This is an excellent piece of historical fiction, despite sacrificing some character development in the large sweep of time it covers. This is a good example of how you can't read just one book, like [b:Roots|546018|Roots The Saga of an American Family|Alex Haley|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1329398936s/546018.jpg|2529422], and think that you understand the experience of slaves brought to the United States. Hill avoids placing whites into "good" and "bad" boxes -- even those who seem the best, the abolitionists with whom Aminata is working when the book opens, still manage to be condescending to Aminata and treat her like a child. Some aspects of the story are unbelievable (certain people are somehow able to track Aminata down no matter where she goes), but the historical aspects appear to be well-researched, particularly the story of the compilation of the Book of Negroes for which this book was originally named. I remember hearing that the British offered freedom to slaves who fought on their side during the Revolutionary War but never knew what actually happened to them after the British lost the war. The founding of Freetown, Sierra Leone, is something else I didn't know much about. Even though I didn't have a strong personal connection to Aminata or any of the other characters, I appreciate Hill's storytelling and am glad I read this book.