Bibliophile [Wench]

Interesting perspective, well written, fell short for me.

Wench: A Novel by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Interesting read, mainly to give you a feel of a very interesting time in the history of America, where a free north intersects with southern slavery. Here's your blurb:

Situated in Ohio, a free territory before the Civil War, Tawawa House is an idyllic retreat for Southern white men who vacation there every summer with their enslaved black mistresses. It’s their open secret. Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet are regulars at the resort, building strong friendships over the years. But when Mawu, as fearless as she is assured, comes along and starts talking of running away, things change. To run is to leave everything behind, and for some it also means escaping from the emotional and psychological bonds that bind them to their masters. When a fire on the resort sets off a string of tragedies, the women of Tawawa House soon learn that triumph and dehumanization are inseparable and that love exists even in the most inhuman, brutal of circumstances— all while they bear witness to the end of an era.

As I said, this was an interesting read for its portrayal of a very tense time in our nation's history. I wouldn't say it's the greatest book I've ever read, but I did think the plot line was unique. I got frustrated at the indecision of the women in the story- how could they love men who own them- but I'm sure that's how it was. Again, the perspective was a new one for me, so for that I appreciated it, but I suppose I was underwhelmed in total. It's very highly regarded as a debut novel, so don't necessarily take my word for it.

One more thing: this was a book in the P.S. series, published by HarperCollins to include extras in the back, like an interview with the author or questions for a book club. If you see a (P.S.) after the title, that's what that means- just letting you know, since I was unfamiliar with it until now.