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Book of the Little Axe
In 1796 Trinidad, young Rosa Rendón quietly but purposefully rebels against the life others expect her to lead. Bright, competitive, and opinionated, Rosa sees no reason she should learn to cook and keep house, for it is obvious her talents lie in running the farm she, alone, views as her birthright. But when her homeland changes from Spanish to British rule, it becomes increasingly unclear whether its free black property owners--Rosa's family among them--will be allowed to keep their assets, their land, and ultimately, their freedom.
By 1830, Rosa is living among the Crow Nation in Bighorn, Montana with her children and her husband, Edward Rose, a Crow chief. Her son Victor is of the age where he must seek his vision and become a man. But his path forward is blocked by secrets Rosa has kept from him. So Rosa must take him to where his story began and, in turn, retrace her own roots, acknowledging along the way, the painful events that forced her from the middle of an ocean to the rugged terrain of a far-away land.
By 1830, Rosa is living among the Crow Nation in Bighorn, Montana with her children and her husband, Edward Rose, a Crow chief. Her son Victor is of the age where he must seek his vision and become a man. But his path forward is blocked by secrets Rosa has kept from him. So Rosa must take him to where his story began and, in turn, retrace her own roots, acknowledging along the way, the painful events that forced her from the middle of an ocean to the rugged terrain of a far-away land.
14 pages, Audiobook
First published January 1, 2020
2238 people are currently reading
5973 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Francis-Sharma
3 books315 followersLauren Francis-Sharma is the author of "'Til the Well Runs Dry" and "Book of the Little Axe," which will debut May 2020. She is the Assistant Director of Bread Loaf Writer's Conference, the proprietor of D.C. Writers Room, and a MacDowell Fellow. Lauren, a former corporate lawyer, is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan Law School.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 350 reviews
October 27, 2020
Updated October 27, 2020
Re-read for BookOfCinz Book club and I am excited to see what everyone things.
Lauren Francis-Sharma weaves a captivating tale in The Book of Small Axe and when I finished reading it I was exhausted and exhilarated at the same time. WOW!
Starting in the late 1700s The Book of Small Axe spans over 33 years and goes between the present 1830 and the past 1796. Starting in Trinidad and Tobago and ending in Montana, Rosa Rendon is the glue who holds this story together.
Rosa is the youngest in the Rendon family living in Trinidad and Tobago, they are free black land and animal owners doing well for themselves. Rosa works closely with her father in the field assisting with the raising of the horses and all the farm work. By all intents, the Rendon family is living in the lap of luxury, that is until Trinidad & Tobago’s ownership switches from Spanish to British rule. Under the British rule, the Rendon family is subjected to land taxes, because they are black, they are not allowed to own land and other assets, their freedom is slowly dwindling.
Rosa’s family is slowly becoming undone, their once prosperous existence is no longer and trying to adjust from free individuals to following the rules of the British proves disastrous. Rosa is forced to leave her family and the only place she’s ever known for somewhere unknown.
Fast forward to 1830, Rosa is living amongst the Apsáalooke tribe with her three children, her husband, Edward Rose, a Crow chief. She is particularly watchful of her son Victor who is coming of age and must have a particular vision, however, this vision will not happen. Victor’s path and vision is blocked by his history and a secret Rosa kept from him. After a life changing incident, Rosa embarks on a journey with Victor to tell him about her past and reveal the secret she’s been keeping, a secret that could make or break Victor.
Small axe falls big tree.... and I think this book did such a great job of putting together small plots, with rich character that made for an unforgettable blend. I can say I have never read a book that features a Trinidadian native who ends up living with the people of Crow Nation. The entire time I was reading I kept wondering, “how did Rosa end up here?” and that for me was an added thrill, how would the author make this happen? To see that unfold was beautiful.
I felt enveloped in this experience of reading this book. I did not want to it to end, I wanted more. There are so many things I loved about this book including:
- Living in Trinidad and Tobago for over 6 years, it was great reading a historical fiction that perfectly captures what life was like for a free black family living under the Spanish reign and how that family’s life changed with the Spanish reign.
-I loved hearing about life in Trinidad back in the 1700’s it felt authentic and rich.
- As someone who loves travelling, I have always thought about what it would be like to travel in the 1800s and I think the author did an amazing job of capturing this. I felt I was on the journey with Rosa.
