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Africville
This debut novel is the richly woven story of a town settled by former slaves on the outskirts of Halifax, Nova Scotia, known as Africville, and of the Sebolt family, who moves there in the 1930s. Teenager Kath Ella Sebolt wants desperately to escape the town that she equates with deprivation and lack of opportunity. Months after her boyfriend is killed during a clash between young people in the village and Halifax constables, she moves with her infant son to Montreal. After attending college as a single mother, and ultimately marrying a white man, she discovers that as much as she tries, severing ties to her former village is not easy. Kath Ella’s son Etienne puts even more distance between himself and the village, first moving across the border to Vermont, and then farther south to Alabama, where he passes for white. Etienne’s son Warner finds his standing in his all-white community compromised by the sudden revelation that he has black grandparents. As the story comes full circle, Warner travels to Africville to get to know his black relatives. They, however, are suspicious of his motivations.
The family saga unfolds against the backdrop of Africville, based on a real place that has become a symbol not only of Black Canadian identity, but also of how the human spirit remains resilient in the face of adversity, tragedy and change. This beautifully written novel delves into a little-known aspect of the history of enslaved peoples. It will find a place on bookshelves next to other novels about place, such as George and Rue by George Elliot Clarke and The Known World by Edward P. Jones; cross-racial relationships, like Any Known Blood by Lawrence Hill; the multigenerational saga Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi; and the Canadian modern classic The Book of Negroes.
The family saga unfolds against the backdrop of Africville, based on a real place that has become a symbol not only of Black Canadian identity, but also of how the human spirit remains resilient in the face of adversity, tragedy and change. This beautifully written novel delves into a little-known aspect of the history of enslaved peoples. It will find a place on bookshelves next to other novels about place, such as George and Rue by George Elliot Clarke and The Known World by Edward P. Jones; cross-racial relationships, like Any Known Blood by Lawrence Hill; the multigenerational saga Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi; and the Canadian modern classic The Book of Negroes.
359 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 10, 2019
277 people are currently reading
4695 people want to read
About the author
Jeffrey Colvin
1 book108 followersJeffrey was born and raised in Alabama, but now lives in New York City where he has been teaching and doing grant writing for small community-based arts organizations.
His debut novel, Africaville, was published in December 2019 by Amistad/HarperCollins USA. The novel is also being published in Canada, France, and Australia.
An excerpt of Africaville appeared in Narrative magazine, and his other fiction, reviews and essays have appeared in Hot Metal Bridge, Painted Bride Quarterly, Rain Taxi Review of Books, The Millions, The Brooklyn Rail, and elsewhere.
Before returning to school to pursue an MFA, he served in the United States Marine Corps, and worked as an advertising analyst, congressional aide, and nonprofit manager.
He recently received a Paul Cuffee Scholarship to the Cuttyhunk Writers Residency, and a Nellie Mae Roe Distinguished Fellowship from Hambidge Center. He has received past grants and fellowships from Vermont Studio Center, Colgate University, Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center, The Norman Mailer Center, and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.
He is an assistant editor at Narrative magazine and a member of the National Book Critics Circle. He graduated from the US Naval Academy, Harvard University, and Columbia University where he received an MFA in fiction.
Photo: Nina Subin
His debut novel, Africaville, was published in December 2019 by Amistad/HarperCollins USA. The novel is also being published in Canada, France, and Australia.
An excerpt of Africaville appeared in Narrative magazine, and his other fiction, reviews and essays have appeared in Hot Metal Bridge, Painted Bride Quarterly, Rain Taxi Review of Books, The Millions, The Brooklyn Rail, and elsewhere.
Before returning to school to pursue an MFA, he served in the United States Marine Corps, and worked as an advertising analyst, congressional aide, and nonprofit manager.
He recently received a Paul Cuffee Scholarship to the Cuttyhunk Writers Residency, and a Nellie Mae Roe Distinguished Fellowship from Hambidge Center. He has received past grants and fellowships from Vermont Studio Center, Colgate University, Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center, The Norman Mailer Center, and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.
He is an assistant editor at Narrative magazine and a member of the National Book Critics Circle. He graduated from the US Naval Academy, Harvard University, and Columbia University where he received an MFA in fiction.
Photo: Nina Subin
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 231 reviews
December 18, 2019
I will start by saying that learning about this real Black community in Nova Scotia was refreshing. Multigenerational stories are my favorite but this one fell flat for me.
I could not connect to any of these characters. They all felt like I was watching them through a glass window. The first point of view we get is from Kath Ella. It seems like the author struggled to write this female character. Her thoughts and actions just didn’t seem believable. I noticed this trend throughout the book. These characters are shown to us one way but then he has them do things that are just like wait what? There were at least five characters in this book that took up a bit of space, yet there really seemed to be no point to them in the end.
I think Colvin also struggled with how to get to the next generation and it showed. It didn’t flow and you could always tell when we were done with one character and moving to the next generation. The pacing was also a bit clunky.
Every sex scene was just...awkward and made me feel uncomfortable. It was like I was watching the kind of sexual acts I would have to delete out of my search engine!
The book also seemed much longer than it really needed to be. To be honest, this would have been a DNF if I didn’t have to read this for the tour.
I think this book attempted to be the Black Canadian version of Pachinko by Min Jin Lee because the themes are very similar. However, Pachinko has a seamless flow into the next generation and characters we actually care about.
