Initially I wanted to describe this book as a rollercoaster but rollercoasters go up as well. This book is better described as a bungy jump into a coalmine. It starts gloomy and dives deeper and deeper into darkness. It really drives home the reality of slavery and how dehumanizing it is. The idea that slavery was "for some not that bad" is really not entertained here. Nor should it be. As Jim, the main character says: "The difference between a good and a bad master is how many strokes from the whip you get." The book draws some parallels between slavery and the situations current African Americans find themselves in. It shows how we got from then to now, as it were. It is a thrilling story with interesting character arcs. If you're white, like me, it is a bit uncomfortable too, and I like that.