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4.47 AVERAGE
4.47 AVERAGE
This is a story of trial and triumph, following Aminata's tale from enslavement to freedom. I am a lover of fiction and enjoyed the way Lawrence wove into his tale some historical dates and activities. I look forward to the mini series.
this is going to be a long one... i will keep it SPOILER FREE to the best of my ability, so read onward.
the history embedded in the story, the capturing of native Africans, forced to trek across their country and travel across the ocean in terrifying conditions to be sold into slavery, was meticulously researched and detailed. though a work of fiction, the book absolutely provided both a history lesson and a great read, and even though i was familiar with much of the historical context, there was still so much that i learned. for example, i was mostly unaware of the African and British involvement in the slave trade. i also had no idea that so many slaves were able to gain their “freedom” through British escort to Canada, or that some were eventually able to return to Africa in freedom, again supported by the British. these aspects of the history are less talked about within the landscape of slavery, but are certainly not any less important. through Aminata, we see the vastness of that history and the far reaches of its impacts.
"Some say that I was uncommonly beautiful, but I wouldn’t wish beauty on any woman who has not her own freedom, and who chooses not the hands that claim her."
the scope of characters and plot really served to draw me in as a reader. Aminata is introduced to us as a free, black elderly woman, a survivor of slavery, recounting her story to help put an end to both the slave trade and slavery as a whole. in this way, we know very early in the novel that hers will be a story of immense struggles and small triumphs, because if nothing else, she is still alive to tell it.
"This is my name. This is who I am. This is how I got here."
the absolutely raw and vivid immersion style of writing really provoked a visceral response for me and never let up. Aminata is a complex character and narrator, stubborn and strong, compassionate and giving, and she seemed so very human that it was easy to forget that she was a fictional character (and one written by a man no less). i was actually surprised by the complexity of her various relationships with her owners and employers and though i liked some more than others, was simply surprised that i “liked” any of them at all. the supporting characters were all equally human, particularly Chekura and Georgia for me, and i found myself in tears several times throughout the book, sharing in every emotion, joyous, hopeful and often aching with sadness.
the writing style, in many ways, mimics the oral tradition of Africa and helps to suspend the reader in the native African culture, particularly early in the novel. simple effectual phrasings, such as giving a child’s age in number of rains, or time in number of moons, and distance in stone throws helped to provide the cultural context framing the entire narrative. additionally, by removing us from the familiar context of our own cultures and re-presenting it to us from Aminata’s view, we see, for example, a white man, in an entirely new way.
"He didn’t have much of a backside, and he walked like an elephant. Thump, thump, thump. His heels struck the earth with the rudeness of a falling tree."
this provided both comic relief and a sense of tragedy, depending on the situations, but always served to create the necessary imagery to invoke an emotional response.
as expected, this is a story of immense suffering, for the individuals impacted by the slaves. Hill does an amazing job of providing the story in balance, showing the failings of both the native Africans who enslaved their own people, the British and American captors that transported the slaves in the most abhorrent conditions imaginable, and the American and Canadian political systems that perpetuated the trade of human lives. that story, all true, is not for the faint of heart and Hill doesn’t step away, or try to shield the reader from the graphic details of the filth, disease, abuse, and massive amounts of death.
"The stars were brilliant that night, and the cicadas were crying in endless song. If the sky was so perfect, why was the earth all wrong?"
but, as i mentioned, the novel brings balance and every amount of suffering is outweighed and often overshadowed by beauty and hope. even among the brutality and suffering of being captured, Aminata was able to utilize what her parents had given her in the time that she had with them before she was made a slave. she often recalled their wisdom, their faces and voices, to keep her strong and allow her to survive. she loved deeply, vulnerably, and reading about it was more than just words on a page, it was an experience.
lastly, i just want to comment on the title The Book of Negroes. this actually didn’t mean anything to me until after i’d read the book. i was completely unaware of the historical book with the same title and received an entire education about it and felt rather enlightened by it all. that said, after having read the book, i LOVE the title Someone Knows My Name and i get a little choked up just thinking about it. the names of the various characters still echo in my mind and the significance of the story lingers with them.
so, if it isn’t glaringly obvious, i LOVED this book and think it should be required reading. it is both meaningful and lovely, and that is a rare and beautiful thing.
the history embedded in the story, the capturing of native Africans, forced to trek across their country and travel across the ocean in terrifying conditions to be sold into slavery, was meticulously researched and detailed. though a work of fiction, the book absolutely provided both a history lesson and a great read, and even though i was familiar with much of the historical context, there was still so much that i learned. for example, i was mostly unaware of the African and British involvement in the slave trade. i also had no idea that so many slaves were able to gain their “freedom” through British escort to Canada, or that some were eventually able to return to Africa in freedom, again supported by the British. these aspects of the history are less talked about within the landscape of slavery, but are certainly not any less important. through Aminata, we see the vastness of that history and the far reaches of its impacts.
