This is my first review and to start with I want to call it my experience with the book rather than a review. I am not at this time qualified to be a reviewer. Having read only about 2-3 books in last 5 years, I still have a long way to go. The experience is in chronological order as I captured my thoughts while I read the book.
The first thing which stuck me was the first publishing date. 1853. I had heard about the movie, but I never paid attention to the fact that the book could be from 19th century. It is fascinating that I was reading someone’s mind/thoughts after 162 years of them thinking/writing it. Authors have a responsibility as they leave a piece of history, even with fiction, for the future generations to experience and personally having not read anything written around that era, I did not have anything on hand to compare it with.
Story starts with Solomon as a free Negro living with his family in North US. The relationship with his father is narrated smoothly, an important piece of character building as with this he was shown to be a family man with deep rooted values of family , equality and liberty and if anyone wants to move half a century in a span of 5 pages, this would be a good read as the transition is smooth.
Solomon was lured into a business proposal and without informing the family, he started his travels, only to return after 12 years. He was drugged after an evening full of aspirations and future possibilities. The transition from a free man to a slave is depicted excellently; one aspect which comes out clearly, is Solomon’s thirst for water after he gains consciousness, this leaves reader (at least me) thirsty and longing for a drink.
The description of the Slave pen where he is kept initially to break his soul (as done with young elephants) is remarkable from a show and tell perspective. Question which came to my mind while reading is that does the onus of the art of show and tell, fall more on the Author or editor.
It really tears the readers mind apart to experience the story of Eliza another slave who was also tricked into slavery and the loss of her two children leaves the reader shaken to the core. History is for us to learn and not repeat the same mistakes, but clearly we have not learnt a bit, future generations will read survival stories like this from today even in the present day conflict regions like Syria after many generations.
One writing concept or approach which is used extensively in the book is giving little teasers of what will happen in, let’s say the next ten years and then going with the story, it drops an element of surprise, but I found it an excellent way to convey a story. I would definitely recommend fellow authors to experience it. Appearance and explanations of characters are as and when they come or a little bit in advance ... Move to a new topic and come back to the story.
The book loses its pace in between when they are shipped like cattle to the south, the sale is depicted in great detail and there are many unnecessary details around that time, most of which are dry and lack flow, the only thing which I was compelled to think about is that Solomon’s life could have been different if he would have reached out to William Ford his first owner. The story would probably have gone a very different way.
Another event which leaves an impression is where Solomon is made to stand in the sun and awaiting the suspense of whether he would live or be hanged to death is amazing. The author for sure knows how to tempt the reader after a sluggish story line, just like pulling the rabbit out of the hat and putting it back. The author himself calls these events of sluggishness as “Light Description”
One thing which comes out in the narration is that he was among the lucky few, not because he escaped the life he was shoved into but also during that period, he did not go through the hell which others have gone and most time it feels as if the narration is like a defense, like he would be challenged, that he needed to present too many facts to prove his story. I found it demeaning to the attempt. He was too careful.
I found the book at various feet above the ground at most of the places, the story, emotions, story of other slaves which was I think a miss and then there were description of Cotton and Sugarcane fields which were extremely pedantic and make the book significantly lose the flow and pace.
Few likable events are when he talks about life being in remote places when he runs through the swamps, when he is brave enough to praise the better side of slavery, when he describe Violin as his friend and the Christmas description do take you back all these 170 years.
The Aha moment for me was when Patsy was stripped, tied to poles and lashed 45 times, the description is detailed enough to feel the bits of flesh taken out of your body, I found in this the reason why I want to read and write, the hunger to leave the reader awestruck.
I have learnt to show more gratitude towards the life I have, when Solomon can work 16 hours a day in a sugarcane field and get lashed and be given infected bacon for food, why do we complain?
Finally, if you are looking to reach out three times in a line for dictionary and find words which even your iPhone predictive text does not recommend easily, this book is for you. For me I am glad that I had this experience, do I want to have it again. Not really.
Please do leave your comments.
The first thing which stuck me was the first publishing date. 1853. I had heard about the movie, but I never paid attention to the fact that the book could be from 19th century. It is fascinating that I was reading someone’s mind/thoughts after 162 years of them thinking/writing it. Authors have a responsibility as they leave a piece of history, even with fiction, for the future generations to experience and personally having not read anything written around that era, I did not have anything on hand to compare it with.
Story starts with Solomon as a free Negro living with his family in North US. The relationship with his father is narrated smoothly, an important piece of character building as with this he was shown to be a family man with deep rooted values of family , equality and liberty and if anyone wants to move half a century in a span of 5 pages, this would be a good read as the transition is smooth.
Solomon was lured into a business proposal and without informing the family, he started his travels, only to return after 12 years. He was drugged after an evening full of aspirations and future possibilities. The transition from a free man to a slave is depicted excellently; one aspect which comes out clearly, is Solomon’s thirst for water after he gains consciousness, this leaves reader (at least me) thirsty and longing for a drink.
The description of the Slave pen where he is kept initially to break his soul (as done with young elephants) is remarkable from a show and tell perspective. Question which came to my mind while reading is that does the onus of the art of show and tell, fall more on the Author or editor.
It really tears the readers mind apart to experience the story of Eliza another slave who was also tricked into slavery and the loss of her two children leaves the reader shaken to the core. History is for us to learn and not repeat the same mistakes, but clearly we have not learnt a bit, future generations will read survival stories like this from today even in the present day conflict regions like Syria after many generations.
One writing concept or approach which is used extensively in the book is giving little teasers of what will happen in, let’s say the next ten years and then going with the story, it drops an element of surprise, but I found it an excellent way to convey a story. I would definitely recommend fellow authors to experience it. Appearance and explanations of characters are as and when they come or a little bit in advance ... Move to a new topic and come back to the story.
The book loses its pace in between when they are shipped like cattle to the south, the sale is depicted in great detail and there are many unnecessary details around that time, most of which are dry and lack flow, the only thing which I was compelled to think about is that Solomon’s life could have been different if he would have reached out to William Ford his first owner. The story would probably have gone a very different way.
Another event which leaves an impression is where Solomon is made to stand in the sun and awaiting the suspense of whether he would live or be hanged to death is amazing. The author for sure knows how to tempt the reader after a sluggish story line, just like pulling the rabbit out of the hat and putting it back. The author himself calls these events of sluggishness as “Light Description”
One thing which comes out in the narration is that he was among the lucky few, not because he escaped the life he was shoved into but also during that period, he did not go through the hell which others have gone and most time it feels as if the narration is like a defense, like he would be challenged, that he needed to present too many facts to prove his story. I found it demeaning to the attempt. He was too careful.
I found the book at various feet above the ground at most of the places, the story, emotions, story of other slaves which was I think a miss and then there were description of Cotton and Sugarcane fields which were extremely pedantic and make the book significantly lose the flow and pace.
Few likable events are when he talks about life being in remote places when he runs through the swamps, when he is brave enough to praise the better side of slavery, when he describe Violin as his friend and the Christmas description do take you back all these 170 years.
The Aha moment for me was when Patsy was stripped, tied to poles and lashed 45 times, the description is detailed enough to feel the bits of flesh taken out of your body, I found in this the reason why I want to read and write, the hunger to leave the reader awestruck.
I have learnt to show more gratitude towards the life I have, when Solomon can work 16 hours a day in a sugarcane field and get lashed and be given infected bacon for food, why do we complain?
Finally, if you are looking to reach out three times in a line for dictionary and find words which even your iPhone predictive text does not recommend easily, this book is for you. For me I am glad that I had this experience, do I want to have it again. Not really.
Please do leave your comments.
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