maureenmcc's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting premise with an intriguing protagonist. But after a strong start it loses momentum in the second half and begins to get bogged down in its own plot.
katiecatbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Epic. Slavery. Sci-fi.
Story: In 1830 Barbados, an eleven year old slave is facing a new master. With only Big Kit, an older female slave, as his guardian and protector, Washington Black works, toils, and then is taken on as an assistant to the master's scientific brother.
Language: This book reads like a modern Jules Verne. Full of adventure and historical scientific discoveries, the reader is taken on an epic journey around the world to solve the mysteries of animal and man. Told in first person from Wash's perspective over time, we journey through city and country, watching events unfold.
Characters: Washington Black is our narrator, starting at 11 years old and a field slave and rising to become a scientist's assistant. Through his eyes we meet other slaves, his master, his scientist brother and many other characters far and wide.
A tale of epic proportions, a historical fiction atmosphere combined with Jules Verne style sci-fi and adventure, plus a bit of philosophy on man. I really enjoyed this book and it is in a class if it's own. Highly recommend.
Story: In 1830 Barbados, an eleven year old slave is facing a new master. With only Big Kit, an older female slave, as his guardian and protector, Washington Black works, toils, and then is taken on as an assistant to the master's scientific brother.
Language: This book reads like a modern Jules Verne. Full of adventure and historical scientific discoveries, the reader is taken on an epic journey around the world to solve the mysteries of animal and man. Told in first person from Wash's perspective over time, we journey through city and country, watching events unfold.
Characters: Washington Black is our narrator, starting at 11 years old and a field slave and rising to become a scientist's assistant. Through his eyes we meet other slaves, his master, his scientist brother and many other characters far and wide.
A tale of epic proportions, a historical fiction atmosphere combined with Jules Verne style sci-fi and adventure, plus a bit of philosophy on man. I really enjoyed this book and it is in a class if it's own. Highly recommend.
jolynne's review against another edition
2.0
The first two-thirds were good but it was boring at the end.
samanthabw's review against another edition
4.0
If I have to read about mouth/lips being described as damp/moist or the sentence “he moistened his lips” again I’m going to lose my damn mind. Other than some of the descriptions being repetitive, it was a pretty good adventure story.
christina_adamson's review against another edition
4.0
I read this for the 2020 Popsugar Reading Challenge, #34 - A Book by a Woman of Colour. I decided to make more of an effort to actually review the books I read for this challenge from now on!
This book is excellently crafted, with the multi-dimensional (and often morally ambiguous) characters at its centre making the narrative rich and compelling. Our shifting understandings of Titch through Wash's eyes as he matures throughout the novel are particularly poignant, challenging white saviour figures/narratives and exposing the selfishness and performativity of many forms of white allyship (both historically, as the book explores, and right now).
One of my few criticisms is that the book felt overlong, with part three seeming to drag for the first half/three quarters (I never warmed much to Goff and Tanna and their involvement in the story).
But overall I enjoyed the richly-emotional, continent-spanning journey that Edugyan took me upon throughout Washington Black, and I can see myself revisiting this book many times in the future.
This book is excellently crafted, with the multi-dimensional (and often morally ambiguous) characters at its centre making the narrative rich and compelling. Our shifting understandings of Titch through Wash's eyes as he matures throughout the novel are particularly poignant, challenging white saviour figures/narratives and exposing the selfishness and performativity of many forms of white allyship (both historically, as the book explores, and right now).
One of my few criticisms is that the book felt overlong, with part three seeming to drag for the first half/three quarters (I never warmed much to Goff and Tanna and their involvement in the story).
But overall I enjoyed the richly-emotional, continent-spanning journey that Edugyan took me upon throughout Washington Black, and I can see myself revisiting this book many times in the future.
akmariko's review against another edition
3.0
This review does container spoilers. Washington Black is a story of a black man, who was born on a Caribbean plantation in the 1850's. He is taken under the wing of Titch, the master's brother when he realized "Wash" is an amazing artist. Wash leaves with Titch leaves the plantation as a young man on a hot air balloon, or cloud cutter as is referred to, after an accident on the plantation and someone commits suicide and "Wash" as he is known would be highly suspect of the murder. Wash and Titch travel north and ends up in the Northern Parts of Canada. A very isolated part of the world, a few trading posts, but mostly the native peoples living a subsistence lifestyle, in igloos. Wash is there with Titch who discovers his father, who he thought was dead is still alive. Wash finally ends up in Morocco, searching for Titch, who he thought was dead, but wasn't sure. I enjoyed the story telling throughout the book. I was able to get a sense of the different landscapes Wash lived in, from the hot sweaty Carribean, to Northern Canada, A busy Eastern Seaport to the dessert of Morocco. I enjoyed the book, and the unexpected journey it lead me on.
ameliareadit's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
liz_beth83's review
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Wash's character was well written and likeable.
