T
itle: The Underground RailroadAuthor: Colson Whitehead
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis: Cora was born a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. Her mother had also been born on this land, and her grandmother had arrived here by slave ship. Her mother ran when Cora was only a child, leaving her alone. As she grows up on the plantation she becomes an outcast amongst the other slaves. A new slave, Caesar, shows up on the plantation and asks her to consider running away, and when they do the course to freedom is not a straight line.
My Thoughts
This book has been on my 'to be read' list for some time. When the public library opened back up (after closing for COVID) I requested this book right away because the waitlist had been so long. Two days later I got a notification that it was available and picked it up from the drive-through window!
There are a few things that make this book feel unique. First, each chapter starts with a newspaper ad for a runaway slave, reminding the reader with the description of the person missing that they were completely considered as property, not humans. Second, in addition to the main storyline following Cora's travels on the Underground Railroad, there are short chapters scattered throughout that are about each of the important characters she meets along the way. It provides backstory that helps the reader understand why the motive that the person has for the role they play in Cora's life, good or bad. I also enjoyed the author's choice to imagine the Underground Railroad as a literal railroad beneath the ground, with stations to pick up the runaways dug beneath the homes of those who help them.
I really enjoyed reading this novel and hope that you get a chance to read it as well!
Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!
To buy this book from Amazon now, click on the image at the top of the post.
To see more from the author, visit the website linked above
This book has been on my 'to be read' list for some time. When the public library opened back up (after closing for COVID) I requested this book right away because the waitlist had been so long. Two days later I got a notification that it was available and picked it up from the drive-through window!
There are a few things that make this book feel unique. First, each chapter starts with a newspaper ad for a runaway slave, reminding the reader with the description of the person missing that they were completely considered as property, not humans. Second, in addition to the main storyline following Cora's travels on the Underground Railroad, there are short chapters scattered throughout that are about each of the important characters she meets along the way. It provides backstory that helps the reader understand why the motive that the person has for the role they play in Cora's life, good or bad. I also enjoyed the author's choice to imagine the Underground Railroad as a literal railroad beneath the ground, with stations to pick up the runaways dug beneath the homes of those who help them.
I really enjoyed reading this novel and hope that you get a chance to read it as well!
Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!
To buy this book from Amazon now, click on the image at the top of the post.
To see more from the author, visit the website linked above
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