First Impressions: The Book of Negroes

I have thoroughly enjoyed the first part of this book. This novel was suggested to me by a previous teacher, she mentioned that it was a fast paced book with one exciting event after another. I started reading the book with these expectations and I have not been disappointed. This book starts out in a very interesting way. The first chapter is written as if the main character (Aminata) is speaking directly to the reader, explaining where she is now, before she tells her story. I did wonder at first, why the author chose to start his novel with the protagonist later on in life speaking towards the audience, instead of starting at the beginning of her story. I now realize that by doing this, it allowed the reader to create a stronger connection with the character. It was almost as if she were talking directly to us. The author does a great job at being very descriptive which allows the reader to clearly picture what he is describing. One image that has stuck in my mind is the trail of dead bodies in the water following behind the boat. This vivid image helps reinforce the message that the lives of the slaves were not valued. The relationship between Georgia and Aminata is very interesting to me. To me it seems very much like a mother and daughter relationship. The way Georgia acts often leads me to wonder how she has gained so much respect from the "toubabu"; it is almost as if they fear her. I have a feeling that since she is so close to Aminata something bad will happen to her, just as it has to everyone else she loved. The topic of slavery is not something that I have extensive knowledge about. I think my lack in prior knowledge has allowed me to read this book with very little bias and conflicting ideas. Something else I wondered is how did Lawrence Hill (author) become so passionate about this topic, as he would not of experienced it personally. The way he writes makes it seem like he knows the pain that these people have endured. While looking into this I discovered that his parents were deeply involved with human rights issues, which is how he got interested in this topic. Although this book was written almost 10 years ago it is still relevant, because it explores the topic of slavery. It is a well written book that grasps the reader's attention. Reading this book has made me realize that I need to start paying even more attention to the social issues in the world around me. I did not know much about slavery before and this book has made an impression on me. When I am reading a book that I am very interested in, I don't often take breaks to think about what I have read and ask questions, but while reading this book I have started to think about what I am reading.