This was a really well rounded, and compelling story of an enslaved girl just immediately prior to the Civil War. It had the complexity of Junie being close to Violet, the daughter of her owners, but of course, still lacking freedom, safety and her own life that continues to be more noticeable to her as the book progresses. It paints a picture of slavery we know to expect and some of the horrors of it, but doesn’t focus on the brutality as much, but more on the emotional/mental aspects of Junie and her family. 

Junie’s struggle with grief at the loss of her sister, and also her self-doubt and shame were also beautifully described and portrayed. While at times her self-sabotage was frustrating and disappointing, it was understandable given how she viewed herself and the fear of more loss. I loved her conversations with Caleb and how compassionate he was with her despite how she lashed out. 

The ghost feature was a little odd but I didn’t mind it. I didn’t feel like it took away from the story even tho it added a non-realistic element to it. 

Overall, while the beginning took me a bit to get into, I really enjoyed the book a lot, especially the latter half. The writing was also excellent and flowed well. 

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.