In the Shadow of Sugar

by Jen Kingsford

When her enslaved daughter is sold into the clutches of the most sadistic plantation owner on the island, Perreen is desperate to free her. As Master Hodge's barbaric treatment of all on his estate escalates, mother and daughter are running out of time.
Ann, Hodge's wife, vehemently abhors the slave trade and takes great risks to secretly support its abolition. Caught in the grip of the same tyrant, the two women forge a strong friendship. While the debate over the abolition of slavery rages, their plan to escape ends in tragedy. One mother’s voice is raised in the name of justice.
Set in the British Virgin Islands and inspired by a true story, In the Shadow of Sugar, divulges the horror of the tumultuous early nineteenth century. A time when English plantation owners cling to their power at the terrible expense of the enslaved, upon whose suffering they've built their riches.

305 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 22, 2024

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was impressed by the depth of research evident in this story. The narrator is an enslaved person who conveys much of the story in authentic slave dialect, adding a raw and poignant layer to the narrative. The protagonist, Ann, shares her perspective through letters written to her deceased sister, an approach that offers a profoundly personal and emotional insight into her experiences.

The dialogue is sometimes laced with humor, providing moments of relief, but the overall subject matter is wrenching. The story delves into the brutality of slavery in the British West Indies during the early 1800s. The depiction of the cruelty inflicted by a sadistic plantation owner—both on his enslaved workers and his own family—is haunting yet entirely believable.

The author did a beautiful job bringing this story to life on the page. While some may argue that such stories should only be told by certain voices, I respectfully disagree. Only some can craft a narrative that both vividly brings the past to life and resonates with contemporary readers in a meaningful and engaging way.
I received a copy of this book from the Niche Reader.

[Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an extraordinary book, even with or because of such a heavy subject, with the narrator using the authentic slave dialect, the amount of historical research and the accurate description of situations and settings, you feel immersed in the tragic life of a slave and recently freed woman on the British Virgin Islands in the nineteenth century.
We live, along with Perreen, the now freed formerly slave, the horrors and suffering of the slaves in the island by the hand of the slave master of the plantation. With themes of cruelty, despair, suffering, domestic abuse but also of love, family and hope, this book is at times hard to read but oh so important to do so.
This period in human history is one that shouldn't be forgotten and on the contrary, should be remember so this cruelty should not be repeated.

[Vickie Tate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant and brutal. A must read to understand the reality of British slavery on the sugar plantations.