I could not connect to any of these characters. They all felt like I was watching them through a glass window. The first point of view we get is from Kath Ella. It seems like the author struggled to write this female character. Her thoughts and actions just didn’t seem believable. I noticed this trend throughout the book. These characters are shown to us one way but then he has them do things that are just like wait what? There were at least five characters in this book that took up a bit of space, yet there really seemed to be no point to them in the end.
I think Colvin also struggled with how to get to the next generation and it showed. It didn’t flow and you could always tell when we were done with one character and moving to the next generation. The pacing was also a bit clunky.
Every sex scene was just...awkward and made me feel uncomfortable. It was like I was watching the kind of sexual acts I would have to delete out of my search engine!
The book also seemed much longer than it really needed to be. To be honest, this would have been a DNF if I didn’t have to read this for the tour.
I think this book attempted to be the Black Canadian version of Pachinko by Min Jin Lee because the themes are very similar. However, Pachinko has a seamless flow into the next generation and characters we actually care about.
December 9, 2019
3.5 stars
Africaville is the story of one family in three generations over time. As former slaves, the family settles in Nova Scotia.
The family members depicted are Kath Ella, her son, Omar/Etienne, and Kath Ella’s grandson, Warner. They experience the ups and downs of the twentieth century, which unfortunately had the family experiencing more than its share of downs, inclding hardship and turmoil.
Racial prejudices exist for each generation, which contributes further to the hardship. Eventually the family leaves this place, Africaville, yet they are never too far from home figuratively because it has become a part of them.
Africaville addresses several important social issues and themes. The sense of place, of home, and belonging is at the center of the narrative. It’s also a story of this family of former slaves’ experience over time and across generations. The writing is strong and lyrical, and there’s stunning atmosphere.
Africaville is a literary work more so than is typical in historical fiction. The writing definitely takes the front seat in this story.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Africaville is the story of one family in three generations over time. As former slaves, the family settles in Nova Scotia.
The family members depicted are Kath Ella, her son, Omar/Etienne, and Kath Ella’s grandson, Warner. They experience the ups and downs of the twentieth century, which unfortunately had the family experiencing more than its share of downs, inclding hardship and turmoil.
Racial prejudices exist for each generation, which contributes further to the hardship. Eventually the family leaves this place, Africaville, yet they are never too far from home figuratively because it has become a part of them.
Africaville addresses several important social issues and themes. The sense of place, of home, and belonging is at the center of the narrative. It’s also a story of this family of former slaves’ experience over time and across generations. The writing is strong and lyrical, and there’s stunning atmosphere.
Africaville is a literary work more so than is typical in historical fiction. The writing definitely takes the front seat in this story.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
December 11, 2019
I thought the premise of this sounded so interesting - three generations of the Sebolt family are highlighted in a small town in Nova Scotia, Canada. The Sebolt family and other residents of the town settled there after they were freed from the American South, or were transported from the West Indies. I live in Buffalo, NY so Canada is a stone's throw away, but don't recall learning about this community and wanted to learn more about it.
I thought this was a very solid effort and enjoyed it, but I definitely understand why a lot of people struggled. The change in perspective was sometimes quite jarring and the mostly third person narrative (which luckily didn't bother me), made it challenging at times. I enjoy different writing styles and didn't have much trouble re-gaining my footing with said jarring, but sometimes it's hard to persevere in instances like this.
I enjoyed Kath Ella's perspective the most and found her spirit admirable against so many injustices. Particularly, with regard to her relationship with her best friend Kiendra. There is a lot to relate to here and I think if you have some patience and time, this makes for a treat for any lover of family sagas and historical fiction.
Thank you to Netgalley, Harpercollins Publishers and Jeffrey Colvin for the opportunity to read this book and provide an honest review.
Review Date: 12/11/2019
Publication Date: 12/10/2019
I thought this was a very solid effort and enjoyed it, but I definitely understand why a lot of people struggled. The change in perspective was sometimes quite jarring and the mostly third person narrative (which luckily didn't bother me), made it challenging at times. I enjoy different writing styles and didn't have much trouble re-gaining my footing with said jarring, but sometimes it's hard to persevere in instances like this.
I enjoyed Kath Ella's perspective the most and found her spirit admirable against so many injustices. Particularly, with regard to her relationship with her best friend Kiendra. There is a lot to relate to here and I think if you have some patience and time, this makes for a treat for any lover of family sagas and historical fiction.
Thank you to Netgalley, Harpercollins Publishers and Jeffrey Colvin for the opportunity to read this book and provide an honest review.
Review Date: 12/11/2019
Publication Date: 12/10/2019
September 19, 2019
A saga from Jamaica to Nova Scotia where a village community grows into Africaville. There is an arc of this story that springs up and over and down, like Noah’s rainbow – colored by the different families that mix and mingle and create a new family line. Starting out dark-skinned, with all the trials and tribulations piled on by society, the descendants at story’s end find a surprise as they reach back for family. Reacquainting, redefining and revisiting the prejudices of persons, places and communities – all considered settled present themselves again, in a different skin. Is everything the same or has it completely changed?
Lovely writing, well-drawn characters and all the history a reader needs to stay up with the flow of the narrative. With so many characters, which were needed to go through the many families involved in three plus generations, I would have liked a deeper dig at each, along with more time in the storyline before moving on to the next event and character. Also, it should be noted that this is an adult tale, with adult activities described in detail.
The rhythm of the telling felt unbalanced now and again, but the end felt steady, strong and hopeful – my kind of conclusion.
A sincere thanks to Jeffrey Colvin, HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Lovely writing, well-drawn characters and all the history a reader needs to stay up with the flow of the narrative. With so many characters, which were needed to go through the many families involved in three plus generations, I would have liked a deeper dig at each, along with more time in the storyline before moving on to the next event and character. Also, it should be noted that this is an adult tale, with adult activities described in detail.
