Jon Walter

I always find books about slavery hard to read, and this was no different. Slogging through the pain and injustice Samuel endures was rough. When things are going ok, I am constantly on tenterhooks, waiting for the other shoe to fall. But it's an interesting story that shows the nuances of relationships in the American South during the Civil War. It was also interesting to read a YA novel about a young African American written by a British author. As far as I could tell, he only betrayed himself once, when he used the term "full stop" in the place of "period!"… (meer)

I downloaded this novel from Audiobook Sync in a previous year and finally listened to it.

Samuel lives in an orphanage and is educated. He’s a smart kid, but he feels responsible for his brother. When something happens at the orphanage, Samuel is convinced his brother did it and confesses that he, himself, is the culprit. This confession leads to Samuel being sold to a slave dealer. Samuel discovers that he is “worth” $600 and has a new name: Friday. He can no longer expect to be treated as a person and can no longer reveal that he’s educated.

Friday is a slave at a plantation that is actually owned by a boy his own age, Gerald. Gerald talks about his father and how he wanted to free the slaves and pay them wages. Friday and Gerald become “friends,” as Friday spends the morning in the fields and the afternoons at the house. Gerald seems like he wants to be progressive and move on from slavery, but he’s caught in the society. His step-mother is part of the culture and relies on the men who are not fighting in the Civil War to give her advice. On one occasion, Gerald is told to whip Friday. They end up with a complicated relationship because Friday is actually smarter than Gerald and cares about education more although Friday can’t say this to him. Friday is able to teach the other slaves to read by having Gerald think he’s teaching Friday.

When the Civil War ends, the novel comes to its climax. The Yankees arrive at the Mississippi cotton plantation and the slaves with whom Friday has become close have to make a decision about what to do. Run? Stay? If they leave, where do they go? Friday knows exactly what he wants. He wants to be himself--Samuel and find his brother. In Samuel’s journey to find his brother, he also finds himself and his future, making peace with his past.

I thought the novel was well done. It just seemed long to me. I didn’t love it and I didn’t hate it; I think the dramatic reading may have been a little off-putting for me. I would read it instead of listen to it. I think it has a lot of truth and is a good look at the complexities and racism of the slave world. There’s nothing fair, so you feel so sorry for Samuel who doesn’t deserve what happens to him. The end has hope and that’s what is so important.… (meer)