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95 reviews for:
Our Nig; Or, Sketches from the Life of a Free Black
Richard J. Ellis, Harriet E. Wilson
3.56 AVERAGE
95 reviews for:
Our Nig; Or, Sketches from the Life of a Free Black
Richard J. Ellis, Harriet E. Wilson
3.56 AVERAGE
In terms of literature, I didn't enjoy reading this book, but in terms of cultural history, there's so much there. Wilson shares a narrative unlike any enslaved narrative I've ever read.
First she's biracial and not the product of rape. She talks about the racial relationship between her parents. She was abandoned by her racist white mother and indentured to a violent white female professor in the North. The white men in this book are actually kind to her and try to protect her from their wife/mother. There's also no rape on this novel, and there's a story of a wrongfully indentured Black girl fighting back against her oppressor. It's unlike anything I've ever read about slavery, historically, but it's also one of the first "slave narratives" written during the times of slavery.
Great for insight into racial relations in the North during the early 1800s.
First she's biracial and not the product of rape. She talks about the racial relationship between her parents. She was abandoned by her racist white mother and indentured to a violent white female professor in the North. The white men in this book are actually kind to her and try to protect her from their wife/mother. There's also no rape on this novel, and there's a story of a wrongfully indentured Black girl fighting back against her oppressor. It's unlike anything I've ever read about slavery, historically, but it's also one of the first "slave narratives" written during the times of slavery.
Great for insight into racial relations in the North during the early 1800s.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Excellent and not what I was expecting. This is another early African American fiction novel. Probably the third ever published after the novels Clotel and The Garies & Their Friends (Not counting the novella “The Heroic Slave” written by Fredrick Douglass). Overall a really sad semi-autobiographical story though so worth keeping in mind if you are interested.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Moderate: Misogyny, Death of parent
Minor: Slavery, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
Although containing some flashes of interesting writing at times--the deathbed chapter is powerful, if a little melodramatic--this brief autobiographical novel is mostly a garbled, rambling mess. However, there are some redeeming qualities. Gates' introduction and endnotes are fascinating scholarship, and the novel is important for its historical firsts. The narrative does give us some insight into the life of a black woman in the antebellum Northeast (and a very obvious metaphor for the state of the national dialogue on the issue).
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Before I read this, I'd heard a lot about how the writing wasn't engaging, but the subject matter made up for it. This is one of the reasons why it took me so long to get to it.
I found the writing highly engaging--sure, maybe the turns of phrase and expressions are old-fashioned, but, well...I wouldn't expect otherwise, reading a book written 160 years ago.
I found this to be a highly valuable book, worth reading for anyone interested in US history.
I found the writing highly engaging--sure, maybe the turns of phrase and expressions are old-fashioned, but, well...I wouldn't expect otherwise, reading a book written 160 years ago.
I found this to be a highly valuable book, worth reading for anyone interested in US history.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thought this book was a significant commentary on how liberal whites of the North are just as bad as slaveowners. This book was all about how white people say that they care, but their actions do little to help the main characters. It also shows the hypocrisy of how society rags on women and judges women harshly. So much of this book still hits with today.
I usually base a portion of my review on writing style, but I'm not going to for this story because . . . well, I wouldn't know where to begin. This was the first recorded autobiographical account of slave life written entirely by a former slave. How do you "rate" something like that?
Simple. You don't.
Read it for yourself, but have some tissues ready. I was so not prepared forliterally EVERYONE dies!
Simple. You don't.
Read it for yourself, but have some tissues ready. I was so not prepared for
My review: https://theblankgarden.com/2020/11/12/review-our-nig-harriet-e-wilson/
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I’m always fascinated by early African American fiction. 95% of the story is usually a personal narrative based on truth.
This was not an easy read for me as it was just a painful and emotional read. Knowing that this was basically nonfiction.
This was not an easy read for me as it was just a painful and emotional read. Knowing that this was basically nonfiction.