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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
4.5 / 5
Despite the momentum slowing in the middle, this was an engaging read.
George Washington Black's character maturation over the course of the novel was lovely to witness.
Despite the momentum slowing in the middle, this was an engaging read.
George Washington Black's character maturation over the course of the novel was lovely to witness.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault
I loved this book!! I had to read it for school, but it was such a rich tale with so much to unpack. I love that it has ties to real history and the characters seemed real.
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan was an “okay” novel. I picked this up not long after Dana Perino posted about it on her Instagram.
The story started out very interesting and compelling then my interest waned greatly as the story went on. I didn’t care for Wash’s pursuit of Titch who had basically left Wash high and dry in the Arctic. The search when Wash got to England was boring and tedious. Wash’s time before that in Nova Scotia seemed like a big waste of time. Wash walking away from Titch in the end I suppose is full circle justice.
I don’t want to discount Esi Edugyan’s writing ability. There were many beautiful and moving passages and I really liked her style.
2 stars for Washington Black. Decent in parts, but generally tedious.
The story started out very interesting and compelling then my interest waned greatly as the story went on. I didn’t care for Wash’s pursuit of Titch who had basically left Wash high and dry in the Arctic. The search when Wash got to England was boring and tedious. Wash’s time before that in Nova Scotia seemed like a big waste of time. Wash walking away from Titch in the end I suppose is full circle justice.
I don’t want to discount Esi Edugyan’s writing ability. There were many beautiful and moving passages and I really liked her style.
2 stars for Washington Black. Decent in parts, but generally tedious.
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I read the book as a meditation on acts of kindness. Which may seem an odd thing to say about a book dealing with the heavy theme of slavery but much of the book to my mind centres around the actions of others in relation to the protagonist and what the nature and ultimate outcome of those actions was.
When is a kindness not a kindness? Can one inadvertently perform a kindness without intent? Is a kindness driven by guilt or necessity still a kindness? Does personal benefit negate a kindness? Can a kindness that has an ultimately conflicted or negative outcome still be classed as a kindness if the intent was in the right place? Can hindsight prompt revaluation of past actions and so alter our perception of them.
When is a kindness not a kindness? Can one inadvertently perform a kindness without intent? Is a kindness driven by guilt or necessity still a kindness? Does personal benefit negate a kindness? Can a kindness that has an ultimately conflicted or negative outcome still be classed as a kindness if the intent was in the right place? Can hindsight prompt revaluation of past actions and so alter our perception of them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Overall I enjoyed Washington Black, but found it relegated to the interstices; waiting in line, or otherwise, when nothing more interesting was to be done.
The prose I cannot fault. It was smooth, and consistent in its affectation, which must be a difficult thing to do. The characterisations were of similar quality. Toward the start we experience the protagonist’s perceptions as a child, but as conveyed by his older self, and that was adeptly done.
The story was interesting, and when I did read it I was engrossed. Where it was lacking, I think, was its plotting. There was little to pull me back to it when I stopped.
This continued through to the end, which felt forced. As if the author found herself with a book of sufficient length, but no clear ending, and fell back on the artifice of mirroring an earlier event from the opposite perspective.
Overall I enjoyed it. But in a leisurely way. Without any real hunger to find out what would happen next. And mild disappointment when I finally did.
The prose I cannot fault. It was smooth, and consistent in its affectation, which must be a difficult thing to do. The characterisations were of similar quality. Toward the start we experience the protagonist’s perceptions as a child, but as conveyed by his older self, and that was adeptly done.
The story was interesting, and when I did read it I was engrossed. Where it was lacking, I think, was its plotting. There was little to pull me back to it when I stopped.
This continued through to the end, which felt forced. As if the author found herself with a book of sufficient length, but no clear ending, and fell back on the artifice of mirroring an earlier event from the opposite perspective.
Overall I enjoyed it. But in a leisurely way. Without any real hunger to find out what would happen next. And mild disappointment when I finally did.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
Really challenging, yet whimsically romantic. An interesting combination of slave abolitionism, world travel, science, marine biology and romance. Highly recommend.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the story of a freed slave coming to grips with the reality of what it means to be a freed slave. The challenges he faces both physically and mentally are the main focus. It was an alright read, but I was hoping it would have more to say. Well written, but it felt lacking in the end.
adventurous
medium-paced