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A review by kandicez
12 Years a Slave by Solomon Northup
3.0
I feel bad for giving this book only three stars, but rest assured the rating is for the writing itself, NOT the story. I've read many, many books regarding slavery and there are many that mention slaves that have been stolen from freedom and then sold into slavery, but this is the first I've read told from that point of view by someone that lived it.
The story was, of course, heartbreaking. I always cringe with guilt as I read this sort of thing, or anything about the plight of the American Indian. I am a white American after all. How many generations until I we are absolved of guilt? Undoubtedly more than separate me form this tale.
I had to plod through this. I put it aside after every few pages and it took me much, much longer than usual to go through the paltry number of pages. The story was compelling, but the way in which it was written simply was not. I'm sure if this was my first book regarding slavery I would have rushed through the pages as fast as I could swipe the screen (I read the e-book). Since I've read Roots, and Queen, Beloved and many, many others I craved writing skill in addition to story. Solomon Northup deserves praise for all he endured and his ability to unflinchingly record it, but to earn the five stars I wish I could give it, he needed much more narrative skill.
Having said all that, I do believe everyone should read this. I heard that there were those that felt it should be required History reading in America and I agree. Slavery was abominable, and there was no excuse for it, but to steal a FREE man and make him a slave was worse to the nth degree and we, as Americans, should know what our ancestors were willing to do. Those who dealt in this trade could not plead ignorance, could not use the law as defense. They took free people from the North where slavery was illegal and spirited them away to the South. To make a buck. It was the spiriting away that was against the law, and they knew no matter how they might have protested. Disgusting.
The story was, of course, heartbreaking. I always cringe with guilt as I read this sort of thing, or anything about the plight of the American Indian. I am a white American after all. How many generations until I we are absolved of guilt? Undoubtedly more than separate me form this tale.
I had to plod through this. I put it aside after every few pages and it took me much, much longer than usual to go through the paltry number of pages. The story was compelling, but the way in which it was written simply was not. I'm sure if this was my first book regarding slavery I would have rushed through the pages as fast as I could swipe the screen (I read the e-book). Since I've read Roots, and Queen, Beloved and many, many others I craved writing skill in addition to story. Solomon Northup deserves praise for all he endured and his ability to unflinchingly record it, but to earn the five stars I wish I could give it, he needed much more narrative skill.
Having said all that, I do believe everyone should read this. I heard that there were those that felt it should be required History reading in America and I agree. Slavery was abominable, and there was no excuse for it, but to steal a FREE man and make him a slave was worse to the nth degree and we, as Americans, should know what our ancestors were willing to do. Those who dealt in this trade could not plead ignorance, could not use the law as defense. They took free people from the North where slavery was illegal and spirited them away to the South. To make a buck. It was the spiriting away that was against the law, and they knew no matter how they might have protested. Disgusting.