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Master of My Fate
A novel about one man’s journey to become his own master, from slavery in Jamaica, through to eventual freedom in colonial New South Wales. Based on a true story.
William Buchanan lived an extraordinary life. Born a slave on a plantation in Jamaica, he escaped the gallows more than once. His part in the slave uprisings of the 1830s led to his transportation across the world as one of the convicts sent to New South Wales.
This is a story not only about a boy who fought against all odds in search of freedom, but also about a world not so long ago, when the violence of colonisation was in full force. It is a story of Jamaica, and Australia, but at its heart, it is a story about how one lives a life, whether slave or free man.
William Buchanan lived an extraordinary life. Born a slave on a plantation in Jamaica, he escaped the gallows more than once. His part in the slave uprisings of the 1830s led to his transportation across the world as one of the convicts sent to New South Wales.
This is a story not only about a boy who fought against all odds in search of freedom, but also about a world not so long ago, when the violence of colonisation was in full force. It is a story of Jamaica, and Australia, but at its heart, it is a story about how one lives a life, whether slave or free man.
320 pages, Paperback
Published May 7, 2019
4 people are currently reading
150 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 23, 2020
It's not so long ago that we were cringing with embarrassment when That Fool in Canberra declared that there was no slavery in Australia, but most keyboard warriors were thinking of the unpaid labour of Indigenous people when they went into action to set him straight. Sienna Brown's debut novel, shortlisted for the 2020 ARA Historical Novel Prize, tells the story of a different kind of involuntary unpaid labour in Australia.
Based on historical research into the lives of West Indian convicts in the Hyde Park Barracks database, Brown's novel tells the story of William Buchanan, born into slavery in Jamaica in the pivotal period when abolitionists in Britain were beginning to agitate for an end to the slave trade. William narrates the story in his own patois, tracing his childhood as the less-preferred son of the plantation owner Massa Cargill and the house-slave Bessie. The narrative continues into his adulthood and participation in the rebellion led by Samuel Sharpe and the aftermath of that.
Wisely, Brown does not portray the very worst examples of slavery in Jamaica. If anyone wanted to defend slavery by claiming that atrocities were in the minority, this novel shows that even in a comparatively benign regime, slavery was still intolerable, immoral, wicked and cruel. Gone With the Wind may be a well-loved American classic for some readers, but its hero fights for the Confederate cause, i.e. to retain slavery in the south, to protect a lifestyle portrayed with contented field slaves and 'Mammy' as a member of the family. This nostalgic glorification of plantation life dependent on dutiful slavery is deeply dishonest, but in Master of My Fate the beatings, whippings, and routine rape of women shows that dutiful slavery was always underpinned by violence.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2020/12/23/m...
Based on historical research into the lives of West Indian convicts in the Hyde Park Barracks database, Brown's novel tells the story of William Buchanan, born into slavery in Jamaica in the pivotal period when abolitionists in Britain were beginning to agitate for an end to the slave trade. William narrates the story in his own patois, tracing his childhood as the less-preferred son of the plantation owner Massa Cargill and the house-slave Bessie. The narrative continues into his adulthood and participation in the rebellion led by Samuel Sharpe and the aftermath of that.
Wisely, Brown does not portray the very worst examples of slavery in Jamaica. If anyone wanted to defend slavery by claiming that atrocities were in the minority, this novel shows that even in a comparatively benign regime, slavery was still intolerable, immoral, wicked and cruel. Gone With the Wind may be a well-loved American classic for some readers, but its hero fights for the Confederate cause, i.e. to retain slavery in the south, to protect a lifestyle portrayed with contented field slaves and 'Mammy' as a member of the family. This nostalgic glorification of plantation life dependent on dutiful slavery is deeply dishonest, but in Master of My Fate the beatings, whippings, and routine rape of women shows that dutiful slavery was always underpinned by violence.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2020/12/23/m...
October 20, 2019
A tale of determination and hope. From Jamaica to Australia, from slave to convict to finally a free man, William never gives up. A truthful story that does not shy away from the complexities of the Jamaican society in the 1800s
May 27, 2019
This book follows the life of a Jamaican slave through his childhood, his rebellion as an adult and his eventual transportation to NSW. Based on a historical person, Sienna Brown has tried to give him a voice. This was such a moving book. Although the slave story has been told many times, this also delved into beliefs. There were so many memorable characters in this. I would have loved some more on his life in Australia, but probably the records end there. This is a powerful meditation on love, power, freedom and class. Highly recommended and I will be keeping an eye out for her next book.
