Loved it

I loved this book. It is beautifully written and the characters are clearly observed. The theme of the supposed end of slavery in America after their Civil War is thought provoking. I found William DeMeritt’s gentle and sensitive narration enabled me to immerse myself fully into the story.

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Beautifully Written Excellent Narration

Loved this - it will stay with me and I highly recommend it. Such a tender tale set in a harsh time in history.

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3 people found this helpful

Lovely, heartrending story

Gentle lovely story beautifully narated. I can imagine a follow-up one day. Thank you

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Beautiful

This story really allows the reader to travel back to the time depicted with all its hope, and prejudice. You are completely immersed. It is so well written and beautifully crafted. The narrator brings it to life. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

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Fantastic read... No spoilers

I highly recommend this book. It is voiced by a talented performer who draws you into the story. The story itself is wonderful it starts off a little sad but the ending is wonderful.

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Fantastic narrator

Really good story but it times felt it dragged. Wonderful narrator. Recommend this book.

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Glad I stayed with it

A little put off by the alow start and strong accents, this built quite quickly into a really good story and the narration improved it further. Interesting slice of American history.

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Exceptionally good performance of an emotive novel

This astonishing debut novel is about so much more than the consequences of a small landholder offering two freedmen paid work on his land. It's about racism, yet also about love and human relationships and about individuals' perceptions of how well they can know someone else, the common ground which they share but equally the rift between them; it's also about courage and second chances; it can plumb the depths of despair, while also offering hope, and about holding on to personal ideals in the face of opposition; more concisely, it reveals so much about what it means to be a human being.

The characters are so well written (and so superbly performed by William DeMeritt) that I felt I knrw them personally, a fact which led to some heart stopping moments, since I was sufficiently invested in the protagonists to only wanted the best for them. It's only the ending over which I am torn; initially I found it somewhat unsatisfying but, on reflection, I began to wonder if it weren't a clever way of putting the reader in the same position as the characters.

I am sorry that this emotive novel, which captures both the characters and the historical setting so decisively, hasn't been included in the Man Booker Prize shortlist, though it was, of course, long- listed. I hope it will succeed further with another award - and I shall certainly be looking out for the future works of Nathan Harris.

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Reflective and Subtle

Thoroughly recommended this sensitive and educational book about racism, Southern defeat in the American Civil War, and the existence of decency among barbarians. The writing is not sweet or sentimental, but gripping and written with subtlety and feeling. The quality of the writing reminds me of Colson Whitehead’s “The Underground Railway”. Listen.

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1 person found this helpful

awesome debut novel

the narrative is preformed very well. bit the story is the very best part. as it should be with such a award winning novel.

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