Keeper of Slaves

Book Two of Antebellum Struggles

De: Dickie Erman

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

FIVE STAR REVIEW!

Keeper of Slaves: Book Two by Dickie Erman is a historical fiction tale set in the pre-Civil War days of America in the South. This is the second part in a series of books based around the lives of some of the characters who live in New Orleans in the 1850s. The story introduces us to Trent, a plantation owner, and his wife, Collette. Trent has an affair with one of his slaves, Amana, and the resulting relationship dynamics of this are a major part of the story. There is also Senator Jeb Harrison and his wife Caroline where Jeb is having an affair of his own and Collette and Caroline are in a relationship. Then there’s also the slave Tabari and his struggle for freedom, and the help given to him by some of the people around at the risk of their own lives. Besides these, there are several other characters and the story connects all of them in different ways as we read about their joys and triumphs, their sorrows, anxieties, and suffering, and of course the sheer horror and anguish of the slave life.

I found Keeper of Slaves: Book Two to be an engrossing story and the characters are well developed, real and relatable. Most of these men and women are people that are easy to imagine as probably existing in those times. The characters have been portrayed with depth and detail and the writing itself is top-notch. I also appreciated that the book does not shy away from depicting the stark reality of slavery where possible. In fact, I hope that we see more of this in the future. I would really like to see the inner mind and workings of one or two black characters in slavery in one of the future books in a detailed and in-depth character portrayal. Overall, this is an extremely well-written book that I would recommend reading.
- GISELA DIXON
a reviewer from Readers’ Favorite



Keeper of Slaves is the second book in a series about the antebellum South, and follows the lives of not just slaves, but plantation owners and the changes they face from political and social strife.

It's important to note that, unlike most of the other books about the South during this era, Keeper of Slaves maintains a multifaceted perspective that focuses on the observations, feelings, and developments of different peoples affected by these changes. This makes for a more balanced, informational read than most: one that takes into account the motivations and emotions of all kinds of people who find themselves involved in an unexpected battle for more than just freedom.

From nervous breakdowns to revenge, illicit affairs, the threatened uprising of nearly a hundred plantation slaves, and near-tragic events that result in unexpected new connections, Keeper of Slaves more closely considers the relationship between slave and owner than competing novels.

It also provides an atmospheric read about healing on many levels, considering political entanglements and snafus, breached trust, the back-and-forth movements of businessmen and politicians vying for control and power in an increasingly unstable world, and more.

The result is an excellent book that doesn't require prior familiarity with the setting and circumstances of its predecessor; but which offers readers a fine opportunity to understanding changing relationships and even the romance which blossoms in these mercurial times.

Readers of historical novels about the period won't be disappointed with this blend of romance and history, and will find the characters captivating right down to the finish line.

D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review