The rhythm of the telling felt unbalanced now and again, but the end felt steady, strong and hopeful – my kind of conclusion.
A sincere thanks to Jeffrey Colvin, HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 11, 2019
Africaville by Jeffrey Colvin
Starting in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1918, this family saga carries us to 1992 with the complexities of four generations living in Canada and the U.S. It is centered around a neighborhood eventually named Africaville.
The entire story is about people being judged by where they live or lived and go to school. Heavy emphasis is placed on where to be buried, of accepting or not accepting their own race (black “passing” as white), loyalty to family and who to visit or not visit, whether far or near. Grudges are held for long periods
Most of the story is told in the third person with very little conversation or action. Much of what happens is through people’s thoughts and memories as told by the author. There is no narrator or central protagonist. People are there and then gone in the next paragraph.
I found the novel very dry not very engaging. I did not see it going anywhere for most of the story. It was a valiant effort by this author, but just didn’t do it for me.
Starting in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1918, this family saga carries us to 1992 with the complexities of four generations living in Canada and the U.S. It is centered around a neighborhood eventually named Africaville.
The entire story is about people being judged by where they live or lived and go to school. Heavy emphasis is placed on where to be buried, of accepting or not accepting their own race (black “passing” as white), loyalty to family and who to visit or not visit, whether far or near. Grudges are held for long periods
Most of the story is told in the third person with very little conversation or action. Much of what happens is through people’s thoughts and memories as told by the author. There is no narrator or central protagonist. People are there and then gone in the next paragraph.
I found the novel very dry not very engaging. I did not see it going anywhere for most of the story. It was a valiant effort by this author, but just didn’t do it for me.
April 27, 2020
This book was a disappointment. I had high hopes, which were quickly dashed by plot holes, characters with little depth, and difficult to follow transitions between scenes. Despite its fascinating premise and the many narrative possibilities of following a members of a family through the early 1900s to the 1990s, the narrative didn't deliver, and couldn't sustain my interest.
August 18, 2019
I received an unedited advanced DRC from Above the Treeline. Thank you to Amistad Publishing for allowing me to read this book for a review.
I have always hungered to know more about my ancestors and where they came from. I’ve always had a complicated relationship with my identity as an American of obvious African descent. I am relatively certain that my ancestors came to North America through the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade, I just have no idea of where we were taken and how we got to where we are today. Because of that hunger and uncertainty, I love reading stories (whether fiction or non) that follow or trace a families origins/heritage.
I honestly did not know what to expect after reading a couple of chapters of Africaville. I was raised in the US and I do not recall ever learning about blacks in Nova Scotia. Because of that, I stopped reading the book for a couple weeks so that I could research.
What I learned helped me to connect better with the book and also to understand the characters. This story mainly focuses on the lives of Kath Ella Seabolt, Omar Platt, their child Etienne, and other family members such as Omar’s mother and Etienne’s son.
It is an absolute beautifully written and heartbreaking tale of the lives some of their family’s lineage between the years of 1918-1992 and how they found their lives connected and entwined from Mississippi to Halifax.
Reading this made me realize once again, just how broad the slave trade was. Growing up in the US we are mainly only taught about slavery in the US, and very seldom learn in k-12 about the hardships that were endured by families afterwards.
Though the pace of the book is a lot more unique than other books that I have read, I thoroughly enjoyed Africaville. It has opened my eyes so much and I look forward to reading more about African descendants in Nova Scotia.
I have always hungered to know more about my ancestors and where they came from. I’ve always had a complicated relationship with my identity as an American of obvious African descent. I am relatively certain that my ancestors came to North America through the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade, I just have no idea of where we were taken and how we got to where we are today. Because of that hunger and uncertainty, I love reading stories (whether fiction or non) that follow or trace a families origins/heritage.
I honestly did not know what to expect after reading a couple of chapters of Africaville. I was raised in the US and I do not recall ever learning about blacks in Nova Scotia. Because of that, I stopped reading the book for a couple weeks so that I could research.
What I learned helped me to connect better with the book and also to understand the characters. This story mainly focuses on the lives of Kath Ella Seabolt, Omar Platt, their child Etienne, and other family members such as Omar’s mother and Etienne’s son.
It is an absolute beautifully written and heartbreaking tale of the lives some of their family’s lineage between the years of 1918-1992 and how they found their lives connected and entwined from Mississippi to Halifax.
Reading this made me realize once again, just how broad the slave trade was. Growing up in the US we are mainly only taught about slavery in the US, and very seldom learn in k-12 about the hardships that were endured by families afterwards.
Though the pace of the book is a lot more unique than other books that I have read, I thoroughly enjoyed Africaville. It has opened my eyes so much and I look forward to reading more about African descendants in Nova Scotia.
November 17, 2021
I listened to the unabridged novel, AFRICVILLE (AFRICAVILLE) written by Jeffrey Colvin and narrated by Robin Mills
12 hours:30 minutes
A ferociously talented writer makes his stunning debut with this richly woven tapestry set in a small Nova Scotia town settled in the 1800s by former slaves, that depicts several generations of one family bound together and torn apart by blood, faith, time, and fate.
Structured as a triptych, Africville chronicles the lives of three generations of the Sebolt family - Kath Ella, her son Omar/Etienne, and her grandson Warner - whose lives unfold against the tumultuous events of the twentieth century from the Great Depression of the 1930s, through the social protests of the 1960s to the economic upheavals in the 1980s.