-The theme of colourism and race was expertly explored. There were a lot of uncomfortable moments, cringey to be honest, but it all made the experience even richer.
-To see a country go from Spanish to British rule and how that impacted the lives of the people living in the country- that was an immersive experience for me that I absolutely enjoyed. One day you speaking Spanish and the next day you are required to learn and write English… colonialism yes
-Family dynamics and relationship were so nuanced and rich. The characters were flawed, they made decision that weren’t right but you still rooted for them.
Honestly, I can go on and on about how great this book is but I will stop here. I have never read a book like this and I HIGHLY recommend it.
Please go read it.
Re-read for BookOfCinz Book club and I am excited to see what everyone things.
Lauren Francis-Sharma weaves a captivating tale in The Book of Small Axe and when I finished reading it I was exhausted and exhilarated at the same time. WOW!
Starting in the late 1700s The Book of Small Axe spans over 33 years and goes between the present 1830 and the past 1796. Starting in Trinidad and Tobago and ending in Montana, Rosa Rendon is the glue who holds this story together.
Rosa is the youngest in the Rendon family living in Trinidad and Tobago, they are free black land and animal owners doing well for themselves. Rosa works closely with her father in the field assisting with the raising of the horses and all the farm work. By all intents, the Rendon family is living in the lap of luxury, that is until Trinidad & Tobago’s ownership switches from Spanish to British rule. Under the British rule, the Rendon family is subjected to land taxes, because they are black, they are not allowed to own land and other assets, their freedom is slowly dwindling.
Rosa’s family is slowly becoming undone, their once prosperous existence is no longer and trying to adjust from free individuals to following the rules of the British proves disastrous. Rosa is forced to leave her family and the only place she’s ever known for somewhere unknown.
Fast forward to 1830, Rosa is living amongst the Apsáalooke tribe with her three children, her husband, Edward Rose, a Crow chief. She is particularly watchful of her son Victor who is coming of age and must have a particular vision, however, this vision will not happen. Victor’s path and vision is blocked by his history and a secret Rosa kept from him. After a life changing incident, Rosa embarks on a journey with Victor to tell him about her past and reveal the secret she’s been keeping, a secret that could make or break Victor.
Small axe falls big tree.... and I think this book did such a great job of putting together small plots, with rich character that made for an unforgettable blend. I can say I have never read a book that features a Trinidadian native who ends up living with the people of Crow Nation. The entire time I was reading I kept wondering, “how did Rosa end up here?” and that for me was an added thrill, how would the author make this happen? To see that unfold was beautiful.
I felt enveloped in this experience of reading this book. I did not want to it to end, I wanted more. There are so many things I loved about this book including:
- Living in Trinidad and Tobago for over 6 years, it was great reading a historical fiction that perfectly captures what life was like for a free black family living under the Spanish reign and how that family’s life changed with the Spanish reign.
-I loved hearing about life in Trinidad back in the 1700’s it felt authentic and rich.
- As someone who loves travelling, I have always thought about what it would be like to travel in the 1800s and I think the author did an amazing job of capturing this. I felt I was on the journey with Rosa.
-The theme of colourism and race was expertly explored. There were a lot of uncomfortable moments, cringey to be honest, but it all made the experience even richer.
-To see a country go from Spanish to British rule and how that impacted the lives of the people living in the country- that was an immersive experience for me that I absolutely enjoyed. One day you speaking Spanish and the next day you are required to learn and write English… colonialism yes
-Family dynamics and relationship were so nuanced and rich. The characters were flawed, they made decision that weren’t right but you still rooted for them.
Honestly, I can go on and on about how great this book is but I will stop here. I have never read a book like this and I HIGHLY recommend it.
Please go read it.
October 9, 2020
Update: October 8, 2020
At its core Book of the Little Axe is a sprawling family drama of the Americas holding within it all the messy contradictions that allow people to endure and even thrive in a world that seems to require from too many of us some measure of brokenness. Or is its core Lauren Francis-Sharma’s centering of mixed race characters, particularly those who carry an oral history of Indigenous ancestry, in light of how there are nations who now use the tools of white supremacist governments to strip them of it? Or is it about how those who exist outside of any one society’s norms survive the ruptures often forced upon them, the tainted compromises they have to make? Rather than seek to confine this work with definitions I urge you to take part in the privilege that it is to read it, especially for Rosa, who drew my focus on every page she graced, although she remained in parts elusive in contrast to Creadon’s magnetic and seemingly open, confessional voice. Bear witness to how all these breathing animated characters actualised their realities.
