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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
I am at a loss as to why this is young adult, other than that it is a plot driven and the protagonist is a young man. Other than that, the subject matter would seem to lend itself to other genres. I liked this book and plan to read the sequels. The prose was breathtaking, and so was the cruelty it described. This book did well to not stop outside its time period in order to make we the readers feel more comfortable.
emotional
sad
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:
Complicated
Summary: This novel is part one of two. It centers on a young boy who has been enslaved. He has been raised in relative luxury and has been studied by his enslaver and his enslaver’s friends as a scientific experiment. As the story progresses, Octavian begins to be more curious about what it would be like to be free.
I'm looking forward to the upcoming volume of Octavian Nothing. This is historical fiction that starts with an intriguing atmosphere of mystery that almost reads like fantasy. We follow Octavian from childhood until he is 16 years old, as he slowly begins to unravel the truth of his life. Set in the years immediately preceding the Revolutionary War, this is an original take on this period of American history. The prose style is deliberately archaic, which might make this somewhat difficult reading for many teenagers, and the action is slow to start but gets increasingly tense and engaging as the book goes on.
I definitely recommend this for adults and patient teens who will give the book time to draw them in.
I definitely recommend this for adults and patient teens who will give the book time to draw them in.
This book is definitely not your normal YA book. The content is mature and the amount of challenging (yet awesome) vocabulary is extensive. The book follows the life of Octavian, beginning with his childhood just prior to the Revolutionary War. The book pools various documents, such as letters, memoirs, and science publications, to give the reader a deeper understanding of Octavian's life. I did have to put this book down for a time because it was mentally/emotionally too much but a good book will always do that to you.
SPOILER:
This story is about a African-American boy who was part of an experiment to prove that Homo sapien Africanas (Africans) are equal to Homo sapien Europianus (European Caucasians). From birth the boy was raised as a European prince and had the best education available. Eventually, Octavian discovers the whole experiment and his role. As the story unfolds, Octavian's world is thrown into turmoil as the colonies revolt against England. New benefactors (from the Southern plantations) change Octavian's experiment in hopes of proving a natural inferiority in slaves. Octavian chooses to leave after his mother's death and fights in the Colonial Army. Double-crossed by slave chasers within the army, he escapes into Boston where Book 2 is supposed to pick up.
SPOILER:
This story is about a African-American boy who was part of an experiment to prove that Homo sapien Africanas (Africans) are equal to Homo sapien Europianus (European Caucasians). From birth the boy was raised as a European prince and had the best education available. Eventually, Octavian discovers the whole experiment and his role. As the story unfolds, Octavian's world is thrown into turmoil as the colonies revolt against England. New benefactors (from the Southern plantations) change Octavian's experiment in hopes of proving a natural inferiority in slaves. Octavian chooses to leave after his mother's death and fights in the Colonial Army. Double-crossed by slave chasers within the army, he escapes into Boston where Book 2 is supposed to pick up.
I was hoping for this book to be more than what it was. I was constantly confused about the timelines and felt nothing for the characters. The section of letters was extremely boring, more so than the rest of the story.
This book had me rapt from start to finish. Scary depiction of Revoluntionary War-era America that resonates close to the here and now.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I only made it 50 pages into this book, but seeing as it ruined my appetite twice and took me four days to get that far, I'm considering it a fair effort. While it is a prize winner, and I can understand how that happened considering subject, I don't feel like the writing itself was well executed. To each his own, I suppose.
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
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:
Complicated