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4.47 AVERAGE
4.47 AVERAGE
This book is, without a doubt, equal parts eye-opening and terribly heartbreaking. Lawrence Hill has a way of sweeping you up and placing you in a setting you've never experienced before. The book follows the story of Aminata Diallo's abduction from her small village in Africa, being sold into slavery, and eventually finding her freedom once again. The writing is vivid and descriptive, and I found myself feeling like I was walking alongside Aminata every time I picked the book up; cheering her on and encouraging her to keep moving. Although it was published as fiction, the book recounts historical events and I don't believe it to be too far off of what happened to many individuals sold into the slave trade. The Book of Negroes WILL make you feel.
Trigger warning: rape, abuse, abduction, death
Trigger warning: rape, abuse, abduction, death
DING DONG!!! This book wins my favourite book of the year... i think its the only true 5 star that I can give out from January - Sept
I purchased this book at the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre in Birchtown, Shelburne, Nova Scotia.
This is an important book. It is fictionalized character in real historical events. The American and British title is "Someone Knows My Name" because we apparently can't handle the word negroes, or would think it's a book of racism. Actually, it IS a book of racism, in situation after situation of how the African and African American, and African Canadian have been abused, lied to, ripped off, and often tortured, tormented, and killed.
There's a lot of history that gets overlooked in American and Canadian stories of slavery and the American war for independence and it's aftermath. The British offered freedom, land and supplies for blacks (slave or free) who helped the British in the war. The Book of Negroes is the list of those who qualified for British protection and benefits after the war.
Most of the book is rich in detail, yet it's a quick and accessible read. The descriptions of the capture, slave ship, and first days in America are disturbing, as they should be.
SPOILER ALERT HERE: My only disappointment with the book was at the end when May returns. It's unrealistic, given her age at abduction, and just feels too Disney happy ending.
This is an important book. It is fictionalized character in real historical events. The American and British title is "Someone Knows My Name" because we apparently can't handle the word negroes, or would think it's a book of racism. Actually, it IS a book of racism, in situation after situation of how the African and African American, and African Canadian have been abused, lied to, ripped off, and often tortured, tormented, and killed.
There's a lot of history that gets overlooked in American and Canadian stories of slavery and the American war for independence and it's aftermath. The British offered freedom, land and supplies for blacks (slave or free) who helped the British in the war. The Book of Negroes is the list of those who qualified for British protection and benefits after the war.
Most of the book is rich in detail, yet it's a quick and accessible read. The descriptions of the capture, slave ship, and first days in America are disturbing, as they should be.
SPOILER ALERT HERE: My only disappointment with the book was at the end when May returns. It's unrealistic, given her age at abduction, and just feels too Disney happy ending.
It is difficult to get inside the mind of a child to see how she sees - through her terrified eyes - strange men and events transforming her secure, loving family life into an existence that she cannot even begin to understand. Lawrence Hill has most admirably, brought out aspects of Black History through layers of a woman's changing life patterns and shifting thought processes - a young lass to an object of use, a lover, wife and a mother but above all, a free spirit that simply refuses to be dominated by those in power. Aminata would do well to be used as a role model today.
The book also introduced me to aspects of Canadian history that I was not aware of. We speak proudly of the Underground Railway to help Black slaves escape the US, but do not speak to the injustices perpetrated on the Blacks that were brought to Nova Scotia, ostensibly liberated yet not free.
The book also introduced me to aspects of Canadian history that I was not aware of. We speak proudly of the Underground Railway to help Black slaves escape the US, but do not speak to the injustices perpetrated on the Blacks that were brought to Nova Scotia, ostensibly liberated yet not free.
Now that I have read this and The Illegal I must say that The Book of Negroes is something that Lawrence Hill was destined to write.
It was so excellent from start to finish and held me captured for the entire read.
Loved it!!
It was so excellent from start to finish and held me captured for the entire read.
Loved it!!
A great book about so many important issues. A great piece of historical writing and research. A strong story about race.
I was really glad to see a story about slavery which wasn't set in the civil war era south. A tale of the beginnings of slavery and the eighteenth century setting make it stand out and remind us of the length of the nightmare and the depth of our worlds complicity in it.
As a novel, a bit too straightforward, I feel like I'm on a train ride, not walking around in a world.
I was really glad to see a story about slavery which wasn't set in the civil war era south. A tale of the beginnings of slavery and the eighteenth century setting make it stand out and remind us of the length of the nightmare and the depth of our worlds complicity in it.
As a novel, a bit too straightforward, I feel like I'm on a train ride, not walking around in a world.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Wow! Rarely does a book leave me speechless, but this one does. Even when I wasn't reading this book, and just going about daily life, I couldn't stop thinking about it! This joins my "All Time Favorites' list! The writing is amazing, the characters so real. Could not put it down!
What a delight to read. A roller coaster of a thrill. Almost seems like I am undermining the deeper, forbidding through-line of the story, but it truly was a grand and wonderful read despite the turmoil Aminata is out through.
Cannot recommend this Book enough.
Cannot recommend this Book enough.