A review by buttercupita
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

4.0

This is a very discomforting book because it does not hold back in describing the brutality of slavery. I don't know whether Whitehead helps us maintain a distance from the very strong and deliberately emotionally detached main character, Cora, to allow us to read through her story -- it is certainly painful enough to experience the suffering of other characters with whom we more easily sympathize. Unlike some other readers, I liked the insertions of other characters' stories in the middle of Cora's, and thought what Whitehead did with the mother was particularly effective. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book with the caution that it is strong stuff!