A century earlier, Kath Ella's ancestors established a new home in Nova Scotia. Like her ancestors, Kath Ella's life is shaped by hardship - she struggles to conceive and to provide for her family during the long, bitter Canadian winters. She must also contend with the locals' lingering suspicions about the dark-skinned "outsiders" who live in their midst.
Kath Ella's fierce love for her son, Etienne, cannot help her overcome the racial prejudices that linger in this remote, tight-knit place. As he grows up, the rebellious Etienne refutes the past and decides to break from the family, threatening to upend all that Kath Ella and her people have tried to build. Over the decades, each successive generation drifts further from Africville, yet they take a piece of this indelible place with them as they make their way to Montreal, Vermont, and beyond, to the Deep South of America.
As it explores notions of identity, passing cross-racial relationships, the importance of place, and the meaning of home, AFRICVILLE tells the larger story of the black experience in parts of Canada and the United States. Vibrant and lyrical, filled with colourful details, and told in a powerful, haunting voice, this extraordinary novel is atmospheric and steeped in history.
The performance by Robin Miles was excellent! I highly recommend this intriguing and memorable historical novel written by Jeffrey Colvin. His gift of storytelling shines in Africville! A strong 4.5 stars ⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️💫
Jeffrey Colvin served in the United States Marine Corps and is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Harvard University, and Columbia University, where he received an MFA in fiction. His work has appeared in Narrative Magazine, Hot Metal Bridge, Painted Bride Quarterly, The Millions, Rain Taxi Review of Books, The Brooklyn Rail, and elsewhere. He is a member of the National Book Critics Circle and is an assistant editor at Narrative Magazine. He lives in New York City.
12 hours:30 minutes
A ferociously talented writer makes his stunning debut with this richly woven tapestry set in a small Nova Scotia town settled in the 1800s by former slaves, that depicts several generations of one family bound together and torn apart by blood, faith, time, and fate.
Structured as a triptych, Africville chronicles the lives of three generations of the Sebolt family - Kath Ella, her son Omar/Etienne, and her grandson Warner - whose lives unfold against the tumultuous events of the twentieth century from the Great Depression of the 1930s, through the social protests of the 1960s to the economic upheavals in the 1980s.
A century earlier, Kath Ella's ancestors established a new home in Nova Scotia. Like her ancestors, Kath Ella's life is shaped by hardship - she struggles to conceive and to provide for her family during the long, bitter Canadian winters. She must also contend with the locals' lingering suspicions about the dark-skinned "outsiders" who live in their midst.
Kath Ella's fierce love for her son, Etienne, cannot help her overcome the racial prejudices that linger in this remote, tight-knit place. As he grows up, the rebellious Etienne refutes the past and decides to break from the family, threatening to upend all that Kath Ella and her people have tried to build. Over the decades, each successive generation drifts further from Africville, yet they take a piece of this indelible place with them as they make their way to Montreal, Vermont, and beyond, to the Deep South of America.
As it explores notions of identity, passing cross-racial relationships, the importance of place, and the meaning of home, AFRICVILLE tells the larger story of the black experience in parts of Canada and the United States. Vibrant and lyrical, filled with colourful details, and told in a powerful, haunting voice, this extraordinary novel is atmospheric and steeped in history.
The performance by Robin Miles was excellent! I highly recommend this intriguing and memorable historical novel written by Jeffrey Colvin. His gift of storytelling shines in Africville! A strong 4.5 stars ⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️💫
Jeffrey Colvin served in the United States Marine Corps and is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Harvard University, and Columbia University, where he received an MFA in fiction. His work has appeared in Narrative Magazine, Hot Metal Bridge, Painted Bride Quarterly, The Millions, Rain Taxi Review of Books, The Brooklyn Rail, and elsewhere. He is a member of the National Book Critics Circle and is an assistant editor at Narrative Magazine. He lives in New York City.
June 4, 2024
Learning about Black life in Canada always excites me. I never really gave it much thought until reading books by Lawrence Hill. So I was excited to run across Africaville by Jeffrey Colvin. It is a multigenerational saga based on an African Canadian family in the fictional settlement of Woods Bluff, Nova Scotia Canada.
The storytelling wasn’t bad. It shifts between past and present as we discover the history of the community and its families while exploring the complexities of identity and racial heritage.
This was a slow, but steady read for me. Some readers will say it was too long, but for me it could have been even longer. I would have loved to spend more time with certain characters and flesh out their individual storylines. Necessary? No. But I think it would have been worth it.
The storytelling wasn’t bad. It shifts between past and present as we discover the history of the community and its families while exploring the complexities of identity and racial heritage.
This was a slow, but steady read for me. Some readers will say it was too long, but for me it could have been even longer. I would have loved to spend more time with certain characters and flesh out their individual storylines. Necessary? No. But I think it would have been worth it.
February 9, 2020
Being from Nova Scotia and an African Nova Scotian I was so excited to see a book written about a place I grew up hearing about from my Dad. I was excited to see someone wrote this story of a thriving African Nova Scotian community destroyed by racism.
Commence the horror. This had to be the worse book that I have ever read. This book in no way captured the history of Africville. The characters were not well developed the story it was trying to tell fell short. I would have stopped reading this mess of a book, but had to finish because I choose this book for a book club for African Heritage Month. Yeah embarrassed to admit that I choose this book.
Not sure who wrote these reviews for this book, but anyone who liked it I'm not sure we read the same book. I can't say one good thing about this book. The Book of Negros this is by far not. Sigh....so disappointed.
