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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
relaxing
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:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Edugyan's story resists strict binaries. Every relationship Wash has, every beat of the story is built from contrast and contradiction. Titch treated Wash like family, but the only family Titch knew was a trainwreck in motion and it showed in how he left Wash. Kit loved him fiercely, and also broke his ribs. Tanna loves him, and can't quite understand him. Tanna's father respects him, but he won't give Wash credit for Ocean House and he doesn't want Wash to marry his daughter. Its compelling and it's frustrating. Is the ending satisfying? I don't know, and I don't think I'm meant to. But good god, what a journey.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
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
Quite remarkable in the way it deconstructs and engages with the classic American Adventure genre. By being through a POV of a slave - turned runaway slave, Black Washington touches on so many themes about colonial America, racism, genre, bias, and history, as well as the way that history is expressed.
So many thoughts about this, so many feelings. What a fantastic novel.
So many thoughts about this, so many feelings. What a fantastic novel.
adventurous
reflective
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
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
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
Man Booker shortlist. I loved the visual dynamic of Washington's travels as he escapes slavery for a life of science via the Arctic, Europe and finally Africa. However the long unwinding tale left me with message that through our own troubles, it's difficult to realise it's not always about us. I was saddened that Washington showed less empathy and turned out to be so egocentric.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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