- My full review is at The Book Slut
May 10, 2020:
We is we.
At the end, I lay on the ground like suck out bag juice. Can't believe and can believe that this unique tale of a multilingual Trinidadian woman who sought freedom and security on Crow Nation land isn't being heralded as it should. I've never read a story quite like this one. Full review to come on The Book Slut.
Bookstagram | Twitter | The Book Slut
At its core Book of the Little Axe is a sprawling family drama of the Americas holding within it all the messy contradictions that allow people to endure and even thrive in a world that seems to require from too many of us some measure of brokenness. Or is its core Lauren Francis-Sharma’s centering of mixed race characters, particularly those who carry an oral history of Indigenous ancestry, in light of how there are nations who now use the tools of white supremacist governments to strip them of it? Or is it about how those who exist outside of any one society’s norms survive the ruptures often forced upon them, the tainted compromises they have to make? Rather than seek to confine this work with definitions I urge you to take part in the privilege that it is to read it, especially for Rosa, who drew my focus on every page she graced, although she remained in parts elusive in contrast to Creadon’s magnetic and seemingly open, confessional voice. Bear witness to how all these breathing animated characters actualised their realities.
- My full review is at The Book Slut
May 10, 2020:
We is we.
At the end, I lay on the ground like suck out bag juice. Can't believe and can believe that this unique tale of a multilingual Trinidadian woman who sought freedom and security on Crow Nation land isn't being heralded as it should. I've never read a story quite like this one. Full review to come on The Book Slut.
Bookstagram | Twitter | The Book Slut
August 31, 2020
Bighorn, 1830. Rosa Rendon grew up with Apsaalooke tribe. Her son Victor, the only one of seven children, struggles to have visions. He craves the good fortune the other boys speak off. He thinks of himself as born unlucky.
A run-away slave, young girl, appears at the tribe’s site. Victor tries to comprehend what this is all about. He doesn’t understand the life the girl describes.
One day, Victor hears words that his mother probably escaped from Trinidad. Is she like the girl? Runaway slave. He wonders what he doesn’t know about his own mother.
The story shifts back in time to the Isle of Trinidad in 1796 and reveals Rosa’s story.
The writing is certainly of a very talented writer. It is an interesting story, but of a slow progression. The historical background involving English and Spanish rule is rather light and I was hoping for more of that. It is mostly character driven story. And for such stories you need to feel a strong connection with those characters, which I didn’t.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
A run-away slave, young girl, appears at the tribe’s site. Victor tries to comprehend what this is all about. He doesn’t understand the life the girl describes.
One day, Victor hears words that his mother probably escaped from Trinidad. Is she like the girl? Runaway slave. He wonders what he doesn’t know about his own mother.
The story shifts back in time to the Isle of Trinidad in 1796 and reveals Rosa’s story.
The writing is certainly of a very talented writer. It is an interesting story, but of a slow progression. The historical background involving English and Spanish rule is rather light and I was hoping for more of that. It is mostly character driven story. And for such stories you need to feel a strong connection with those characters, which I didn’t.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 3, 2020
Extraordinary. I don't write reviews because that's not my skill. I have been an avid reader since I was 5 years old. I have read many books in my long life. I hope you will trust me when I say that this book, this entrancing novel, is truly worth 5 stars.
August 31, 2020
Book of the Little Axe
This is the story of a family. . .and how it comes to be and as it travels across continents. Because the two main stories of mother and son, with two options for the father are not joined until midway through the book, and jumps back and forth through time, it took me a long time to figure this out. Once I did, I was invested in staying to the end and understanding who and how these characters journeyed through life.
A reader gets a smattering of history of the Apsaalooke (Crow) nation, and of the island of Trinidad (transition from Spanish rule to English) along with the areas of what is now known as northern Idaho, northeastern Washington, and Montana. The tribe takes in the wanderers from Trinidad, and from there the story of Victor (who is Little Axe) unfolds with all its secrets, twists and turns. Victor is the main character, but the hero and heart of the book is his mother, Rosa, with strong supporting roles from the men in her life.
