The blurb of this book describes it as a “Dickensian-style yarn”, and that is true in a number of ways – and in all the best ways! I like to think of this sort of book as a ‘fictional biography’, following one characters life and the things they experience. Through Tony’s eyes we got to experience life in 17th Century Virginia, and the hardships (and sometimes joys) that could be found there. There is a heavy dollop of social commentary too (furthering the Dickens comparison), which could feel preachy but is in fact poignant, moving, and angering.

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The prose is so beautifully written that it’s impossible not to get swept up into the story. Tony’s life takes so many turns and corners, some much darker than others, and you can’t help but feel those emotional highs and lows alongside him.

It’s also a great insight into the world in that period. Many of our modern ideas about race date back to this time, and I think we can all benefit from thinking and learning about how these ideas came into being – and how they’ve affected communities of colour since. It’s a side of American history that is often erased, and this book very deliberately widens our view.

This was a very powerful read, and one that I hope will become a modern classic.

I received a free copy for an honest review.