What an incredible read! Lawrence Hill has written clearly about a young woman's experience as a slave. Aminita's story begins in the small town in Africa where she was raised by her loving parents, but at the age of 11 was captured by slave traders and taken to the coast.
From there her journey across the Atlantic in a slaver is given in great detail; it is an ordeal she barely survives. In South Carolina Aminita learns to read and write. Fortunately for her she is sold later on to an "enlightened" slave owner. This owner would take her to New York City where she is at the time of the American Revolution. Although she manages to escape, the future will be tough as the British take her and many other Loyalists to Nova Scotia.
Abolitionists help Aminita and many others return to Africa, where the slave trade continues. She has always wanted to see her home town. But seeing the slave trade continue to flourish helps to persuade Aminita to speak to Parliament in London about the abolition of the slave trade.
For fans of historical novels, this is a great read.
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