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Then Came Faith #2
Then Came Hope: Book Two
The Civil War is over. She wants to get far away from her cruel former mistress, but the world beyond the plantation is a frightening, unknown wilderness. He has fought the good fight in Union blue; now he must fight his way home through a hostile, defeated South. Delia was born a slave and then physically and emotionally battered all of her seventeen years. Finally free, she strikes out on her own, making friends with a little band of former slaves and a handsome black soldier, Ezra Johns. Certain that God has brought Delia into his life, Ezra wonders how he can help her realize her true value. Delia's heart feels drawn to Ezra, but she struggles for feelings of worth and happiness. A long and arduous journey takes this rag-tag band of survivors through a violent flood, bitter southerners, hunger and exhaustion under a blazing summer sun, and even a murder charge and near-lynching. With the help of two humble white farmers, they at last earn train fare to Boston. Back in his home city, Ezra completes his education. However, he discovers that despite his service to his country, black men still must struggle for respect and a place in American society. His only hope for a promising future is to go West. But now that Delia has found her own success in the city, will she leave her new found happiness, and go with Ezra into the wilderness? A story of courage and resilience in the face of fierce opposition and the triumphant dignity of the human spirit
299 pages, Paperback
First published May 2, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 27, 2015
The romance is killed with KKK propaganda
Two characters are disturbing. Jack, an emancipated slave, who lusts after white women and Master, who apologetically gives a small sum of cash and his last name to a slave girl he fathered. Jack is violently killed and Master is exonerated. Of all the misdeeds that a newly freed slave could do, Gouge chooses the disgusting premise of the KKK (Birth of a Nation); that black men lust after white women. At the same time, Gouge sympathizes with a white planter who raped and impregnated enslaved black women .
Two characters are disturbing. Jack, an emancipated slave, who lusts after white women and Master, who apologetically gives a small sum of cash and his last name to a slave girl he fathered. Jack is violently killed and Master is exonerated. Of all the misdeeds that a newly freed slave could do, Gouge chooses the disgusting premise of the KKK (Birth of a Nation); that black men lust after white women. At the same time, Gouge sympathizes with a white planter who raped and impregnated enslaved black women .
July 22, 2015
Even though parts of the book seemed a bit "young adult" to me in the writing style, I got engrossed in the story and finished it in a couple of days. I thought that it gave some great examples of some of the horrors of slavery which added great detail to the story line.
The characters were pretty flushed out and you became invested in their journey North. Towards the end it did seem a bit hokey at the way Delia started fitting in.
Overall it was a good book.
The characters were pretty flushed out and you became invested in their journey North. Towards the end it did seem a bit hokey at the way Delia started fitting in.
Overall it was a good book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews