Toni Morrison, Beloved

Beloved is a ghost story, as well as a story about slavery, which at first may sound a bit odd but actually works really well.

Toni Morrison is highly regarded as an author, though personally I've found her a bit hit and miss- loved Jazz, couldn't understand the fuss about Mercy.

The Plot: Inspired by the true story of Margaret Garner, Beloved is set in the US during the time of slavery and after its abolition. Sethe, a runaway slave, kills her daughter and attempts to kill her other three children when men arrive to return her to Sweet Home plantation. she would rather they be dead than live in slavery. The ghost of her dead daughter haunts the family, until one day a young woman calling herself Beloved arrives on her doorstep.

Rating: 4/5

Full review under the cut:-

Alex Haley, Roots

It took me over a month to read Roots, and consequently I have a rather mixed view about the book. It has some of the most evocative descriptions I have ever read concerning the slave trade and the middle passage, but also some incredibly dull parts about cockerel fighting that I had to skip over.  

The Plot:  Alex Haley traces seven generations of his family history, from the capture and enslavement of his ancestor Kunta Kinte in 1767, through to the difficult lives of Kinte's descendants and their eventual emancipation. Roots took 10 years to research and won a special Pulitzer Prize in 1977.

 The book is not without controversy, Alex Haley was accused of plagiarism, genealogists have disputed Haley's research and critiques have challenged the authenticity of Roots. (if you want to read more about the controversy see here) 

Disputes aside, the story of Kunta Kinte is an incredibly powerful narrative. He remains dignified and defiant throughout even the most difficult circumstances. The chapters concerning Kunta Kinte's childhood and upbringing are a pleasure to read, the inhabitants of Jufureh and village life are credibly retold. Kunta Kinte's fortitude is clearly a testimony to his upbringing.

Kunte Kinta's transportation to America makes for harrowing reading. I learnt about the slave trade in school, but history textbook don't manage to covey the horror as effectively as Roots. Alex Haley manages to invoke the sights, smells and sounds of the journey. Although I can never truly imagine the cruelty and abuse of the middle passageway, Haley's descriptions go a long way in exposing the inhumanity of the traders.

Though Roots is understandably a grim novel, there are plenty of moments of humour and tenderness. The interaction between family members and the sense of community between slaves is lovely and heart-warming. Like any family, there are some eccentrics in Kunta Kinte's descendants. Chicken George is roguish and bombastic, though I do think there are way to many stories about him training cockerels and attending bird fights.