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bookmaddie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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
4.0
This story begins with an act of protection—a group of female slaves on a plantation in Texas meet in secret to figure out how they can protect themselves from a traveling male slave sent to impregnate them. But as days pass, complications mount, and it's evident the women are working to protect each other from something entirely more sinister: their white owners. And amongst all this, each woman in this story is longing for something taken or left behind. This story wonders at how one can form a life—as a slave, a mother, a woman, in a place deeply traumatizing and uncertain.
The narrative slowly moves to focus a bit more on two of the women, Junie and Serah. While I think the focus on the group helps highlight larger themes of this novel, the tightened focus really helps the story become more evocative and immediate. I also really enjoyed learning more about Junie and Serah—it helped me understand their motivations as the story ramps up to its violent crescendo.
This is a really strong debut, and I'll definitely be interested in what Peyton writes next!
The narrative slowly moves to focus a bit more on two of the women, Junie and Serah. While I think the focus on the group helps highlight larger themes of this novel, the tightened focus really helps the story become more evocative and immediate. I also really enjoyed learning more about Junie and Serah—it helped me understand their motivations as the story ramps up to its violent crescendo.
This is a really strong debut, and I'll definitely be interested in what Peyton writes next!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault
srivalli's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
4.5
4.5 Stars
One Liner: Hard-hitting and well-written
The plantation is struggling in the Texas weather. Six enslaved women gather in the nearby forest in secret to find a way to overcome their problems. The plantation owners, the Lucys, have decided to breed slaves by hiring a 'stockman' to impregnate them. The women are determined to prevent this.
A pregnancy will mean more such attempts until their bodies give up. However, being caught has deadly consequences, as slaves have no rights. Can the women win this uneven fight with the Lucys?
The story comes in the first-person plural and third-person POV.
My Thoughts:
It’s not always that I don’t know what to say about a book I’ve read. Night The premise says it is a tale of Black women enslaved, humiliated, tortured, and abused by their owners. However, it is so much more!
The narration is the highlight of the book. It’s a perfect mix of detached and personal. The reader is compelled to feel the pain but doesn’t get drowned by drama. In fact, there is no drama, even with the scope for it. I love how the narration is taut and a little meandering at the same time. This blend of contrasting styles somehow works to create the right impact on the reader.
Though there are six women slaves mentioned, not all have an equal role. A couple of them stand out, a couple of them walk in and out whenever necessary, and the others fade into the background. This works to keep the focus on the main plot and how it unravels as the story progresses.
As a reader, you know which character is doing something that could hurt them all. But you also know the reason for it and feel doubly sad. You want to know what happens at the end, but you also don’t want to know.
Another interesting aspect is the importance of their rituals. Some of them are Christians but still hold on to their pagan roots. Some blend and merge all rituals, trying to gain what little comfort they can from any God willing to listen.
Though the women are bound by common circumstances like slavery and abuse, they come from different backgrounds and experiences. Despite their shared sisterhood, they have arguments, fights, and secrets that bring the necessary action to advance the plot. They are a unit but with independent minds, thoughts, and ideas. This makes the characters more realistic and impactful.
With so much to love about this hard-hitting story, why did I round it down to 4 stars? The ending.
It is good and not good. I went in prepared for it. After all, there aren’t many options here. So, that part is good. However, there’s a split, which somehow left me feeling lost as the read the last page. I can’t explain without revealing spoilers, but a sudden new thread takes the reader out of the scene. Though it ties up with the plot, it removes the focus from the main characters. Though the POV shifts again, the momentum is lost.
To summarize, Night Wherever We Go is a wonderful book about the lives of slaves on plantations and their constant fight for freedom. Using a setting like Texas and a smaller plantation with a handful of slaves makes the book more personal and poignant. I look forward to reading more by the author.
Thank you, NetGalley and Ecco, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #NightWhereverWeGo
*****
P.S: As you would have guessed, the book has many triggers, ranging from domestic abuse to forced sex and more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Violence, Slavery, and Rape
jessimond's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy and Violence
jen_thetelltalebookclub's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
4.0
This book has deep themes. I don't want that to detour anyone from reading the book.
The women in this book faced many difficult things, losing loved ones, abuse/injury/pain, hunger to name a few, but they were so strong. I didn't know the ways the slaves avoided pregnancy and that AA men were loaned or bought for the purpose of breeding with women on the plantation. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read it and learn from it. Even though the content was hard at times, it's important that this part of history is taught and that we seek to know the truth and not the versions others want us to hear. The author did a wonderful job with the climax of the book. I didn't want to put it down.
I read the audio version and Karen Chilton did a phenomenal job. For me, it probably would have been beneficial to have a physical copy while I listened because I had a hard time keeping up with all of the characters voices.
I look forward to more works by Tracey Rose Peyton.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Grief, Emotional abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Miscarriage, Slavery, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Racial slurs, Death, Torture, and Racism
mrscorytee's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Violence, Rape, and Slavery
magis1105's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It is hard to rate this one.
It does touch very touchy subjects such as slavery, racism, and psychological, physical, and sexual abuse. It is not in over the top or too detailed but it is still a central part of the plot.
The characters are realistic and it does seem like they are given depth. Not all slaves are a brotherhood-sisterhood, there are all types o relationships, good and bad, and some don't care anything about one another. It depicts a very bleak life.
Not my favorite topic but still one that can't hurt to know more about.
The synopsis of this book gives you only a small portion of what this book entails. It delves much deeper and darker theme. It does explore the way people are treated, the way they try to cope and survive the turbulences they experience by the mere fact of being born into that society.
I find it very interesting the way it links the different beliefs, each person has their own views about gods, demons, about their own spirituality. Some even have their deviations after being Christianized and adopting those values they continue to do their rituals and cling to their culture the only way they can, in secret or under the cover of the night.
I don't know how to feel about this one, I might need to revise this after I have more time to dwell on it.
It does touch very touchy subjects such as slavery, racism, and psychological, physical, and sexual abuse. It is not in over the top or too detailed but it is still a central part of the plot.
The characters are realistic and it does seem like they are given depth. Not all slaves are a brotherhood-sisterhood, there are all types o relationships, good and bad, and some don't care anything about one another. It depicts a very bleak life.
Not my favorite topic but still one that can't hurt to know more about.
The synopsis of this book gives you only a small portion of what this book entails. It delves much deeper and darker theme. It does explore the way people are treated, the way they try to cope and survive the turbulences they experience by the mere fact of being born into that society.
I find it very interesting the way it links the different beliefs, each person has their own views about gods, demons, about their own spirituality. Some even have their deviations after being Christianized and adopting those values they continue to do their rituals and cling to their culture the only way they can, in secret or under the cover of the night.
I don't know how to feel about this one, I might need to revise this after I have more time to dwell on it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Ableism, Slavery, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, and Torture
Minor: Rape and Abortion
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