ngreads's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars.
Really well written and believable book, great story, and really brings to light a lot of the horrors that happened during the slave trade in that time period in a gritty and strong way. My only protest is that the end of the book (in fact, the last 'book' in the book) felt really rushed to me, like the author just kinda wanted to get it done with. That is what is keeping me from giving it 5/5. Aside from that, awesome book.
Really well written and believable book, great story, and really brings to light a lot of the horrors that happened during the slave trade in that time period in a gritty and strong way. My only protest is that the end of the book (in fact, the last 'book' in the book) felt really rushed to me, like the author just kinda wanted to get it done with. That is what is keeping me from giving it 5/5. Aside from that, awesome book.
cnxnoname's review against another edition
5.0
A classic. I don’t think that I’ve read anything quite like The Book of Negroes before. Aminata Diallo is a name I won’t forget anytime soon and authour Lawrence Hill created one of the most powerful women in literature.
To stand, after the various atrocities of man, and give testimony is no easy endeavour. To give up everything to try to find your way back to your homeland after 50 years is awe-inspiring and anxiety-provoking. Aminata Diallo went through the MOST, she lived a life that millions of slaves never made it through.
I loved how Lawrence Hill used Aminata’s story to tell the life story of a million unknown ancestors who were stolen from their land and made to travel across the Atlantic to be slaves and servants for evil white devils who used the slave trade to build up their communities while killing, harming, displacing and replacing thousands of other communities. So many tears reached my eyes reading this novel and I don’t think I was so unsettled in awhile, crying for the lives of all of our unknown ancestors.
Lawrence Hill is an incredible writer and to see the research, time and effort given to craft a story of such depth and breadth was amazing. That The Book of Negroes could span decades and talk in detail about something so fucking horrific, that our ancestors no doubt experienced in even worse and more barbaric terms, is a feat that places him, with this novel, into legendary Canadian writer status.
To tell this story with such grace, finesse and respect is an accomplishment! For a work of fiction it read like a factual account due to the amount of research he gave to the circumstances and not a second of it was lost on me.
I feel that this should be required reading in schools, I also feel like this is a perfect book to give during the holidays to your racist relatives who don’t understand why black peoples, Africans from all nations, just can’t “get over it” — there’s no getting over slavery. It’s very effects are still felt until this day and this book talks about the very obvious points and hardships and also does a great job of highlighting the nuanced fear and depravity that has been instilled in black communities not by our own doing but in the work of centuries of slavery, discrimination and abuse.
This book is a thorough way to deal with teaching the atrocities of slavery and the slave migration as well as the personal and lasting effects of enslavement head on.
To stand, after the various atrocities of man, and give testimony is no easy endeavour. To give up everything to try to find your way back to your homeland after 50 years is awe-inspiring and anxiety-provoking. Aminata Diallo went through the MOST, she lived a life that millions of slaves never made it through.
I loved how Lawrence Hill used Aminata’s story to tell the life story of a million unknown ancestors who were stolen from their land and made to travel across the Atlantic to be slaves and servants for evil white devils who used the slave trade to build up their communities while killing, harming, displacing and replacing thousands of other communities. So many tears reached my eyes reading this novel and I don’t think I was so unsettled in awhile, crying for the lives of all of our unknown ancestors.
Lawrence Hill is an incredible writer and to see the research, time and effort given to craft a story of such depth and breadth was amazing. That The Book of Negroes could span decades and talk in detail about something so fucking horrific, that our ancestors no doubt experienced in even worse and more barbaric terms, is a feat that places him, with this novel, into legendary Canadian writer status.
To tell this story with such grace, finesse and respect is an accomplishment! For a work of fiction it read like a factual account due to the amount of research he gave to the circumstances and not a second of it was lost on me.
I feel that this should be required reading in schools, I also feel like this is a perfect book to give during the holidays to your racist relatives who don’t understand why black peoples, Africans from all nations, just can’t “get over it” — there’s no getting over slavery. It’s very effects are still felt until this day and this book talks about the very obvious points and hardships and also does a great job of highlighting the nuanced fear and depravity that has been instilled in black communities not by our own doing but in the work of centuries of slavery, discrimination and abuse.
This book is a thorough way to deal with teaching the atrocities of slavery and the slave migration as well as the personal and lasting effects of enslavement head on.
greenldydragon's review against another edition
3.0
A very interesting take on the American/British slave trade told from the point of view of Animata Diallo, a slave/former slave from Bayo. The description of her early life, before being captured by slave traders, is fascinating, but the subsequent details are definitely a bit gruesome when the narrator talks about the slave ship that takes her to the colonies. The plot line has certain recurrences throughout the book, which I won't describe since that'd be spoilers, but the same reappearance provides continuity but also a slightly annoying repetition to the fictional life described by author Lawrence Hill. At one point, I knew exactly what was going to happen, because it had happened before!
All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in American, British, or Slave History.
All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in American, British, or Slave History.
bigdreamsandwildthings's review against another edition
4.0
This book was such a journey. I felt like I lived with Amanita through her years, and some of it was so hard to get through, but I'm so glad we read books like this. I'm so glad people put in the time and effort and research to detail what life was like not so long ago. Are we really any better off today than we were in the 18th century? Are our beliefs really that much more "evolved" than when we put people in chains and treated them like filth? It's so thought provoking, and such an important time to bring to light even/especially in fiction. The only negative to all of it was that it felt like it was written by a man; some of the descriptions of women and Amanita herself were so ridiculous. However, next to everything else this book did well, it was fairly minor.
daisythesprout's review against another edition
4.0
dnf @39%
too much for me - but this is an important book, and an appreciated one too
too much for me - but this is an important book, and an appreciated one too
christait's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
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? No
4.5
brieizziye's review against another edition
5.0
A very strong female character that you can instantly fall in love with. She is forever in the book figuring things out for herself and drawing conclusions from the new world around her. She never once is the victim, though realistically she is the whole time. Her intelligence is inspiring and really hits home how traits and talents can be the key to survival.
The book also holds a place in my heart as it is not a book simply about slavery and her story but following the slave trade, and how Africa (including African's aided in the capture of many) the journey from inner Africa to the ships, the ships to the new world, and back home.
It's a fairly easy read but has a few twist and turns.
The book also holds a place in my heart as it is not a book simply about slavery and her story but following the slave trade, and how Africa (including African's aided in the capture of many) the journey from inner Africa to the ships, the ships to the new world, and back home.
It's a fairly easy read but has a few twist and turns.
bklyn76's review against another edition
3.0
in canada, this novel is called "book of negroes." it's a great story, but i wasn't as captured by it as everyone else seemed to be. maybe it was b/c it took me f-o-r-e-v-e-r to finish it. definitely something worth checking out though.
candlewick_nosebleed's review against another edition
5.0
The most beautiful, heartbreaking book I’ve ever read. Will surely be a favourite for years to come.