Reviews

Such a simply told story-almost too simple and neatly wrapped...almost YP feeling. Yet I thoroughly enjoyed reading it from the very beginning and was holding my breath as I neared its conclusion. I will read the next in the series. These folks feel like family and I must know how the rest of their lives turn out. Told from the point of view of a plantation owner's daughter and also her wet nurse, who mothered her more than her own mother. It progresses from 1837-1858.

ms_emily's review against another edition

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challenging emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

megadeathvsbooks's review against another edition

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4.0

This was an understated story that contained beautiful cultural criticism throughout. The way Ibrahim illustrated the pervasive nature of slavery is incredibly powerful and is a reminder of how much it's a part of our culture. It's a very moving and engaging story that, while fiction, is probably a true story at it's heart.

serenityseeker's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

4.5

bethsponz's review against another edition

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5.0

Loved this book. If you liked The Kitchen House or Underground Railroad you will love this one! The antebellum south is one of my favorite time periods to read about.

ekmanch's review against another edition

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4.0

Part of the story sometimes felt a tad unrealistic, but I was unable to overlook this to a large extent because of the great atmosphere, intimate storytelling, and the wonderful relationships that are depicted in the book. I think the reason why I thought it was unrealistic was because Lisbeth was able to not incorporate her family's, indeed the whole society's, opinions on black people from a very early age, even though Mattie wasn't there to influence her from a pretty early age. Mattie's leaving could very well have jaded Lisbeth and made her think that you can't trust black people, no matter how much you love them. Instead, she continued having a very favorable view of black people and not listening to her family. I really hope many people would have the heart to not listen to their family's/society's opinions in a situation like that, but I rather doubt it.

Anyway, the book was great, I really enjoyed it. It was very heartwarming.

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