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smalltownbookmom's review against another edition
4.0
A powerful debut novel that follows the lives of two women connected in unexpected ways. There was a lot going on in this book and I found it a little hard to keep track listening on audio as the perspectives and timelines switched a lot. Parts were more interesting than others for me but overall it was still a great read historical fiction read about slavery and emancipation in the South with surprise connections to Canada too. Recommended for fans of Esi Edugyan's Washington Black.
ncrozier's review against another edition
2.0
This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year... the premise was EXACTLY up my alley. The delivery, however, was not. You know when you start talking about something, and no one knows what you're talking about, because really, you started the conversation in your head and only started talking out loud halfway through? That's exactly what this book felt like. I didn't know what was happening probably 75% of the time. New people would show up, setting would change, and I was just lost.
shawnita's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
meredith_w's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
An enlightening and affecting historical novel that explores the relationships and interactions between Indigenous and Black peoples in the early to mid 1800's within the southwestern Ontario region. This book explores how both Indigenous and Black peoples' connections to the land have been impacted by colonialism - and how that influenced their relationships with each other.
It was challenging to keep track of the many character names and oral histories within the book, and I often could not stay within the flow of the story. But I was greatly rewarded by my efforts - I am sure that a reread of this book would be helpful and and provide an even more impactful experience.
It was challenging to keep track of the many character names and oral histories within the book, and I often could not stay within the flow of the story. But I was greatly rewarded by my efforts - I am sure that a reread of this book would be helpful and and provide an even more impactful experience.
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
In the Upper Country is a challenging and thought provoking piece of historical fiction looking at the connections between the United States and Canada, between Black and Indigenous peoples and the impact of colonisation. The challenge comes from the fact that there are actually two stories being told and we are moved from one to the other and back again. Figuring out the surprising connections between them is a challenge the reader gets to share with the characters. I especially enjoyed the setting, a refugee town in southwestern Ontario for Blacks fleeing slavery. I don’t think I’ve read a story set in such a community and it added a new perspective to my understanding of slavery. This story felt fresh and was undeniably well written.
Graphic: Gun violence and Slavery
Moderate: Colonisation
justabean_reads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
In a free-Black community in southern Ontario, a loner who writes for one of the black papers is asked to interview an old woman who murdered a slave catcher. The old woman will only tell her story if the interviewer offers stories in exchange, and we're off to the races. Based on the jacket, I was expecting this to a battle of wills, or storytelling competition, but the storytelling includes a found document element, and it ends up being more of a family history jigsaw puzzle.
And all of the pieces are so interesting! Part of the frame of the story is that the journalist is trying to make the old woman's story fit into a slave narrative palatable to the White abolitionist press, and how so many Black stories have been flattened by that. And boy, it doesn't fit. None of the stories fit. The other main theme is the relationship between Black and Indigenous people, from the Carolinas and Kentucky, up through Ontario and Quebec.
This novel (the author's first) was trying to do a lot of things, and I think it landed at least a lot of them, though I'm not entirely sure the whole came together for me the same way as it did in the author's head. I might understand the book better on a second reading, because there were so many layers of story upon story, all told out of sequence, that I got somewhat lost. (I would've found a family tree helpful, at some point.) I also felt that while Thomas did try to differentiate the storytelling voices, it did come off a bit samey in the end, though that's something I'm often overly picky about, so ymmv.
Which is not to say I didn't like the book! I enjoyed the hell out of the characters, and am really looking forward to what Thomas decides to do next. I think he's only going to get better.
And all of the pieces are so interesting! Part of the frame of the story is that the journalist is trying to make the old woman's story fit into a slave narrative palatable to the White abolitionist press, and how so many Black stories have been flattened by that. And boy, it doesn't fit. None of the stories fit. The other main theme is the relationship between Black and Indigenous people, from the Carolinas and Kentucky, up through Ontario and Quebec.
This novel (the author's first) was trying to do a lot of things, and I think it landed at least a lot of them, though I'm not entirely sure the whole came together for me the same way as it did in the author's head. I might understand the book better on a second reading, because there were so many layers of story upon story, all told out of sequence, that I got somewhat lost. (I would've found a family tree helpful, at some point.) I also felt that while Thomas did try to differentiate the storytelling voices, it did come off a bit samey in the end, though that's something I'm often overly picky about, so ymmv.
Which is not to say I didn't like the book! I enjoyed the hell out of the characters, and am really looking forward to what Thomas decides to do next. I think he's only going to get better.
uvahoogirl's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.5
musubi_mama's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
katwalke7's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
mbesq's review against another edition
5.0
An incredible story about the importance of storytellers and the power of being able to tell your own story.