Commence the horror. This had to be the worse book that I have ever read. This book in no way captured the history of Africville. The characters were not well developed the story it was trying to tell fell short. I would have stopped reading this mess of a book, but had to finish because I choose this book for a book club for African Heritage Month. Yeah embarrassed to admit that I choose this book.
Not sure who wrote these reviews for this book, but anyone who liked it I'm not sure we read the same book. I can't say one good thing about this book. The Book of Negros this is by far not. Sigh....so disappointed.
April 7, 2020
Somewhere I got lost in this story - it all became very convoluted and even though I went back to re-read it didn't help. This book had so much potential and it makes me sad that I didn't enjoy it.
August 28, 2020
My thanks go to Net Galley and HarperCollins for the review copy; after publication, I used an audio book to finish it, thanks to Seattle Bibliocommons. It's available to the public now.
There are two reasons I was drawn to this story. The first is the setting, which is primarily in Nova Scotia's Black community. I have never read or heard a story set there, and so I was intrigued. There's also a Civil Rights Movement tie-in, and for me, that sealed the deal.
The book starts out as a rough read, involving dead babies and "bad luck" babies that weren't dead but needed killing. I was so horrified that I had to restart the book several times to get past it. Now that I have, I can assure you that once you're past the introduction, that's it. The dead babies are done. I'm not sure I would have lead off with this aspect, because I'm probably not the only reader to pick the book up and put it down fast. In fact, had I not owed a review, I would not have returned to it. I’m glad I did.
The story itself is ambitious, covering three generations of a family there. At the outset we have Kath Ella, who has ambition, but also a mischievous streak. I find this character interesting, but there are times when I don't understand her motivation. The story is told in the third person and not all of her thoughts are shared with us, and so there are times when I'm left scratching my head. When the end of the book arrives, I'm still wondering.
Kath's son and grandson comprise the second and third parts of the story; apparently the term used back then for passing as Caucasian was called "crowing," and we see some of that. There are too-brief passages involving the Civil Rights Movement against Jim Crow in the Southern U.S., and I am disappointed not to see more about this or have the characters involved more deeply. What I do see of it is the surface information that most readers will already know.
Toward the end there's a subplot involving getting an elderly relative out of prison, and I like this aspect of it, in particular the dialogue with the old woman.
The setting is resonantly described throughout.
All told, this is a solid work and a fine debut. I look forward to seeing whatever else Colvin has to offer. As to format, although Miles does a lovely job reading, something of the triptych is necessarily lost when we don’t see the sections unfold. For those that can go either way, I recommend the print version.
There are two reasons I was drawn to this story. The first is the setting, which is primarily in Nova Scotia's Black community. I have never read or heard a story set there, and so I was intrigued. There's also a Civil Rights Movement tie-in, and for me, that sealed the deal.
The book starts out as a rough read, involving dead babies and "bad luck" babies that weren't dead but needed killing. I was so horrified that I had to restart the book several times to get past it. Now that I have, I can assure you that once you're past the introduction, that's it. The dead babies are done. I'm not sure I would have lead off with this aspect, because I'm probably not the only reader to pick the book up and put it down fast. In fact, had I not owed a review, I would not have returned to it. I’m glad I did.
The story itself is ambitious, covering three generations of a family there. At the outset we have Kath Ella, who has ambition, but also a mischievous streak. I find this character interesting, but there are times when I don't understand her motivation. The story is told in the third person and not all of her thoughts are shared with us, and so there are times when I'm left scratching my head. When the end of the book arrives, I'm still wondering.
Kath's son and grandson comprise the second and third parts of the story; apparently the term used back then for passing as Caucasian was called "crowing," and we see some of that. There are too-brief passages involving the Civil Rights Movement against Jim Crow in the Southern U.S., and I am disappointed not to see more about this or have the characters involved more deeply. What I do see of it is the surface information that most readers will already know.
Toward the end there's a subplot involving getting an elderly relative out of prison, and I like this aspect of it, in particular the dialogue with the old woman.
The setting is resonantly described throughout.
All told, this is a solid work and a fine debut. I look forward to seeing whatever else Colvin has to offer. As to format, although Miles does a lovely job reading, something of the triptych is necessarily lost when we don’t see the sections unfold. For those that can go either way, I recommend the print version.
January 7, 2020
Comparison is seriously the theft of joy.
I went into this expecting something like Yaa Gyasi's "Homegoing" and instead I got a series of incredibly flat and slightly unbelievable characters. Not a single decision truly made sense to me, and not a single character's thoughts/actions lined up - it was just too all over the place.
However, I will say that it was pretty dope to learn about the community of Africaville (Africville) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. As an African-American, I'm always interested in seeing how others have fared in the diaspora and the communities that have been built (& sadly, usually destroyed). This book did an excellent job of sparking my curiosity regarding Africville.
I went into this expecting something like Yaa Gyasi's "Homegoing" and instead I got a series of incredibly flat and slightly unbelievable characters. Not a single decision truly made sense to me, and not a single character's thoughts/actions lined up - it was just too all over the place.
However, I will say that it was pretty dope to learn about the community of Africaville (Africville) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. As an African-American, I'm always interested in seeing how others have fared in the diaspora and the communities that have been built (& sadly, usually destroyed). This book did an excellent job of sparking my curiosity regarding Africville.
January 4, 2020
Oh I was so disappointed with this one.
I asked for it for Christmas, as I live near Africville, have been to the museum, talk about this history a lot with my students and couldn't wait to read this historical novel.
