A review by lisanreads
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

5.0

Although I've enjoyed reading his novels, I hesitated before picking this up. The idea of a speculative fiction novel about the underground railroad put me off. That was a mistake: it was the perfect way to narrate our nation's horrible past and continued legacy of slavery. As Whitehead wrote, we stand on "stolen land worked by stolen bodies."

I struggled with the first part: the torture on the plantation was unbearable to read. However, the harrowing attempt to escape was heartbreaking. I especially loved the characterization of Cora and her relationships.

I have so many thoughts and opinions about this book, but I am grateful that I did not know much about the plot before I picked it up.