Washington Black

A Novel

By: Esi Edugyan

Narrated by: Dion Graham

Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW'S TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR • MAN BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST • “A gripping historical narrative exploring both the bounds of slavery and what it means to be truly free.” —Vanity Fair

Eleven-year-old George Washington Black—or Wash—a field slave on a Barbados sugar plantation, is initially terrified when he is chosen as the manservant of his master’s brother. To his surprise, however, the eccentric Christopher Wilde turns out to be a naturalist, explorer, inventor, and abolitionist. Soon Wash is initiated into a world where a flying machine can carry a man across the sky, where even a boy born in chains may embrace a life of dignity and meaning, and where two people, separated by an impossible divide, can begin to see each other as human.

But when a man is killed and a bounty is placed on Wash’s head, they must abandon everything and flee together. Over the course of their travels, what brings Wash and Christopher together will tear them apart, propelling Wash ever farther across the globe in search of his true self. Spanning the Caribbean to the frozen Far North, London to Morocco, Washington Black is a story of self-invention and betrayal, of love and redemption, and of a world destroyed and made whole again.

©2018 Esi Edugyan (P)2018 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Perfectly executed . . . Soaring . . . More than a tale of human bondage, it’s also an enthralling meditation on the weight of freedom, wrapped in a rousing adventure story stretching to the ends of the earth.” —Renée Graham, The Boston Globe

“Terrifically exciting . . . An engrossing hybrid of 19th-century adventure and contemporary subtlety, a rip-roaring tale of peril imbued with our most persistent strife . . . Discover what the rest of the world already knows: Edugyan is a magical writer.” —Ron Charles, The Washington Post

“Riveting . . . [A] towering achievement . . . Edugyan is one of our sharpest and deepest writers of historical fiction.” —David Canfield, Entertainment Weekly

Spellbinding, haunting

This took me on a journey through heartbreak and horror, love and joy. I have difficulty finding the words to adequately express how this book moved me. But I am sitting here so powerfully affected I don’t know quite what to do. But I will remember this book for a long time and will likely listen to it again and again to experience the exquisite writing Ms. Edugyan and powerful performance of Mr. Graham. Wow. Just wow.

A masterpiece, need I say more.,,

As beautifully performed as it is written, this book is a masterpiece. It explores the depth of humanity, inhumanity and the concept of emotional and physical freedom. I was in tears when the book ended. A must read,

Story fizzles out halfway through

Excellent story in the beginning, fizzled about halfway through and was hard to finish. The narrator had a breathy quality and seemed like he was almost whispering at times. He has a really great voice when he speaks a little louder. Can't say I regret listening to it, but was disappointed with the second half of the book.

A lot of interesting fragments

I kept waiting for this story to come together. Would it address the horror of slavery in Barbados? Would it describe early scientific adventures related to the air ship? What about the ship's doctor? What was the piece about the preacher who assisted runaway slaves? What were Titch's father and other men doing in the Arctic and what were the relationships among them? What was the historical context for Wash's life in Nova Scotia? What attitudes did other scientists have about the aquarium in London? How did Wash relate to Dahomey through Big Kit? This story is very imaginative, but skimming over so many interesting threads and characters and the abrupt ending made it less enjoyable for me. Maybe the story needed to be a series so that the various events and personalities could be more fully explored? Kudos to the narrator for the seamless performance.

Interesting.

Both frightening and exciting, but clouded with pessimism. The main character's personality grated on me.

Moving story

The narrator’s voice and accent took some getting used to; at first, it was difficult for me to understand and I had to start over. However, once I got used to it, it seemed suitable to the book and it was very expressive. The story was so convincing, I had to google the name to make sure it was not based on an actual person. I recommend this book.

Unexpected and compelling

I really enjoyed this book. Esi Edugyan’s writing is a pleasure to read; descriptive, poetic, and concise all at the same time. And Dion Graham does a wonderful job of adding emotion to Edugyan’s prose just as the author seemed to intend. I won’t say a word about the plot as I found it to be a delight as each event unfolded. In the end, I found his realizations to be heartbreaking.

Worth the read.

This book takes you back to slavery and the inhumane lives so many had to live through.

Outstanding Literary Accomplishment!

My family is from Barbados. The story took me home and and then into an incredible journey through the minds and hearts of incredible people and the consequences of their actions.
Beautifully written and outstanding dramatization.

Beautifully performed but story doesn’t satisfy

This historical novel provides chilling insight into the randomness of slavery’s impact on Africans who were subjected to it. However, the story itself is not cohesive or compelling. Many plot lines are left hanging and the big reveal at the end falls flat.