The author, through her pen, does a compelling job of taking a reader first into the island flora and tempestuous seasides of Trinidad, and then forests, underbrush, dicey cliffs and outcroppings of the landscapes of the story. As the characters moved from place to place, I felt the grit and dust, the sand between my toes, and the muddy trails compromising each footfall.
Just a warning about triggering potential as there are rapes and other violence that occurs from time to time in the narrative.
As I closed in on finishing the book, I stayed up until sunrise, and wept at the end of the journey, and that profound “we is we.” After all is said and done, I hope my family gathers itself together, evoking in a like manner that connection binding us all through time and space and experience. The author captures a description of “home” in a pure arrow that drove itself straight in my heart, a combination of words and concept I will never be able to shake:
. . .for he knew now that home was something that couldn’t be denied him; home was not one place but rather it was one experience after another, one memory after another, which left one feeling as if one had become more of who one was to become. And Victor understood he had been a fortunate young man after all. A young man of many homes.
A sincere thanks to Lauren Francis-Sharma, Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review!
This is the story of a family. . .and how it comes to be and as it travels across continents. Because the two main stories of mother and son, with two options for the father are not joined until midway through the book, and jumps back and forth through time, it took me a long time to figure this out. Once I did, I was invested in staying to the end and understanding who and how these characters journeyed through life.
A reader gets a smattering of history of the Apsaalooke (Crow) nation, and of the island of Trinidad (transition from Spanish rule to English) along with the areas of what is now known as northern Idaho, northeastern Washington, and Montana. The tribe takes in the wanderers from Trinidad, and from there the story of Victor (who is Little Axe) unfolds with all its secrets, twists and turns. Victor is the main character, but the hero and heart of the book is his mother, Rosa, with strong supporting roles from the men in her life.
The author, through her pen, does a compelling job of taking a reader first into the island flora and tempestuous seasides of Trinidad, and then forests, underbrush, dicey cliffs and outcroppings of the landscapes of the story. As the characters moved from place to place, I felt the grit and dust, the sand between my toes, and the muddy trails compromising each footfall.
Just a warning about triggering potential as there are rapes and other violence that occurs from time to time in the narrative.
As I closed in on finishing the book, I stayed up until sunrise, and wept at the end of the journey, and that profound “we is we.” After all is said and done, I hope my family gathers itself together, evoking in a like manner that connection binding us all through time and space and experience. The author captures a description of “home” in a pure arrow that drove itself straight in my heart, a combination of words and concept I will never be able to shake:
. . .for he knew now that home was something that couldn’t be denied him; home was not one place but rather it was one experience after another, one memory after another, which left one feeling as if one had become more of who one was to become. And Victor understood he had been a fortunate young man after all. A young man of many homes.
A sincere thanks to Lauren Francis-Sharma, Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review!
November 28, 2020
I loved this book. I really enjoyed the stories and how they are masterfully woven together. At first I couldn’t see how the author could do it - which is part of what makes the book so great. You are on the journey with the characters. I really enjoyed the geographic changes and the culture and history that I better appreciated along the way. I read this book because the title was interesting and I loved the author’s first book. I was curious to see what she would do with this one. It definitely does not disappoint.
November 25, 2019
Lauren Francis-Sharma weaves each character’s story along a timeline covering 33 years by jumping backward and forward in time. She does a masterful job of pacing the backstories and the narrative to keep you turning pages well into the night. I fell in love with the main character for her determination and her refusal to give up when her whole world is threatened.
Set in Trinidad, in 1796, the story of Rosa Rendón, the third child in a free black family, that own a farm and a profitable blacksmith business. Rosa is a fiercely passionate and strong willed young woman who rebels against the traditional roles of cooking, cleaning, getting married and keeping a house. When the British come to rule Trinidad and the Spanish ways and rules gradually change, Rosa’s family is threatened. They risk the loss of their property, their home, their business and their way of life.
As trouble brews in Trinidad, Rosa must leave her beloved homeland and family and travel to North America. The journey takes Rosa to Bighorn Montana. In 1830, Rosa must help Victor, her son, in this quest to find his vision by taking him back to his place of birth and reveal the secrets she has kept.
