A review by bookmaddie
Night Wherever We Go by Tracey Rose Peyton

challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.0

This story begins with an act of protection—a group of female slaves on a plantation in Texas meet in secret to figure out how they can protect themselves from a traveling male slave sent to impregnate them. But as days pass, complications mount, and it's evident the women are working to protect each other from something entirely more sinister: their white owners. And amongst all this, each woman in this story is longing for something taken or left behind. This story wonders at how one can form a life—as a slave, a mother, a woman, in a place deeply traumatizing and uncertain.

The narrative slowly moves to focus a bit more on two of the women, Junie and Serah. While I think the focus on the group helps highlight larger themes of this novel, the tightened focus really helps the story become more evocative and immediate. I also really enjoyed learning more about Junie and Serah—it helped me understand their motivations as the story ramps up to its violent crescendo.

This is a really strong debut, and I'll definitely be interested in what Peyton writes next!
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