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A review by misslezlee
Cloudsplitter by Russell Banks
3.0
I didn’t realize when I bought this kindle edition that it was a veritable tome - some 700 pages long. I didn’t really know what the subject matter was either ( I didn’t intend to read two books about the Underground Railway in the same month). I must have been swayed by the magnificent photograph on the cover and by the fact that Russell Banks is the author. Of course I knew the song, “John Brown’s body ....” but I didn’t know who he was as he didn’t figure in my English high school history lessons. Now I know.
I’m surprised I enjoyed this novel as much as I did. The story is pretty dry, there are long passages of speeches (could do with some editing as suggested by other reviewers), and there’s not really a lot happens until Harpers Ferry at the very end. But there are whole episodes of lovely writing and the main character, Brown’s son, Owen, is very interesting.
I’m surprised I enjoyed this novel as much as I did. The story is pretty dry, there are long passages of speeches (could do with some editing as suggested by other reviewers), and there’s not really a lot happens until Harpers Ferry at the very end. But there are whole episodes of lovely writing and the main character, Brown’s son, Owen, is very interesting.