A Must Read - The Book of Negroes

I read this 486 page novel in less than a week. Lawrence Hill's The Book of Negroes (Someone Knows My Name in the US) is a compelling, character driven historical fiction that is nearly impossible to put down. This book is a must read.

Although the book is fiction it is full of historical facts that educate and enlighten the reader. The strong main character, Aminata, and the heart-wrenching tale of her life as a slave make The Book of Negroes one of my favourite books this summer. I was hooked after reading the opening passages.

The book criss-crosses the ocean and many continents. It begins before Aminata's capture as a young, happy child in Africa. It includes the details of her African heritage, religion, education (her father taught her to read and write, her mother taught her midwifery), and community which are illustrated through stories of her interactions with her parents and other villagers.

After witnessing horrendous tragedy at the hands of African slavers, Aminata is coffled and begins her torturous journey through the African interior before arriving exhausted at the coastal slave port. Meena's (Aminata) 11-year-old self describes her experience through frightened and innocent eyes. The character's  youth and naivety enable the reader to see the inhumanity and horror of her experience from a personal perspective instead of merely as historical fact. Meena suffers many hardships throughout her life but it is the reader's strong relationship to this individual character that make this journey distinctly personal.

This award winning novel is compelling, well written, and the character of Aminata is one I will never forget. I highly recommended The Book of Negroes.

Lawrence Hill is a Canadian author whose writing is strongly influenced by his experience as the son of political activist parents.  For more on Lawrence Hill and his writing visit his website at www.lawrencehill.com.

This review was written by Jen.

Comments

[jennifer]

I've picked this book up a couple of times in the store. It looks very powerful; I'll put it on my to-read list.

[Diane]

I read it this summer and like you could not put it down until I finished it! I have recommended it to everyone. I was overwhelmed by the writing style and am going to read more of Lawrence Hill's books as soon as possible.

[Kath]

Wow, I'll have to pick that one up. Thanks for the reco!

[Katie]

I read this book in the spring with my book club, and definitely agree with the high praise you have given this book. I recommend it widely.

[karen]

I am about to embark on this one... Lawrence Hill was my canoe trip guide at camp many many years ago and I was instantly attracted to the book when I noticed the authors name. Thanks for such a great recommendation - I can't wait to start.

[Becky]

This was my favourite read of the summer, very powerful. I was 9 months pregnant when I read this book (and very hormonal) and found it very emotional, moving and disturbing at times, particularly because it is based around reality. A definate must read!

[Ingrid]

I read the book in a week and really enjoyed it. It was an easy read and didn't dwell only on the negatives but is a wonderful story of how one person's life wasn't wasted but made a difference in the abolition of slave trade