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haley49's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I would recommend this story to anyone looking for a first hand fictional account of a complex part of history. However, check trigger warnings and make sure you are mentally well enough for the heavy themes.
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Slavery, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Death of parent, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Body horror, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Vomit, Pregnancy, Child death, Rape, Child abuse, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Infidelity, Vomit, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Violence, and Alcoholism
Minor: Abortion, Religious bigotry, Ableism, and War
lexieellis13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Death, Hate crime, Racism, Sexual content, Torture, Sexual assault, Confinement, Blood, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: War
amandasbookreview's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
“I hated having to rest my hopes on another white man. But it was not up to me. In this world, the men called Master held all the power.”
It is 1850 and Pheby is being raised on the Bell Plantation. She is the daughter of an enslaved woman and the plantation master. She is considered a slave but has been taught to read, write, and play the piano. But most of all, she is told by her mother that she must never convince herself in her mind that she is a slave and that she will one day be free. But instead of being freed at 18, the Master’s wife has other plans for her. She sells Pheby and she is forced to be the mistress of the jailer in charge of what is called The Devil’s Half Acre where slaves are beaten and tortured. Every decision she will make is to ensure the survival of her children and loved ones but all of the decisions will come with a sacrifice.
The main thing I want to talk about when it comes to this book is the author’s note. While this book is fiction, it is inspired by real people and a real place. Sadeqa Johnson and her family took the Richmond Slave Trail Walk and she stumbled upon a story that she knew she had to tell. The story of Pheby is inspired by Mary Lumpkin. Johnson then immersed herself in the research behind this woman and it shows. This book is powerful, tragic, heartbreaking, and important. Because of Johnson, Mary’s name is not lost, like so many others who were victims of enslavement in the United States.
In this story, Pheby has a book that holds her mother’s healing recipes but when she is forced to work for the jailor, she meets several enslaved women and is determined to write their stories down before they are beaten and sold to the next white man. There is so much emotion written into Pheby and this story, it is clear that the author intended to honor her ancestors. This is a part of our history. A part of history that many want to ignore. We need to face these atrocities to acknowledge the generational trauma inflicted on Black people and to make sure that history never repeats itself. We can never atone for the brutality and heartlessness that occurred, but we can learn from it and make it so there is true justice and equality from here on out. This is an incredible read from beginning to end.
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
zormal815's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Classism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Medical content, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, and War