A story about relationships, unlikely friendship and loss set in the Reconstruction period following the American civil war. 
 

In his debut novel, Nathan Harris tells the story of Landry and Prentiss, to newly “freemen” who have spent their lives as slaves and are now trying to work to save money so they can travel North. They come across George, a landowner in their town Old Ox, who employees them to work and live on his farm, which is shares with his wife Isabelle. 

The return of soldiers from the Civil War reignites a forbidden love affair. The discovery of this affair collides with the brother’s struggle for freedom and peace, resulting in murder, persecution and a town besieged in chaos. 
 

The characters are diverse and different in many ways. As well as the characters who’s narrative we read, there are other characters on the side-line, some are good people, some are not. Nathan Harris writes these characters with so much depth and reality that you do feel for them and are invested in their story. 

My only negative on the characters is that I would have liked to hear from Landy and Prentiss more, they are often pushed aside for the other characters, all of whom are white. I think this is potentially a missed opportunity to give Landry and Prentiss more of a voice in a story they play such a big part of. 

The plot twist and turns, and you never quite know where the book is heading. I didn’t think it slowed at any point, I was completely invested and wanted to know what happened to each of the characters. 

Not everyone gets their happy ending, but I was not left disappointed by the end of the book. It was all wrapped up nicely, with no loose ends or cliff-hangers. 

When I first read the synopsis for this book it reminded me of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café. If you like that book, The Underground Railroad, Colour Purple or Washington Black then you will enjoy this book. 

Possibly my favourite book this year.