This is a powerful novel that arrived at my library the week before the tragedy of last weekend. This book was a 4.5 star book for me, but it would have been just as powerful even without this past weekend. I am not giving you a blurb or a summary, but suffice it to say it involves slaves who have run away, people who are hunting them, and others who are doing neither, but who are important.
I have read quite a number of novels about American slavery, escape, etc, over the years (not all shown on my GR page) and also the American civil rights movement. This one is a cut above many of them. This doesn't follow any formula or hit certain bases. McBride has done his homework, but then he uses his imagination in writing this (he discusses this in the afterward.) Most of the characters were very well developed, and some were quite complex, which is difficult to do well when writing and also make it believable. The dialogue was impressive.
I am still reeling a bit from finishing this earlier this evening and am at a bit of a loss to really describe this well.
I have read quite a number of novels about American slavery, escape, etc, over the years (not all shown on my GR page) and also the American civil rights movement. This one is a cut above many of them. This doesn't follow any formula or hit certain bases. McBride has done his homework, but then he uses his imagination in writing this (he discusses this in the afterward.) Most of the characters were very well developed, and some were quite complex, which is difficult to do well when writing and also make it believable. The dialogue was impressive.
I am still reeling a bit from finishing this earlier this evening and am at a bit of a loss to really describe this well.