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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
This is a novel about slavery and race in the mid-19th century, but it's different than any I've read before. Set in Barbados, the Arctic, Nova Scotia, and England, it is a globetrotting adventure story.
The style is spot-on for an early Victorian novel, and that combined with the coming-of-age elements and first-person narrator reminded me of David Copperfield. The chase across the Arctic wasteland was straight out of Frankenstein--and I'm sure there are other Victorian references here that I'm missing. As someone who loves that literary era, this book was an interesting take on the form; so familiar and yet so different due to the perspective and experience of a Black man.
Some of the most lyrical passages were descriptions of marine life--also a surprise--and I was moved by the relationship between Wash and Kit. I appreciated the complexity of Wash's relationship with the man who saved him and other abolitionists.
Audiobook note: read by Dion Graham, who was WONDERFUL. I will seek out other books he has narrated!
The style is spot-on for an early Victorian novel, and that combined with the coming-of-age elements and first-person narrator reminded me of David Copperfield. The chase across the Arctic wasteland was straight out of Frankenstein--and I'm sure there are other Victorian references here that I'm missing. As someone who loves that literary era, this book was an interesting take on the form; so familiar and yet so different due to the perspective and experience of a Black man.
Some of the most lyrical passages were descriptions of marine life--also a surprise--and I was moved by the relationship between Wash and Kit. I appreciated the complexity of Wash's relationship with the man who saved him and other abolitionists.
Audiobook note: read by Dion Graham, who was WONDERFUL. I will seek out other books he has narrated!
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3,5⭐️
Sklavenarbeit, Rassismus, Freiheit, Identität, Talente, Forschergeist, Abenteuer
Eindringlich, berührend, sogartige Erzählkunst
Verstehe warum dieses Buch so hoch gelobt wird.
Für mich hat die überbordende Fantasie der Autorin, all die Abenteuer (vorzüglich in der ersten Hälfte), zu einer kognitiven Dissonanz geführt. Diese schweren Themen dann mit einer Hollywoodreifen Abenteuerreise zu kombinieren, war nicht wirklich nach meinem Geschmack.
Thema Tiere zu „versklaven“, ist auf dem Hintergrund der Geschichte besonders absurd. Hier findet null kritische Reflektion statt. Mir ist schon klar, dass ich das im historischen Kontext sehen muss. Stieß mir trotzdem übel auf. Vielleicht wollte sie auch das erreichen? Da das Buch an sich nicht zynisch oder sarkastisch aufwartet, kann ich die Intention hierzu nicht bestimmen.
Worauf das Ganze mit „der Suche“ hinausläuft, war mir klar, auch den Quatsch den sich Wash und 2. Person zur gesuchten Person einreden.
Letztes Viertel gestaltete sich daher für mich fad und hat mein Interesse verloren.
Sklavenarbeit, Rassismus, Freiheit, Identität, Talente, Forschergeist, Abenteuer
Eindringlich, berührend, sogartige Erzählkunst
Verstehe warum dieses Buch so hoch gelobt wird.
Für mich hat die überbordende Fantasie der Autorin, all die Abenteuer (vorzüglich in der ersten Hälfte), zu einer kognitiven Dissonanz geführt. Diese schweren Themen dann mit einer Hollywoodreifen Abenteuerreise zu kombinieren, war nicht wirklich nach meinem Geschmack.
Thema Tiere zu „versklaven“, ist auf dem Hintergrund der Geschichte besonders absurd. Hier findet null kritische Reflektion statt. Mir ist schon klar, dass ich das im historischen Kontext sehen muss. Stieß mir trotzdem übel auf. Vielleicht wollte sie auch das erreichen? Da das Buch an sich nicht zynisch oder sarkastisch aufwartet, kann ich die Intention hierzu nicht bestimmen.
Worauf das Ganze mit „der Suche“ hinausläuft, war mir klar, auch den Quatsch den sich Wash und 2. Person zur gesuchten Person einreden.
