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A review by anathereader8
The Blackbirds of St. Giles by Lila Cain
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
It's one of the best novels I've read so far this year.
The story follows a young man, Daniel, and his younger sister, Pearl, who escape slavery and work tirelessly to build their names and lives from scratch in the 1700s.
At first, I struggled to connect with the characters, but as I kept reading, I became so attached to them that every challenge they faced twisted my nerves. Every disappointment or misfortune hit me hard. And let me tell you—these characters endured a lot of drama on their way to freedom.
I've read novels by the Brontë sisters and Jane Austen, and although they lived much later than the world of The Blackbirds, the contrast between their time periods is staggering. This novel highlights just how much a character's background shapes their worldview. I wouldn’t want to live in the 1700s—whether as a white woman or a Black woman. The world Lila Cain created is harsh, unapologetic, racist, and lecherous. It's shocking to realize how different it was, especially compared to the imperialistic novels we often read.
The Blackbirds of St. Giles surprised me, kept me up at night, and was impossible to put down.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story follows a young man, Daniel, and his younger sister, Pearl, who escape slavery and work tirelessly to build their names and lives from scratch in the 1700s.
At first, I struggled to connect with the characters, but as I kept reading, I became so attached to them that every challenge they faced twisted my nerves. Every disappointment or misfortune hit me hard. And let me tell you—these characters endured a lot of drama on their way to freedom.
I've read novels by the Brontë sisters and Jane Austen, and although they lived much later than the world of The Blackbirds, the contrast between their time periods is staggering. This novel highlights just how much a character's background shapes their worldview. I wouldn’t want to live in the 1700s—whether as a white woman or a Black woman. The world Lila Cain created is harsh, unapologetic, racist, and lecherous. It's shocking to realize how different it was, especially compared to the imperialistic novels we often read.
The Blackbirds of St. Giles surprised me, kept me up at night, and was impossible to put down.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.