June 25, 2019
I'm so glad I read this wonderful book. I was entirely absorbed in the world. I cared so much about these characters, and I can’t remember ever reading such an evocative portrayal of life as a slave. I loved that there wasn't too much pain and ghastliness; that would be too hard to read. Instead it’s infused with humanity and everyday life so that we can put ourselves into William’s shoes. I wanted to keep walking with him. Oh, and I cried in places. It's very moving.
March 29, 2020
A solid effort for a first novel and definitely a hard journey to navigate. The distance in time and culture is a hard gap to overcome. There was actually nothing wrong with the book and I'm happy that it exists. It was interesting enough and well written enough that I kept reading to the end.
However, as a writer there are many things about the book that could have been paid more attention to. Using dialect actually took me out of the story at the beginning as I found it laboured, however if it had of been sustained over the whole of the novel it could have been an interesting tool used to differentiate between the different cultures found in different places. And, if you are going to award one race dialect I would award it to all races given that only the upper classes would have spoke the Kings English.
Too much attention was paid to historical points, sometimes it felt like we were just connecting the dots between research points instead of making me care about the characters and creating their story and the emotion that as a fiction reader I crave. Basically not enough telling detail to make me feel the horror of what was being described.
Just a mammoth undertaking for a debut novel. Hats off to Ms Brown. Thank you for taking the action to write these stories.
However, as a writer there are many things about the book that could have been paid more attention to. Using dialect actually took me out of the story at the beginning as I found it laboured, however if it had of been sustained over the whole of the novel it could have been an interesting tool used to differentiate between the different cultures found in different places. And, if you are going to award one race dialect I would award it to all races given that only the upper classes would have spoke the Kings English.
Too much attention was paid to historical points, sometimes it felt like we were just connecting the dots between research points instead of making me care about the characters and creating their story and the emotion that as a fiction reader I crave. Basically not enough telling detail to make me feel the horror of what was being described.
Just a mammoth undertaking for a debut novel. Hats off to Ms Brown. Thank you for taking the action to write these stories.
August 13, 2022
This is a superbly beautiful and well-written story, and thanks to the writer for bringing the story of William Buchanan to life. It felt almost like reading his biography as his voice is expressed powerfully in the book. It was very detailed with cultural rituals, William's life experience, and what he witnessed from others throughout his slavery life.
Every slice of development made me hope they are inching closer to their freedom, but in the end, it's another unfortunate thing happening to the family. Stella's sacrifice is a touching one, but what happened to James hit me harder. It's just turned from good to bad within two pages.
Book Review: Master of My Fate by Sienna Brown.
Every slice of development made me hope they are inching closer to their freedom, but in the end, it's another unfortunate thing happening to the family. Stella's sacrifice is a touching one, but what happened to James hit me harder. It's just turned from good to bad within two pages.
Book Review: Master of My Fate by Sienna Brown.
October 24, 2020
This novel is a fascinating story of one William Buchanan, transported from Jamaica to New South Wales in 1835 for the crime of "Rebellion." This is an historical novel based upon Buchanan's life, first as a slave in Jamaica and then as a transported convict to Australia. The author herself was born in Jamaica and it is an interesting story in its own right to see how she came upon this story. The author also wrote in the voices of the Jamaican slaves, and although it took time as a reader to absorb this language, it demonstrated the authenticity of the author's research. The novel was long listed for the ARA Historical Literary Prize.
July 7, 2021
What a powerful and consuming book! Every time I promised myself to put it down I just had to read another chapter. The writing itself is moving and has a certain depth that allows you to really connect with the story and the characters. William's incredibly hard, sad life is described in a way that hooks the reader to feel they know him. No matter how much we want his freedom, the author portrays the world of slavery in a powerfully emotional way. I can only hope William is living a better life beyond, with those he loved, and the freedom he deserved.
July 8, 2019
Written in the voice of a Jamaican slave, this wasn't a hard read but it did require a bit of extra focus. I enjoyed the story
January 23, 2020
Good debut loved the language patois of the black slaves
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews