little worried when Christianity started becoming more prominent in the story but I think it was handled well and it made sense for the characters.

Overall I would recommend the book.

Content Warnings

asl4u's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

good story! it was a little weird in the beginning but it was eventually a very nice blend of what might be -what could be… what probably isnt … but it might!
excellent!

More...