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A review by thefantasticalworldofsara
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
4.0
I picked this book up on a whim at work because I wanted to try reading something outside of my usual genre (ie. YA/graphic novels/magical) and I ended up really liking it! Maybe it's because I went in with almost no expectations but regardless I found this book fascinating.
It starts off as a slave narrative but then it pivots both far away from that and also not far away from it at all. One of my favourite quotes from the book is: "His harm, I thought, was in not understanding that he still had the ability to cause it" (p. 406) because it so perfectly sums up people's lack of understanding around privilege; that people's actions can still be harmful even if they don't intend them to be.
It's also a book about science and discovery and drawing and how it feels to not be able to take credit for any of the work that you do. Is satisfaction in your own work enough? Does external glory matter? "Did it matter? I do not know if it mattered. I understood only that I would have to make peace with the loss" (p. 385)
Would highly recommend this book!!
ps. The views expressed in this review are my own and do not reflect the views of Indigo Books & Music Inc. or any of its subsidiaries.
It starts off as a slave narrative but then it pivots both far away from that and also not far away from it at all. One of my favourite quotes from the book is: "His harm, I thought, was in not understanding that he still had the ability to cause it" (p. 406) because it so perfectly sums up people's lack of understanding around privilege; that people's actions can still be harmful even if they don't intend them to be.
It's also a book about science and discovery and drawing and how it feels to not be able to take credit for any of the work that you do. Is satisfaction in your own work enough? Does external glory matter? "Did it matter? I do not know if it mattered. I understood only that I would have to make peace with the loss" (p. 385)
Would highly recommend this book!!
ps. The views expressed in this review are my own and do not reflect the views of Indigo Books & Music Inc. or any of its subsidiaries.