A Most Perilous World: The True Story of the Young Abolitionists and Their Crusade Against Slavery

by Kristina R. Gaddy

The stories of the four teenage children of prominent abolitionists before and during the Civil War combine to form a surprisingly familiar tapestry of struggle, disappointment, and ultimately hope.

Flowers in the Gutter author Kristina R. Gaddy tells the story of America’s tumultuous years leading up to the Civil War and of the war itself from the viewpoints of four children of famous abolitionists, including those of Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison. Gaddy crafts a surprisingly contemporary braided coming-of-age narrative, supported by meticulous research and featuring dozens of primary documents. Each of these four young people—two white, two Black—was strongly committed to the anti-slavery cause but felt just as keenly a need to make their own names, away from the often over-protective or disapproving shadows of the famous adults in their lives. This is a true story of how a torch of resistance is passed and how a new generation makes its mark.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Historical

352 pages, Hardcover

Published June 10, 2025

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

All the stars for the topic and the history of the people discussed. But I found this book to have multiple grammatical errors in it and I think I just don't enjoy Gaddy's writing (this isn't my first book by them).

I also think the print job could have been better, the font style and saturation at times was very difficult to read.

It took me almost a full month to read a little over 300 pages, I just don't see any teen patron sticking with this.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The years leading up to the American Civil War were some of the most tumultuous in the history of the United States. The concept of slavery was the most prominent topic on people’s minds, and it was not just the established adults who were involved in the struggle. Young people around the country observed what was happening and made waves in their own circles, as well, especially the children of some of the most active abolitionists of the time. And these youth all helped contribute to the great changes that emerged as a result of their stalwart efforts. This narrative nonfiction novel highlights the stories of several youth who were active abolitionists in the mid-1800s in the United States. Told in their own voices utilizing journal entries and other primary sources, the narrative gives readers insight into the thoughts and behaviors of these brave youth. Images and newspaper articles are among the additions to the novel, and these pieces bring an immediacy to the content that will help readers better connect with the protagonists across the distance created by time. Brief chapters and frequent visual changes enhance the readability of the book, and readers will appreciate being able to learn about this time of history in bite-sized segments. Though the book is fairly long and the font is small, the overall design of the book makes it well-suited to young adult readers, whether they choose to read the book in pieces or all at once. Broken into segments based on the action taking place at specific moments in time, the book gives readers ample opportunity to orient themselves to the relevant historic events as they progress through the book. Inspiring and educational, this novel gives youth a unique look into the minds of people just like them at a time when the United States was undergoing dramatic change. It is a positive addition to library and classroom collections for young adult readers.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Closer to a 4, this does go pretty in-depth for the young abolitionists who were the children of abolitionists and decided to make it part of their life's mission as well. Because of it's depth, it does read a little dryly at times but not for lack of research, Gaddy wants to paint a vivid picture of what they went through and what they thought by incorporating plenty of their own words and in the case of Garrison, poetry.

The short chapters make it move fast, plus the incorporation of primary source materials gives it a rich quality to history. And it's a different focus than a straight narrative nonfiction about history and an American experience fighting against slavery.

[Bozhena Levine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an extensively researched, well written book about the Civil War era featuring multiple primary sourced documents and adapted for a teen reader. The stories were interesting, told from the viewpoint of four children of famous abolitionists who wanted to be known for their fight against slavery in their own right, away from their famous family members. This book might prompt readers to take a deeper dive into this historical period to continue looking at it through the eyes of other young people living during this time.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using primary sources, from family papers and diaries to newspapers, the story of the children of four prominent abolitionist families come of age at the beginning of the Civil War. It's a non-fiction book and switches between the four, chronologically interspersing their letters, diaries, and narrative. I thought it was an interesting perspective, and would have very much loved reading this as a teenager/young adult as part of a history class - but still enjoyable as an adult.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book brought a new perspective to well known history. The stories were diverse and interesting. It will leave readers wanting to dive deeper in this history and inspired to both continue legacies as well as craft their own legacies.

[Amanda Shepard (Between-the-Shelves) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched and written in a way that is accessible to its teen audience. There's a lot to learn in this book, and I appreciated that teenagers were the focus in this story of the fight against slavery. It would definitely make a great addition to any high school history class.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book.

“For the star spangled banner in triumph now waves, in a land where 1/6th of people are slaves”

[M. Roxy T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author does a brilliant job in translating her extensive research into an incredible story.