But..... the writing is very disjointed, I found it very hard to get into any of the characters.
Everything seemed so abrupt, and with no feeling behind how any of the characters got to the decisions they made or why they made the decisions they made. Also awful, awful sex scenes.
I asked for it for Christmas, as I live near Africville, have been to the museum, talk about this history a lot with my students and couldn't wait to read this historical novel.
But..... the writing is very disjointed, I found it very hard to get into any of the characters.
Everything seemed so abrupt, and with no feeling behind how any of the characters got to the decisions they made or why they made the decisions they made. Also awful, awful sex scenes.
November 17, 2019
Thank you publisher and Netgalley for this book to review. I’ve attempted several times to get into this book but I struggled again and again. I couldn’t get into this book. I’m sorry.! It had nothing to do with the content. I believe it was the authors writing style that I had a hard time with.
December 19, 2019
Read all of my reviews at bit.ly/PageBedtime
3.5/5 stars
Africaville by Jeffrey Colvin is a fictional, generational story that centers on the Sebolt and Platt families. Over the course of nearly 400 pages, the author takes us on a journey of this black family and their struggles with race, gender and other societal issues. The result is a detailed and creative novel based on historical facts that were well researched by the author.
My reading journey with this book started slowly. It was a little difficult for me to get into at first; however, I did find the storylines of Kath Ella, her son Omar/Etienne, and her grandson Warner to be engaging. I think the author did an excellent job of capturing the feel of the various time periods presented in the novel. I also appreciated his ability to vividly describe scenes without overwhelming the reader with dialogue.
The most challenging aspect of the book for me was the abrupt changes in perspective and flashbacks in time. Sometimes it took me a couple of paragraphs to re-orient myself then I'd have to go back and reread passages to get a fuller understanding. I forged ahead because of my commitment to provide a thorough review. However, if this book was one that I had picked up for leisure reading, I probably would have given up on it, which would have been a shame because the overall story was compelling. I wonder how different the novel might have been if it was divided and each generation of Sebolts/Platts had his or her own novel.
Recommendation: This is a valiant debut novel, and I think the author has a promising future in creative writing. I'd recommend this read when you have time to really delve into it.
Until next time ... Read on!
Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.
Read all of my reviews at bit.ly/PageBedtime
3.5/5 stars
Africaville by Jeffrey Colvin is a fictional, generational story that centers on the Sebolt and Platt families. Over the course of nearly 400 pages, the author takes us on a journey of this black family and their struggles with race, gender and other societal issues. The result is a detailed and creative novel based on historical facts that were well researched by the author.
My reading journey with this book started slowly. It was a little difficult for me to get into at first; however, I did find the storylines of Kath Ella, her son Omar/Etienne, and her grandson Warner to be engaging. I think the author did an excellent job of capturing the feel of the various time periods presented in the novel. I also appreciated his ability to vividly describe scenes without overwhelming the reader with dialogue.
The most challenging aspect of the book for me was the abrupt changes in perspective and flashbacks in time. Sometimes it took me a couple of paragraphs to re-orient myself then I'd have to go back and reread passages to get a fuller understanding. I forged ahead because of my commitment to provide a thorough review. However, if this book was one that I had picked up for leisure reading, I probably would have given up on it, which would have been a shame because the overall story was compelling. I wonder how different the novel might have been if it was divided and each generation of Sebolts/Platts had his or her own novel.
Recommendation: This is a valiant debut novel, and I think the author has a promising future in creative writing. I'd recommend this read when you have time to really delve into it.
Until next time ... Read on!
Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.
Read all of my reviews at bit.ly/PageBedtime
April 18, 2020
Audio 50% ebook 25% physical book 25%
Rating: rounded up 2.5
Rating: rounded up 2.5
December 18, 2019
This is one of those books that you know is going to be important and you know is going to be good. When you open the cover, you know you are going to be affected. Somehow, the author is going to reach into your heart and mind and make an imprint, whether or not you want them to. Do you know what I mean?
It's also a book that I feel will be polarizing for some because it doesn't necessarily follow a traditional story telling path. Jeffrey Colvin chose to tell a more nuanced story through the memories and experiences of multiple generations of a family living in different places. Due to his narrative style, it's a little harder to get hooked into the action of the story, but also creates a much broader and layered depiction of these towns and these people as they grow and change through time.
Africaville is a journey. It takes the reader to different countries, different civilizations, and different time periods. It's almost too much for one book, because I felt overwhelmed with the amount of information.
The characters are flawed but rendered flawlessly. There is so much depth to each person, their story, and how they impact one another for years to come. I honestly believe this book could be studied in literature classes. My English degree is begging me to write an analytical essay on the themes and cultural contexts explored by Jeffrey Colvin, but I know not everyone considers this a fun use of time.
I love reading books that expose me to different experiences and force me to open my eyes and mind to other cultures. Africaville does this almost effortlessly. I would recommend this book to anyone, anytime.
It's also a book that I feel will be polarizing for some because it doesn't necessarily follow a traditional story telling path. Jeffrey Colvin chose to tell a more nuanced story through the memories and experiences of multiple generations of a family living in different places. Due to his narrative style, it's a little harder to get hooked into the action of the story, but also creates a much broader and layered depiction of these towns and these people as they grow and change through time.
Africaville is a journey. It takes the reader to different countries, different civilizations, and different time periods. It's almost too much for one book, because I felt overwhelmed with the amount of information.
