Paperback, 400 pages
Published April 8, 2019 by Vintage.
George Washington Black, or "Wash," an eleven-year-old field slave on a Barbados sugar plantation, is terrified to be chosen by his master's brother as his manservant. To his surprise, the eccentric Christopher Wilde turns out to be a naturalist, explorer, inventor, and abolitionist. Soon Wash is initiated into a world where a flying machine can carry a man across the sky, where even a boy born in chains may embrace a life of dignity and meaning--and where two people, separated by an impossible divide, can begin to see each other as human. But when a man is killed and a bounty is placed on Wash's head, Christopher and Wash must abandon everything. What follows is their flight along the eastern coast of America, and, finally, to a remote outpost in the Arctic. What brings Christopher and Wash together will tear them apart, propelling Wash even further across the globe in …
George Washington Black, or "Wash," an eleven-year-old field slave on a Barbados sugar plantation, is terrified to be chosen by his master's brother as his manservant. To his surprise, the eccentric Christopher Wilde turns out to be a naturalist, explorer, inventor, and abolitionist. Soon Wash is initiated into a world where a flying machine can carry a man across the sky, where even a boy born in chains may embrace a life of dignity and meaning--and where two people, separated by an impossible divide, can begin to see each other as human. But when a man is killed and a bounty is placed on Wash's head, Christopher and Wash must abandon everything. What follows is their flight along the eastern coast of America, and, finally, to a remote outpost in the Arctic. What brings Christopher and Wash together will tear them apart, propelling Wash even further across the globe in search of his true self.
I devoured, but slowly, because there's so much to absorb here. Not sure what coherent thoughts I have, nor am I sure how to think about the ending. But I'm so glad I finally read this!
An epic adventure, a coming-of-age story, and a long hard look at slavery and white privilege.
A beautiful piece of literary fiction.
Some sparkling passages and some mystifying narrative choices made for a decidedly mixed impression by the end
This is a very thought provoking and interesting novel. Without spilling the beans, it is not a traditional 'when bad things happen to good people' story. This tale wisely recognizes that neither good nor evil exist without their counter-part; it, also, strongly suggests my favorite HL Mencken quote: "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong."
Qa
I'm not sure how I feel about this book. Maybe it is more of a 3.5. The writing was at times really beautiful. I appreciated how the everyday, horrific violence of slavery was shown without actually becoming violence porn. I wanted to know what would happen. But I almost put it down a few times because of where I felt it was going and because it is so male focused. This book is like playing with the format of a Dickens novel, but maybe not enough for where I am at today.
Ik weet nog niet precies wat ik van het einde moet vinden, maar het zet je wel allemaal aan het denken.
I'm not a big follower of the Man Booker Prize but a handful of this year's longlist titles piqued my interest, and at the top of the pile was one adorned with an airship. It sounded like an adventure story, in the Booker! Needless to say I had to read it.
The story follows young George Washington Black, Wash for short, a slave born on a sugar plantation on Barbados. The first few chapters have a horrific familiarity to many slave stories, but the difference here, Wash is allowed to have an adventure. Esi Edugyan has argued this is a post-slavery story because of that, but you are reminded that in reality, life wouldn't have been so good for Wash.
But Wash is selected by his master's brother to help him with his experiments, specifically his airship. The relationship between Titch and Wash is awkward and highlights the complexities of …
I'm not a big follower of the Man Booker Prize but a handful of this year's longlist titles piqued my interest, and at the top of the pile was one adorned with an airship. It sounded like an adventure story, in the Booker! Needless to say I had to read it.
The story follows young George Washington Black, Wash for short, a slave born on a sugar plantation on Barbados. The first few chapters have a horrific familiarity to many slave stories, but the difference here, Wash is allowed to have an adventure. Esi Edugyan has argued this is a post-slavery story because of that, but you are reminded that in reality, life wouldn't have been so good for Wash.
But Wash is selected by his master's brother to help him with his experiments, specifically his airship. The relationship between Titch and Wash is awkward and highlights the complexities of the dynamics between slaves and white men, even when the white man is trying to be nice. Wash is a possession, he is used to following order or being punished. He can't easily fall into the jovial role of apprentice that Titch seems to want, and Titch does not truly understand.
Even when Wash is free from the plantation, he does not have true freedom. He is still a runaway slave, he is still seen as less than a white man and he is still wholly reliant on the protections afforded by Titch.
If that all seems a bit heavy, there is adventure too. From airships to pirates, the Arctic to London, Wash sees the world through the eyes of a slave. The airship didn't feature for the whole book and I must admit to being slightly disappointed that he wasn't travelling the world in it.
Wash turns out to be gifted in illustration, and this leads him to a renowned naturalist. I had the odd experience of a historical figure clicking into place, only later to look him up and find he wasn't quite that figure. Philip Henry Gosse was the man who is credited with the idea of the modern aquarium and was responsible for Ocean House at London Zoo. He was known to employ young black boys as apprentices, and he had several beautifully illustrated books published. It would not have a been a stretch to have him as Wash's mentor. But no, the character is called Goff, which is just too close for you not to assume it's the same person. I'm sure not many people are making the connection (unless you've read the zoo's history boards recently) but I felt it was an odd choice.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Dion Graham who did an excellent job as Wash. He read it as if being told by the grown up man, only resorting to childish voices in the dialogue. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it has made me want to dig out Half Blood Blues, which I know I have somewhere!
