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There are currently 33 member reviews
for River Sing Me Home
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Linda S. (Lilburn, GA)
A Stunner
In Eleanor Shearer's remarkable debut, River Sing Me home, the author takes her reader into territory not often addressed: a mother in search of the children stolen from her through the ravages of slavery. Moving from Barbados to Trinidad, we follow Rachel as she searches, exploring themes along the way of not only slavery but also love, freedom, and colonialism. The the writing is lyrical and emotional, the characters fully fleshed-out and real. This one is a keeper, folks.
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Patricia L. (Seward, AK)
Story that needs to be told
Rachel has birthed children, many children. Yet she is alone. Some of her children were stillborn, others died as a result of the harsh conditions on the plantations. Those who survived into their teens were stolen from her to do the owners bidding or sold to do the bidding of others in places far away. But now it is 1834 and the British Empire has abolished slavery in most of the British colonies. At Providence, Rachel's plantation, the slaves are informed, while they are free, they are now apprentices with a six-year indenture. Rachel interprets freedom literally, successfully escapes from the apprenticeship and begins a journey to find her children.
A journey to find lost children can be a predictable story line but Shearer circumvents predictability using vibrant descriptions of place and developing memorable characters in tenuous situations. Shearer draws on research and family lore to tell the story of the slaves of the Caribbean, a people forced into servitude yet utilizing all means to maintain hope that one day they can reunite with lost family. River Sing Me Home is a story that illuminates the history of slavery, the power of familial ties and the resiliency of human beings in the face of adversity. Highly recommended.
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L Donner
Revelatory Story of Courage, Tenacity, and Love
“River Sing Me Home” brings to life and awareness the depth of emotions and the true impact of slavery on victims. It is a close-up experience of the despair, desperation, and, in this case, the determination of a mother to locate and retrieve her taken children, wherever they may be. Rarely is the effect of slavery on the person relayed so comprehensibly, providing the reader with a heart-wrenching dose of reality. The author, Eleanor Shearer, has provided a masterpiece that I was hard pressed to put down before completing my read. Excellent!
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Ashleigh P. (Round Hill, VA)
Beautifully descriptive tale of loss, bravery, and reconnection.
River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer is a masterfully descriptive novel detailing the epic adventure of a runaway enslaved woman reconnecting with the ones she loves the most. The author has a powerful way of using words to place you into the scene of each chapter as it unfolds. You can feel the wind on your cheeks, hear each sound of the street or forest around you as the hair stands up on your arms due to her incredibly detailed and powerful descriptions. She layers the details in such a way, keeping them each relevant and never pedantic, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the story. Though the character development does fall a bit flat, the descriptive imagery permits the reader to be along for the journey, each step of the way.
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Nathalie M. (Cleveland, OH)
Loved it!
This book was wonderful! It was much more of an adventure than I expected. The main character, Rachel, travels about in search of her children and encounters so many interesting situations along the way. Rachel's love for her children shines throughout the novel and carries the reader through it to each of her destinations in her search.
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becmurr57
A Mother's Search
Rachel is a runaway slave in Barbados in the 19th century. The slaves have been told that they are free as the King ends slavery but now their plantation owner informs them that they must stay on to work as his apprentices...Rachel decided to flee. The main purpose is not for "freedom" per se but to find her children who were taken from her over the years.
At times a difficult story to read but Rachel is fierce and nothing will stop her from finding her five children. The people she meets, the travels she takes and what she finds along the way are all with that same mission of finding all of them.
A slow paced story with many twists & turns. And a piece of history I knew nothing about.
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Robin G. (Tallahassee, FL)
Freedom, Peace and Love
This novel is about seeking, and sometimes finding that which is sought. It highlights the courage that leads humans to reach toward freedom and peace from the midst of dire circumstances. Rachel's love for her children leads her on a perilous journey to be reunited with them. These three themes made the characters come alive, and the novel intriguing.
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