The characters are flawed but rendered flawlessly. There is so much depth to each person, their story, and how they impact one another for years to come. I honestly believe this book could be studied in literature classes. My English degree is begging me to write an analytical essay on the themes and cultural contexts explored by Jeffrey Colvin, but I know not everyone considers this a fun use of time.
I love reading books that expose me to different experiences and force me to open my eyes and mind to other cultures. Africaville does this almost effortlessly. I would recommend this book to anyone, anytime.
January 2, 2020
thoughts coming shortly
January 13, 2020
I really struggled to get through this book. There is the premise of a great story here, but the book itself feels like the storyboard plan. The characters are not developed and remain one-dimensional throughout the story. Characters are dropped off and new ones picked up without satisfying conclusions or explanations. It seemed like it was a multitude of borderline intertwined short stories, even within the same chapter. Overall, I was really looking forward to reading this but was only left with frustration and disappointment.
March 4, 2021
Goodreads app is malfunctioning a bit and I cant tell if it allowed me to give this book the 4 star rating I was attempting to give it, so wanted to clarify in a review. Families are complex and heartbreaking, society is plagued with scars and devastation and life in general is complicatedly nuanced; I think this book does a beautiful job of portraying that. I would have given it 5 stars, but there were times when dates didn't add up and dialogue didn't make sense to me. Yet I couldn't reconcile less than 4 stars given the enriching and informative content and the monumental task of telling a story that spans three generations, four technically as the story ends with a great-great grandson and his great-great grandmother finally putting the bones of grandson's great-grandfather to rest. Definitely a book I'm grateful to have the pleasure of reading, as this is a place and these are journeys I never would have known about or considered without it.
February 28, 2021
The characters never came to life. It was a book about people. Historical fiction can be so informative and yet lively. This one sadly was not.
August 29, 2024
Maybe I would have liked it more if I read my physical copy?
Read
July 10, 2020I picked up this book wanting to love it. It wasn't quite what I expected it to be. Although I was always interested to see where it would go, with each transition I felt a bit of a let down. I also found some of the description and dialogue to be very stilted and dry.
All that said, I don't regret reading it. Despite not falling in love with or caring deeply about any of the characters, something about it drew me in. It was told, for the most part, in a very factual matter that although somewhat off-putting, was also appealing. The author writes without any real emotion. Just the facts, m'am, I can imagine the author saying, and take from that what you will, which in a sense, was refreshing.
The book's description on Goodreads essentially gives all the points of the whole plot, it's really more of a summary. So unless that's what you're after, don't read it, and let the story unfold.
I will say, if you're looking for a book specifically about the lives and stories of the people of Africville, fictionalized or not, this isn't it. The community was really more bookends for the characters in the novel, with brief trips back throughout. That, actually, may be where some of my disappointment lay, as I picked this book solely on the title.
All that said, I don't regret reading it. Despite not falling in love with or caring deeply about any of the characters, something about it drew me in. It was told, for the most part, in a very factual matter that although somewhat off-putting, was also appealing. The author writes without any real emotion. Just the facts, m'am, I can imagine the author saying, and take from that what you will, which in a sense, was refreshing.
The book's description on Goodreads essentially gives all the points of the whole plot, it's really more of a summary. So unless that's what you're after, don't read it, and let the story unfold.
I will say, if you're looking for a book specifically about the lives and stories of the people of Africville, fictionalized or not, this isn't it. The community was really more bookends for the characters in the novel, with brief trips back throughout. That, actually, may be where some of my disappointment lay, as I picked this book solely on the title.
February 4, 2020
This book confused me. While a family saga, it managed to move forward in time in choppy, unexpected fashion as it followed a Black family in Halifax from the 1930s to more recent times. As new characters were encountered, the story would move back in time to show the family history. Because I was listening to this book, the suddenness of the time and situational changes was very much a challenge. Added to this was my difficulty in caring about anyone. I'd swear some of these people were aging at a faster rate than others and seemed, therefore, to be way too old for the timeline.
Part of the storyline was concerned with "crowing," which I am more accustomed to hear as "passing." But the generational nature of the storyline made this less of an issue to the characters than it might have been.
I don't recommend this book.
Part of the storyline was concerned with "crowing," which I am more accustomed to hear as "passing." But the generational nature of the storyline made this less of an issue to the characters than it might have been.
I don't recommend this book.
January 16, 2020
I'd built up such hopes for Africaville, only to be slightly let down by it. It could be that I held it to the same standard's as Lawrence Hill's Any Known Blood or The Book of Negroes, since all three have a bit of Canada/Nova Scotia/America crossover. Unfortunately, it just didn't meet that standard.
What started as a promising story line with Kath Ella was squandered initially with her son, Etienne's, story and, eventually, her grandson's. I never really got a clear picture of what the author was trying to convey or what he wanted the story to be with the latter two characters. I think I would have appreciated a deeper dive into Kath Ella's story line and more abbreviated versions of her son and grandson.
What started as a promising story line with Kath Ella was squandered initially with her son, Etienne's, story and, eventually, her grandson's. I never really got a clear picture of what the author was trying to convey or what he wanted the story to be with the latter two characters. I think I would have appreciated a deeper dive into Kath Ella's story line and more abbreviated versions of her son and grandson.
September 28, 2019
So much in this book - more usually is less but here, less left me wanting more. That there was a vibrant community of blacks in Halifax after the war, settled by escaped slaves and others, was news. Who wouldn't want to learn more? Then we meet the Sebold family and the ways in which family history and identity can change over the generations, sometimes wittingly and sometimes not. And again, more, please. This story lost points because the elisions and the lack of opportunity to explore the questions raised in greater detail.
eARC provided by publisher.
eARC provided by publisher.
