Title: River Sing Me Home
Author: Eleanor Shearer
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Literary/Historical Fiction
River Sing Me Home is a beautifully written book about one woman’s journey following the Emancipation Act of 1834. When told she was no longer going to be a slave on the Providence plantation, but an apprentice and not able to leave for six years, Rachel sees this as the same thing as being a slave and RUNS!
A Mother’s love is always for her children, so Rachel begins a desperate search to find her five children who survived birth and were sold. Sadly, many of her other children died at birth or due to other circumstances. But, would any of these five actually be alive!?
Rachel travels from Barbados to Georgetown to Trinidad meeting many people along the way; including a village of indigenous people. I really like this part of story that blended two cultures.
“Freedom mean something different to me. The search, that is the freedom.”
Regardless of the outcome Rachel had to know the stories of Mary Grace, Mercy, Micah, Thomas Augustine, and Cherry Jane. That was her freedom.
Rating: This book is lovely prose. Beautifully written. I really enjoyed it, but I never connected to the characters for it to reach 5 star level for me. I think I'm sitting at around a 4 star for this one. I don't know. Also, I found Rachel’s journey too easy. Someone was always there to help her. I understand that is likely the point for this soft beautiful story, however.
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