After reading several so-so books in a row, it was refreshing to read a novel by an author that can actually write. This book had it all - beautiful prose, gripping storyline, strong and admirable heroine. For me, the historical information was the most interesting part, from the account of life in Bayo before Aminata was abducted into slavery, to the information about slavery on the islands off the coast of South Carolina, to the untold story of the Black Loyalists.
I only had two criticisms of this book:
1. Hill admittedly changed several historical details to make the story flow. I didn't mind this at all (it did make for a good story), but don't expect to be able to use this as a textbook.
2. I hated the resolution of the plotline involving Aminata's daughter. It seemed like a contrived happy ending, and while I wanted Aminata to have a happy ending, I wish it had been more believable to fit in with the rest of the book. If Hill wanted Aminata to have a daughter at the end, he shouldn't have written her out of the story halfway through. Or if he really wanted to have that kidnapping plotline, he should have found another way to give Aminata a happy ending.
No comments:
Post a Comment