‘Washington Black’ by Esi Edugyan

My rating: 4 stars

Slavery, racism and the allure of scientific discoveries permeate the entirety of Washington Black by Esi Edugyan. Although it comprises an adventure, this novel reads more like a fictional memoir focusing on specific periods from the life of George Washington Black, who was born a slave in Barbados. Set in the 19th century, it also touches on the complexity of human behaviour, while raising questions on people who, despite being against slavery, ended up using slaves for their own purposes anyway.

Washington Black, also known as Wash, was named by his first master at Faith Plantation. He had no one to take care of him during his childhood except for Big Kit, whom had been a witch before being taken as a slave. When Wash was around 11 years old, his first master died. The plantation’s next owner, Erasmus Wilde, soon proved himself to be capable of great brutality.

Big Kit and various other slaves at the plantation believed that they would return to their homelands after they died. So, some started committing suicide. To put an end to it, Erasmus Wilde ordered the head of one of the slaves that had killed himself to be cut from his body and warned the other ones that he would do the same to all the new suicides. Without a head, a person couldn’t be reborn.

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Book Haul – July 2019

As it was my birthday a couple of days ago, I obviously had to buy some books this month! But I managed to control myself and only acquired four. Some I’ve been meaning to read for ages, while others caught my attention more recently.

 

Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Fitz is the protagonist of the first book in the Farseer Trilogy. He is a royal bastard with a magical link with animals, which is an old art known as the Wit. This power is frowned upon by the nobility, so when he is accepted into the royal household, he has to give it up. Secretly, he starts training as a royal assassin. I’m eager to finally start my journey into Robin Hobb’s work.

 

Circe by Madeline Miller

I’m also yet to read a book by Madeline Miller. In this myth retelling, Circe is banished by Zeus to the remote island of Aiaia. There she learns to harness her witchcraft skills and needs to decide whether her place is among the deities or the mortals. I have high hopes for this novel!