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What I've been reading: Books No. 17-18
Apr. 3rd, 2018 11:38 amBook No. 17 was "Bad Monkeys" by Matt Ruff. Several years ago, I asked for recommendations of "fun" books to read, and someone suggested Matt Ruff. Then my husband, J., read "Lovecraft Country" by the author a year or two ago and really liked it, so I decided to read something by the author, and settled on this one. It's a really fun, fast-paced book, told primarily from the viewpoint of Jane Charlotte, who has been arrested for murder but claims she's part of a secret organization. The book is made up of her recounting to the psychiatrist that has been brought in to evaluate her and find out if she's insane how she was recruited and what she did for the secret society, which was working on the society's "Bad Monkey" team, getting rid of "unredeemable" bad people. I'm usually good at spotting plot twists a mile away, but there were some surprises here. I'm definitely going to be seeking out more by this author.
Book No. 18 was "The Book of Negroes" by Lawrence Hill. This is a fictional retelling of a real historical period where slaves who fought on the British side during the American Revolution were offered sanctuary in Nova Scotia and then later shipped to Freetown in Sierra Leone. The book follows the story of one African girl, Aminata, who is captured, sold into slavery, runs away, and becomes one of the blacks who works for the British. She writes the names of the black folks who have qualified for the British offer in "The Book of Negroes." But once they get to Nova Scotia, they find life is hard, the Brits don't follow through on giving them the land they were promised, and race riots decimate the black community. Aminata takes up the offer to be shipped to Sierra Leone, where she hopes to find her way back to the village where she was born. I found the book to be just a little pedantic in areas - it was obvious that Hill is trying to teach about lesser-known history of black folks in Canada. However, Aminata is such a likeable and relatable character that it doesn't matter. I liked this and am curious now about the miniseries based on the book.
( The other books I've read so far this year: )
Book No. 18 was "The Book of Negroes" by Lawrence Hill. This is a fictional retelling of a real historical period where slaves who fought on the British side during the American Revolution were offered sanctuary in Nova Scotia and then later shipped to Freetown in Sierra Leone. The book follows the story of one African girl, Aminata, who is captured, sold into slavery, runs away, and becomes one of the blacks who works for the British. She writes the names of the black folks who have qualified for the British offer in "The Book of Negroes." But once they get to Nova Scotia, they find life is hard, the Brits don't follow through on giving them the land they were promised, and race riots decimate the black community. Aminata takes up the offer to be shipped to Sierra Leone, where she hopes to find her way back to the village where she was born. I found the book to be just a little pedantic in areas - it was obvious that Hill is trying to teach about lesser-known history of black folks in Canada. However, Aminata is such a likeable and relatable character that it doesn't matter. I liked this and am curious now about the miniseries based on the book.
( The other books I've read so far this year: )
