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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
I didn't love this book, though I found learning about the maroons interesting. I usually do like novels in verse, but I didn't think the poetry added anything to the story. Also, I am okay with writing in dialect but having "what" replace "that" so many times bothered me for some reason. Those are just my nitpicks.
Compelling, riveting, realistic, heartbreaking tale based on the tragic reality of slavery. Did not know the plot of the story before picking it up as it came highly recommended. Incredible storytelling and left me feeling very humbled by the reality of the situation. Highly recommend this book.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
I remember being a young kid learning about slavery and thinking something along the lines of, "Why would anyone accept being a slave?" At the time I didn't understand a lot of things. I didn't understand the drive to stay alive, even if it means living under unbearable conditions. I didn't understand what it means to be born into a culture that denies your humanity. If I had had the opportunity to read this book back then, I think it would've helped me understand the psychological shackles of slavery, not just the literal ones.
Grace is nine years old and has always lived with her mother in slave quarters on a tobacco plantation. But now Grace is being forced to live and work in the Big House serving the white Master and Missus. It's just on the other side of the hill from her family, but it means Grace won't see her mother. And it means Grace will be scrutinized by the hateful Missus. Through poetry, the reader feels Grace's fear, her intense love for her mother, and also her desire to speak her mind even though it's forbidden. When Grace discovers the Master and Missus intend to sell her mother and brothers at a slave auction, she finds the courage to try to save her family.
This story is based on new research about the Great Dismal Swamp, a seemingly uninhabitable area in Virginia and North Carolina that was a refuge for people escaping slavery. You can read more about it here: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/deep-swamps-archaeologists-fugitive-slaves-kept-freedom-180960122/?no-ist
Grace is nine years old and has always lived with her mother in slave quarters on a tobacco plantation. But now Grace is being forced to live and work in the Big House serving the white Master and Missus. It's just on the other side of the hill from her family, but it means Grace won't see her mother. And it means Grace will be scrutinized by the hateful Missus. Through poetry, the reader feels Grace's fear, her intense love for her mother, and also her desire to speak her mind even though it's forbidden. When Grace discovers the Master and Missus intend to sell her mother and brothers at a slave auction, she finds the courage to try to save her family.
This story is based on new research about the Great Dismal Swamp, a seemingly uninhabitable area in Virginia and North Carolina that was a refuge for people escaping slavery. You can read more about it here: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/deep-swamps-archaeologists-fugitive-slaves-kept-freedom-180960122/?no-ist
Grace is such a powerful female character!! Grateful to have known her for a bit while reading this book!
Grace is someone worth caring about, and Berg's use of verse is a way inside Grace's head as she and her family try to make their way to Freedom as a Maroon.
So it’s been a bit since I’ve finished this book. I’m not going to lie. I was so affected by it that I couldn’t mentally handle writing a review immediately after finishing. I needed sometime to process and reflect. Now that I’ve had a break, I feel like I can.
5/5 - so many reasons.
- a unique way of telling a story
- never stagnant; always moving; always powerful
- incredibly real characters; characters that rugged at my heartstrings
- a story of a powerful little girl who didn’t let her age, race, gender, or circumstances stop her from fighting for what she loved; I think we all need a little bit more of that.
- a beautiful and haunting depiction of the nightmare that so many slaves faced
- heartwarming hope that was found in their freedom.
Yes, you should read it and pay homage to those whose voices were silenced and to those who fought and made their voice heard.
5/5 - so many reasons.
- a unique way of telling a story
- never stagnant; always moving; always powerful
- incredibly real characters; characters that rugged at my heartstrings
- a story of a powerful little girl who didn’t let her age, race, gender, or circumstances stop her from fighting for what she loved; I think we all need a little bit more of that.
- a beautiful and haunting depiction of the nightmare that so many slaves faced
- heartwarming hope that was found in their freedom.
Yes, you should read it and pay homage to those whose voices were silenced and to those who fought and made their voice heard.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
tense
fast-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