R E K. (bigstone) - , reviewed on 4/30/2024 + 1438 more book reviews

Great tale about African slave trade seen through the eyes of Aminatta "Meena" Diallo. Kidnapped when she was eleven from her home in a village called Bayo in west Africa, she is taken to the new world. Arriving in the American colonies she must learn who among the tuoab, white people, she can trust.

A strong woman, she uses her wits, midwife skills, ability to internalize new skills quickly, and strength of character, to survive. Her goal is only to live with her Chekura, her husband, and their children, who are taken from her. Through a fluke of fate, when Britain is defeated by the Americans she is able to sign a certificate proving she has worked behind British lines for at least a year and is sent to Nova Scotia. Ending up in London, she finds the British no more able to understand her people than the Americans.

Written in a simple, honest style through Meena, this wonderful book showcases a woman who rarely passes judgement,yet offers her thoughts and perspective to others. It's a story of slavery from Africa where tribes enslave those from other tribes to America where slaves work on plantations and often treated brutally.

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