Letztes Viertel gestaltete sich daher für mich fad und hat mein Interesse verloren.
“How was it possible, thought I, that we lived in such nightmare and all the while a world of men continued just over the horizon, men such as these, in ships moving in any direction the wind might lead them?”
Beautiful and enchanting, Washington Black is a page turner and emotional roller coaster. Somehow balancing serious, meaningful themes in a fast-paced, enthralling way, this was one of my favorite books of the year.
The depth of observation and vivid detail was, at times, staggeringly beautiful.
Learning, along with Wash, the obvious, but beautiful, observations regarding freedom and discovery brought tears to my eyes on multiple occasions.
Seeing it through his lens was like both seeing something for the first time, and simultaneously being reminded (painfully, at times) how apparent certain things are.
“I had been warned by Mister Ibel that snow was white, and cold. But it was not white: it held all the colours of the spectrum. It was blue and green and yellow and teal; there were delicate pink tintings in some of the cliffs as we passed. As the light shifted in the sky, so too did the snow around us deepen, find new hues, the way an ocean is never blue but some constantly changing colour. Nor was the cold simply cold—it was the devouring of heat, a complete sucking of warmth from the blood until what remained was the absence of heat. When the wind stirred, it would scythe through the skin as if we were the cane and the wind were our terrible reaping.
“They are called igloos, Wash,” Titch said through his oiled sealskin, his voice wavering, nervous. “The ice acts as an insulator. It keeps the inside perfectly warm.” I doubted this very much. But I had seen enough strangeness to understand the world was unfathomable.”
As we travel with Wash on his journeys, both around the world and through his own growth and understanding, I found myself relating to him and also feeling like I could never truly understand the depths of his story.
Unbelievably written. I am excited to read Esi Edugyan’s three other books.
Beautiful and enchanting, Washington Black is a page turner and emotional roller coaster. Somehow balancing serious, meaningful themes in a fast-paced, enthralling way, this was one of my favorite books of the year.
The depth of observation and vivid detail was, at times, staggeringly beautiful.
Learning, along with Wash, the obvious, but beautiful, observations regarding freedom and discovery brought tears to my eyes on multiple occasions.
Seeing it through his lens was like both seeing something for the first time, and simultaneously being reminded (painfully, at times) how apparent certain things are.
“I had been warned by Mister Ibel that snow was white, and cold. But it was not white: it held all the colours of the spectrum. It was blue and green and yellow and teal; there were delicate pink tintings in some of the cliffs as we passed. As the light shifted in the sky, so too did the snow around us deepen, find new hues, the way an ocean is never blue but some constantly changing colour. Nor was the cold simply cold—it was the devouring of heat, a complete sucking of warmth from the blood until what remained was the absence of heat. When the wind stirred, it would scythe through the skin as if we were the cane and the wind were our terrible reaping.
“They are called igloos, Wash,” Titch said through his oiled sealskin, his voice wavering, nervous. “The ice acts as an insulator. It keeps the inside perfectly warm.” I doubted this very much. But I had seen enough strangeness to understand the world was unfathomable.”
As we travel with Wash on his journeys, both around the world and through his own growth and understanding, I found myself relating to him and also feeling like I could never truly understand the depths of his story.
Unbelievably written. I am excited to read Esi Edugyan’s three other books.
I cannot say enough good things about this book. Compelling plot, unexpected developments, beautifully written. Part adventure story, part reflections on humanity and relationships. I was fully engaged in it from beginning to end. Could not put it down! I've been recommending this book to everyone since I finished, and I will continue recommending it to everyone. Can't wait for more novels from Esi Edugyan!
A perfect, elegant masterwork. Edugyan's prose is both completely readable and sophisticated, descriptive without being precious. She does such a masterful job of painting a scene with her language. Washington Black himself is one of the most vividly-created characters I've read in a long time. And the story as told perfectly captures what he wants to know and what we need to know.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
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
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No