![]() Key Details Author: Colson Whitehead Genre: Historical Fiction Goodreads Link: Link This novel by Colson Whithead primarily narrates the experience of Cora; a runaway slave from a cotton plantation in Georgia who attempts to make a bid for freedom via the Underground railroad where in the novel it is depicted as a literal railroad. While the novel is an alternate history, the horrors of Slavery are not a fiction and it tries to depict the conditions of various protagonists who revolve around this deplorable system that has been created and which has sadly been commonplace across countries and cultures. The novel is told from multiple viewpoints and takes place at different point in time, which at times can be hard to follow. But this narrative structure also allows the author to showcase the many different experiences of the oppressed communities, particularly of the female characters who are oppressed both due to gender and racial reasons and depicts the many different paths they had taken to end up in their situation. One perspective I would have liked to have seen is perspective of the communities who serve as the house slaves, slave bosses and Homer who is a willing follower of the slavecatcher Ridgeway who is the main antagonist of the novel. An interesting point that I learnt is about the oppression of Italian and German immigrants who were brought to work as indentured servants on cotton plantations as well, which gives some context to the Gangster ism that in later era's was a feature of the communities. The novel also highlights how hope and beliefs can be such a powerful driving force both for the protagonist Cora whose mothers escaped is part of the lore of the plantation while Ridgeway; the Slave catcher is very clear on the part he plays in upholding the society they had brought about I would caution that, even thought its not needed to follow the narrative, some background information is useful and also helps you appreciate the research that has gone into it. Overall would highly recommend this novel. Quotes What did you get for that, for knowing the day you were born into the white man’s world? It didn’t seem like the thing to remember. More like to forget. - Cora on not knowing her birthday A plantation was a plantation; one might think one’s misfortunes distinct, but the true horror lay in their universality. "To see chains on another person and be glad they are not your own—such was the good fortune permitted colored people, defined by how much worse it could be any moment."
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AuthorAvid reader of Historical fiction, High fantasy novels, Comics & Graphic Novels. Passionate about teaching & the future of education in general. Categories
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December 2023
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