Song Yet Sung by James McBride
Booklist Review: Wounded and imprisoned in the Chesapeake Bay attic of vicious slave hunter Patty Stanton, Liz Spocott, 19, foresees the future and leads a breakout of 14 slaves, who are then hounded by hunters from many sides. With a strong focus on the role of women, the author recounts the history of slave revolts without sentimentality in a stirring novel of cruelty, betrayal, and courage, including the part played by the young slave who runs from a kind mistress and is determined to help Liz on the "gospel train to freedom."
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6 comments:
Half way through this one and I can not put it down. Would appeal to all generations and genders. The writing is phenomenal, with phrases that I have to read aloud, since they are so poignant. This book demonstrates McBride's versatility.
Song Yet Sung looks with a different lens at slavery and the Freedom Train. What struck me was the fact that everything is shown in shades of grey – none of the characters are entirely good or evil: the white mistress loves her slaves, treats them like family, and yet considers selling them to survive economically. The slave catcher chases down runaways for money, but has deep empathy for his quarry; the slave-trader Patti Cannon is a caricature of evil, but is a mother and mother-in-law, the embodiment of good. I think this is a strong candidate for this year’s selection; what great discussions could take place in classrooms and libraries about not only the fictional characters, but all the historical aspects and links…
I just finished this book and I have been very impressed and touched by it. It is a picture of slavery that I have never had presented to me before and on top of that, the tale is an adventure that I had trouble putting down. Its power comes from the fact, I think, that McBride never directly says slavery is evil or the white folks are evil - he just shows you - with his narrative and his characters - that no matter how much the whites cared for their slaves or how much the slaves cared for their masters, the institution, by its very nature, is evil and no good could ever come out of it. What a wonderful book.
This is my top choice so far! The plot was highly engaging and had such an interesting historical twist on history. The language transported me into a time of slavery and should remind everyone of the price paid for freedom in America's recent past. This is a book I know I will read again in years to come.
Patti Folsom said: I have started Song Yet Sung and I'm very impressed. I read the Color of Water a number of years ago and I have a lot of respect for James McBride. If you go to his website, you can just leave it on in the background and enjoy his music.
Pat Brinegar says:
Unfortunately, I did not take notes when reading this novel. As I recall, however, it carries a message that is relevant today as the story takes place during our country's pathetic period of slavers and slavery. Although I did not enjoy the topic and the grim reminder of a past not to be forgotten, the author paints a poignant picture with a breadth of well drawn characters who prophetically reveal that one cannot measure the power of the human spirit.
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