January 23, 2020
I know this book has received high marks, however, I just did not care for Colvin's writing style. I certainly don't expect stories to take a linear path, but this story is all over the place, changing time periods and locations sometimes from paragraph to paragraph.
I only completed it for the history of Nova Scotia and the black communities who lived there. The themes of race, justice and redemption are well-portrayed.
An ambitious novel from a historical perspective, but the writing lacks flow and beauty.
I only completed it for the history of Nova Scotia and the black communities who lived there. The themes of race, justice and redemption are well-portrayed.
An ambitious novel from a historical perspective, but the writing lacks flow and beauty.
January 11, 2020
This is the story of three generations of the Seabolt family, descendants former slaves who settles in Wind Bluff, Nova Scotia. Legend has it that some of the first settlers back in the 18th century were American slaves who had been put on a ship headed back to Africa that was lost at sea, and these souls made their way back to shore.
By the time the story begins, it's the 1930s, and many newer residents have moved north to look for work and escape from the Jim Crow South. Kath Ella Seabolt has secured a scholarship to a Montreal college when she finds herself pregnant. She believes her life plan is ruined and that she has no choice but to settle down in her home town with her child's father, Omar. Until fate, both tragic and fortuitous, steps in. The first of three parts focuses mainly on Kath Ella, who finds a way to continue her education and marries a white French-Canadian that she meets in Montreal. It seems unlikely that she will ever return to her home town. In addition to Kath's story, this section develops a portrait of Wind Bluff and the nearby towns, also primarily black, and the conflicts among the various groups in the community: people descended from Jamaicans, Haitians, and American slaves who hold differing opinions of one another's culture.
The second part of 'Africaville' follows Kath's son Omar. Raised by his grandmother for the first few years of his life, he's smart enough to secure a spot in a good school but finds himself often challenged by the other boys. The black students, including his cousin, bait him for not being black enough, and the white boys bully him for being black. Talk about identity issues! When Kath marries, Omar is adopted by his stepfather, who insists that he change his name to Etienne. As he attends college and moves out into the world, he accepts that it's easier for him to just accept what people think they see: a white man. His wife, who is white, knows his history, and she is the one who questions why there are no photographs of his mother in the house. While Etienne loves his mother and stepfather dearly and maintains as close a relationship with them as time and distance allows, his life is clearly compartmentalized.
It's Etienne's son Warner, the focal character in Part Three, who longs to connect with his familial past, even taking a job in Alabama near the town where his grandfather Omar's parents lived before they got in trouble with the law and sent him up to Canada to be raised by his paternal grandparents. Like his father, Warner is usually taken for a white man, and for the most part, living in the Deep South, he doesn't object. But he is disturbed by the bigotry surrounding him, and he wants to know more about his great grandmother, who is serving a life sentence for murder, and about his grandmother Kath Ella and rest of the the family in Nova Scotia.
While 'Africaville' is a family saga, in many ways it is also the story of race in North American culture. I really never thought much about what life might have been like for the freed and escaped slaves who ended up n Canada. I found it an interesting book, but the pace is a bit uneven, and the author's use of several repeated motifs to connect the three parts and to show that some things change but others never do may be a bit heavy-handed.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
By the time the story begins, it's the 1930s, and many newer residents have moved north to look for work and escape from the Jim Crow South. Kath Ella Seabolt has secured a scholarship to a Montreal college when she finds herself pregnant. She believes her life plan is ruined and that she has no choice but to settle down in her home town with her child's father, Omar. Until fate, both tragic and fortuitous, steps in. The first of three parts focuses mainly on Kath Ella, who finds a way to continue her education and marries a white French-Canadian that she meets in Montreal. It seems unlikely that she will ever return to her home town. In addition to Kath's story, this section develops a portrait of Wind Bluff and the nearby towns, also primarily black, and the conflicts among the various groups in the community: people descended from Jamaicans, Haitians, and American slaves who hold differing opinions of one another's culture.
The second part of 'Africaville' follows Kath's son Omar. Raised by his grandmother for the first few years of his life, he's smart enough to secure a spot in a good school but finds himself often challenged by the other boys. The black students, including his cousin, bait him for not being black enough, and the white boys bully him for being black. Talk about identity issues! When Kath marries, Omar is adopted by his stepfather, who insists that he change his name to Etienne. As he attends college and moves out into the world, he accepts that it's easier for him to just accept what people think they see: a white man. His wife, who is white, knows his history, and she is the one who questions why there are no photographs of his mother in the house. While Etienne loves his mother and stepfather dearly and maintains as close a relationship with them as time and distance allows, his life is clearly compartmentalized.
It's Etienne's son Warner, the focal character in Part Three, who longs to connect with his familial past, even taking a job in Alabama near the town where his grandfather Omar's parents lived before they got in trouble with the law and sent him up to Canada to be raised by his paternal grandparents. Like his father, Warner is usually taken for a white man, and for the most part, living in the Deep South, he doesn't object. But he is disturbed by the bigotry surrounding him, and he wants to know more about his great grandmother, who is serving a life sentence for murder, and about his grandmother Kath Ella and rest of the the family in Nova Scotia.
While 'Africaville' is a family saga, in many ways it is also the story of race in North American culture. I really never thought much about what life might have been like for the freed and escaped slaves who ended up n Canada. I found it an interesting book, but the pace is a bit uneven, and the author's use of several repeated motifs to connect the three parts and to show that some things change but others never do may be a bit heavy-handed.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
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