"Some say that I was uncommonly beautiful, but I wouldn’t wish beauty on any woman who has not her own freedom, and who chooses not the hands that claim her."
the scope of characters and plot really served to draw me in as a reader. Aminata is introduced to us as a free, black elderly woman, a survivor of slavery, recounting her story to help put an end to both the slave trade and slavery as a whole. in this way, we know very early in the novel that hers will be a story of immense struggles and small triumphs, because if nothing else, she is still alive to tell it.
"This is my name. This is who I am. This is how I got here."
the absolutely raw and vivid immersion style of writing really provoked a visceral response for me and never let up. Aminata is a complex character and narrator, stubborn and strong, compassionate and giving, and she seemed so very human that it was easy to forget that she was a fictional character (and one written by a man no less). i was actually surprised by the complexity of her various relationships with her owners and employers and though i liked some more than others, was simply surprised that i “liked” any of them at all. the supporting characters were all equally human, particularly Chekura and Georgia for me, and i found myself in tears several times throughout the book, sharing in every emotion, joyous, hopeful and often aching with sadness.
the writing style, in many ways, mimics the oral tradition of Africa and helps to suspend the reader in the native African culture, particularly early in the novel. simple effectual phrasings, such as giving a child’s age in number of rains, or time in number of moons, and distance in stone throws helped to provide the cultural context framing the entire narrative. additionally, by removing us from the familiar context of our own cultures and re-presenting it to us from Aminata’s view, we see, for example, a white man, in an entirely new way.
"He didn’t have much of a backside, and he walked like an elephant. Thump, thump, thump. His heels struck the earth with the rudeness of a falling tree."
this provided both comic relief and a sense of tragedy, depending on the situations, but always served to create the necessary imagery to invoke an emotional response.
as expected, this is a story of immense suffering, for the individuals impacted by the slaves. Hill does an amazing job of providing the story in balance, showing the failings of both the native Africans who enslaved their own people, the British and American captors that transported the slaves in the most abhorrent conditions imaginable, and the American and Canadian political systems that perpetuated the trade of human lives. that story, all true, is not for the faint of heart and Hill doesn’t step away, or try to shield the reader from the graphic details of the filth, disease, abuse, and massive amounts of death.
"The stars were brilliant that night, and the cicadas were crying in endless song. If the sky was so perfect, why was the earth all wrong?"
but, as i mentioned, the novel brings balance and every amount of suffering is outweighed and often overshadowed by beauty and hope. even among the brutality and suffering of being captured, Aminata was able to utilize what her parents had given her in the time that she had with them before she was made a slave. she often recalled their wisdom, their faces and voices, to keep her strong and allow her to survive. she loved deeply, vulnerably, and reading about it was more than just words on a page, it was an experience.
lastly, i just want to comment on the title The Book of Negroes. this actually didn’t mean anything to me until after i’d read the book. i was completely unaware of the historical book with the same title and received an entire education about it and felt rather enlightened by it all. that said, after having read the book, i LOVE the title Someone Knows My Name and i get a little choked up just thinking about it. the names of the various characters still echo in my mind and the significance of the story lingers with them.
so, if it isn’t glaringly obvious, i LOVED this book and think it should be required reading. it is both meaningful and lovely, and that is a rare and beautiful thing.
Somehow didn't realize this book was about slavery until after I started reading it. I was almost too overwhelmed by sadness around that to finish the book. However, I listened to the book, and the reader's voice carried me through even the most difficult parts. Hearing the story in a voice that sounded African was a real treat.
Someone Knows My Name was a lovely story. I anticipated this book to be darker than it was. It does speak of the horrible atrocities that are involved in the institution of slavery.
Lawrence Hill created a character, Aminata, who was filled with such inner strength and light that the stories darker moments are out shown by her ability to thrive and move forward. Aminata could possibly one of my all-time favorite characters. She will stay with me for a long time.
Lawrence Hill created a character, Aminata, who was filled with such inner strength and light that the stories darker moments are out shown by her ability to thrive and move forward. Aminata could possibly one of my all-time favorite characters. She will stay with me for a long time.
A couple too many trips across the ocean and a few unlikely bits, but a compelling story.
Nicely told; a bit repetitive in spots. Pretty much Roots written for a new millenium.
Excellent, excellent book, though really more like 4.5 stars than 5. But I couldn't really imagine taking it down a star to 4. The story is incredibly compelling, and the narrator really pulls you in.
My one complaint was the writing style itself--the author tends to summarize things rather than detailing individual events. I suppose this makes sense given that this was the story of one person's entire life, but I would have appreciated short bursts of dialogue in the passages that basically amounted to And here is a summary in 500 words of how these 8 years went.
Overally tremendously well researched and emotionally effective.
My one complaint was the writing style itself--the author tends to summarize things rather than detailing individual events. I suppose this makes sense given that this was the story of one person's entire life, but I would have appreciated short bursts of dialogue in the passages that basically amounted to And here is a summary in 500 words of how these 8 years went.
Overally tremendously well researched and emotionally effective.