The beginning and ending were strong and kept me up until the wee hours reading, however sections of part two I found slow and pretty unbelievable. I loved the realizations that Wash came to at the end of the book, with the help of Tanna. It wrapped the whole story up nicely.
I will also say I hated the last 2 paragraphs. They were unesesarilly vauge and left me scratching my head about why they were put in at all. All in all I would absolutely recommend this book and will seek out other books by Edugyan.
The beginning and ending were strong and kept me up until the wee hours reading, however sections of part two I found slow and pretty unbelievable. I loved the realizations that Wash came to at the end of the book, with the help of Tanna. It wrapped the whole story up nicely.
I will also say I hated the last 2 paragraphs. They were unesesarilly vauge and left me scratching my head about why they were put in at all. All in all I would absolutely recommend this book and will seek out other books by Edugyan.
brianreadsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
The complexities and contrast between the story’s narrator George Washington “Wash” Black and his white master/companion/friend Christopher “Titch” Wilde were the most compelling part for me. Wash is born a slave on a plantation in Barbados, and cared for by Big Kit, an older woman who dreams of her former life before being stolen and enslaved. When Titch arrives at the plantation, Wash gives up his one human connection with her for a life-changing and fantastical adventure with Titch (though in reality he is not given a choice).
“I thought of my existence before Titch's arrival, the brutal hours in the field under the crushing sun, the screams, the casual finality edging every slave's life, as though each day could very easily be the last. And that, it seemed to me clearly, was the more obvious anguish- that life had never belonged to any of us, even when we'd sought to reclaim it by ending it. We had been estranged from the potential of our own bodies, from the revelation of everything our minds and bodies could accomplish.”
Race and privilege drive every behavior. Edugyan illustrates this real-world truth masterfully. The relationship between Titch and Wash is the most prominent example, but it shows up throughout the novel. Each character’s race and class dominate their unique reaction to Wash.
“You were more concerned that slavery should be a moral stain upon white men than by the actual damage it wreaks on black men.”
I didn’t get as “sucked in” as I usually do for adventure and character-driven stories like this, but that likely had to do with reading it during a stressful move. I’d still say this is still a great read that should be part of your list. I understand why many loved it, and I plan to re-read in the future when I can give it my full attention.
Follow me on IG #bookstagram: @brianreadsbooks for more reviews and photos of my reading.
“I thought of my existence before Titch's arrival, the brutal hours in the field under the crushing sun, the screams, the casual finality edging every slave's life, as though each day could very easily be the last. And that, it seemed to me clearly, was the more obvious anguish- that life had never belonged to any of us, even when we'd sought to reclaim it by ending it. We had been estranged from the potential of our own bodies, from the revelation of everything our minds and bodies could accomplish.”
Race and privilege drive every behavior. Edugyan illustrates this real-world truth masterfully. The relationship between Titch and Wash is the most prominent example, but it shows up throughout the novel. Each character’s race and class dominate their unique reaction to Wash.
“You were more concerned that slavery should be a moral stain upon white men than by the actual damage it wreaks on black men.”
I didn’t get as “sucked in” as I usually do for adventure and character-driven stories like this, but that likely had to do with reading it during a stressful move. I’d still say this is still a great read that should be part of your list. I understand why many loved it, and I plan to re-read in the future when I can give it my full attention.
Follow me on IG #bookstagram: @brianreadsbooks for more reviews and photos of my reading.
pingin505's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great book I wouldn’t have picked up without being in a book club! It’s about race and slavery, but it’s also about being uprooted, and about family, and about the “white savior”, and about different forms of sadness, and about good intentions, and about family, and about adventure, and about drawing, and about sea life, and about science, and about the people who shape you. The people that are imperfect. And the things they do and don’t have control over. This wasn’t a particularly heavy book, but it has so much to think about, that I’m still working out all the details and depth of this piece.
Also this should 100% go without saying, but it’s such a better reading experience (deeper characters and experiences) when a book about a black person or people or slavery is actually written by a black person. Washington Black isn’t a character defined solely by his race. He is impacted by it. And he is seen by others through his race. But his story is bigger. And that is so refreshing.
Also this should 100% go without saying, but it’s such a better reading experience (deeper characters and experiences) when a book about a black person or people or slavery is actually written by a black person. Washington Black isn’t a character defined solely by his race. He is impacted by it. And he is seen by others through his race. But his story is bigger. And that is so refreshing.