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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
This was a fun and engrossing read. I think it's quite difficult to successfully achieve literature, racial commentary, and adventure novel into one, but this book does it!
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
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
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
While this book felt timely and important, I did not find it as meaningful or as unique and well-executed as I was hoping.
This is an amazing piece of literature that is a must read for anyone who enjoys historical, hard hitting fiction. The characters, especially that of Washington Black himself, were well developed and fleshed out, making them feel so real to me.
The fact that this book deals with the horrible ugliness of slavery, there are definite trigger warnings for how the black people were treated, especially in the first half of the book. The "n" word is used a few times, and though I hated it, I know that in the time period being represented, this word was commonly used. That doesn't mean I liked reading it though.
This book was beautifully written, with stunning descriptions. It was hard to read at times, and tears were constantly threatening to fall down my cheeks.
The love story was beautiful as well and showed true love conquers all.
Needless to say, I loved this book. I've already ordered a copy of it for my own home library. The audiobook was well done, with the narrator voicing all the emotional turmoil that is this story.
The fact that this book deals with the horrible ugliness of slavery, there are definite trigger warnings for how the black people were treated, especially in the first half of the book. The "n" word is used a few times, and though I hated it, I know that in the time period being represented, this word was commonly used. That doesn't mean I liked reading it though.
This book was beautifully written, with stunning descriptions. It was hard to read at times, and tears were constantly threatening to fall down my cheeks.
The love story was beautiful as well and showed true love conquers all.
Needless to say, I loved this book. I've already ordered a copy of it for my own home library. The audiobook was well done, with the narrator voicing all the emotional turmoil that is this story.
Washington Black felt like a book I would have been assigned in school- difficult to get through, but overall a significant experience. I am glad to have read this book.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Right on the edge of a solid 4, and most of the time I was reading it I felt like it was closer to a 4.25 or 4.5, but the ending kind of flubbed it. Washington himself was a difficult character to attach to, and I feel like some of that may be on purpose. Given the brutality of his childhood, it felt so accurate that his response to basically every other character in the book is what it is, but it doesn't quite work as well when he's also narrator and has to get across the other characters' feelings and motivations, things which Washington as character may never be able to connect with the way we as readers must to understand what's happening. It's hard to describe and also a difficult needle to thread. There were times it didn't work, which just pulled me out of the book enough to not enjoy it as much as I had at other points.
The story though also felt unnecessarily compressed, and the middle third with his life in Nova Scotia in particular was so dislocated from the rest of the story that it wound up detracting from his character development right as it had the potential to amplify it. I really appreciated the movement and change of scenery though, and the writing was excellent at advancing those different settings, each with their own emotional arcs grounding them. I just felt both reader and character could have benefited from more time and development of this in-between life as a freed black man a British colony; it was stated this was when he came into adulthood, but it was a very quick two years that consisted more of telling than showing.
Overall I did like it, and it's very easy to read, with some wonderful passages. So I'd still recommend, but it wouldn't be my top recommendation unless someone was looking for a specific vibe.
The story though also felt unnecessarily compressed, and the middle third with his life in Nova Scotia in particular was so dislocated from the rest of the story that it wound up detracting from his character development right as it had the potential to amplify it. I really appreciated the movement and change of scenery though, and the writing was excellent at advancing those different settings, each with their own emotional arcs grounding them. I just felt both reader and character could have benefited from more time and development of this in-between life as a freed black man a British colony; it was stated this was when he came into adulthood, but it was a very quick two years that consisted more of telling than showing.
Overall I did like it, and it's very easy to read, with some wonderful passages. So I'd still recommend, but it wouldn't be my top recommendation unless someone was looking for a specific vibe.
Here’s my review of Esi Edugyan’s Washington Black. https://themillions.com/2018/10/across-geography-and-history-on-esi-edugyans-washington-black.html
adventurous
tense