#netgalley #BookoftheLittleAxe
Set in Trinidad, in 1796, the story of Rosa Rendón, the third child in a free black family, that own a farm and a profitable blacksmith business. Rosa is a fiercely passionate and strong willed young woman who rebels against the traditional roles of cooking, cleaning, getting married and keeping a house. When the British come to rule Trinidad and the Spanish ways and rules gradually change, Rosa’s family is threatened. They risk the loss of their property, their home, their business and their way of life.
As trouble brews in Trinidad, Rosa must leave her beloved homeland and family and travel to North America. The journey takes Rosa to Bighorn Montana. In 1830, Rosa must help Victor, her son, in this quest to find his vision by taking him back to his place of birth and reveal the secrets she has kept.
#netgalley #BookoftheLittleAxe
January 1, 2021
"Il tuo Papà vuole farti sapere che, quando si guarda allo specchio, non vede un vecchio coi capelli grigi", disse Pa'.
"Vede solo il tuo splendido viso."
Prosa pazzesca, personaggi potenti, tematiche interessanti e un'ambientazione affascinante.
Le letture del 2021 non potevano iniziare meglio.
Ora però come mi riprendo?
"Vede solo il tuo splendido viso."
Prosa pazzesca, personaggi potenti, tematiche interessanti e un'ambientazione affascinante.
Le letture del 2021 non potevano iniziare meglio.
Ora però come mi riprendo?
September 14, 2020
4.5 stars.
-We does say it here in Trinidad that 'we is we'- Demas
Lauren Francis-Sharma has accomplished a sweeping family epic with book of the little axe, taking us from the lush landscapes and changing social structure in Trinidad to the wide open plains of the bisected territories of North America.
This tale encapsulates home, belonging, searching, and finding identity, place, home. The prose is rich in description and heady with meaning: Rosa thriving under her father's tutelage, her pained realization of her mother's love, her refusal to be defined by her gender, and her strength that will ensure her survival. The change that sweeps across Trinidad as the colony changes hands and how the effects cascade down to the people of the island.
The characters are layered and very human. Each having been marked by their histories and experiences as they move in a world that is intent on labeling them within the confines of background, family, and social status. The complexities woven into their characteristics is engrossing, entertaining, and off-putting, if understandable.
The atmosphere of this book is infused with social issues that permeate colonized/invaded societies; evinced in Rosa's mother clipping her nose to straighten it, the tenuous existence of free Blacks, the status and freedom afforded boys and men because..., the undesirability ascribed to her skin tone and aptitude for men's work, experiencing her own mother participating in and upholding the racial prejudices of the colonialists.
This work stands as testament to the inherent capacity for storytelling that exists in the Caribbean and the diaspora.
What an absolutely immersive and sweeping story. Steeped in family and the meaning of home.
-We does say it here in Trinidad that 'we is we'- Demas
Lauren Francis-Sharma has accomplished a sweeping family epic with book of the little axe, taking us from the lush landscapes and changing social structure in Trinidad to the wide open plains of the bisected territories of North America.
This tale encapsulates home, belonging, searching, and finding identity, place, home. The prose is rich in description and heady with meaning: Rosa thriving under her father's tutelage, her pained realization of her mother's love, her refusal to be defined by her gender, and her strength that will ensure her survival. The change that sweeps across Trinidad as the colony changes hands and how the effects cascade down to the people of the island.
The characters are layered and very human. Each having been marked by their histories and experiences as they move in a world that is intent on labeling them within the confines of background, family, and social status. The complexities woven into their characteristics is engrossing, entertaining, and off-putting, if understandable.
The atmosphere of this book is infused with social issues that permeate colonized/invaded societies; evinced in Rosa's mother clipping her nose to straighten it, the tenuous existence of free Blacks, the status and freedom afforded boys and men because..., the undesirability ascribed to her skin tone and aptitude for men's work, experiencing her own mother participating in and upholding the racial prejudices of the colonialists.
This work stands as testament to the inherent capacity for storytelling that exists in the Caribbean and the diaspora.
What an absolutely immersive and sweeping story. Steeped in family and the meaning of home.
July 28, 2020
DNF. After about 130 pages, I had to put it down and walk away. Up to that point, there were three main, different storylines and each of those three all had different timeline settings, and different geographical locations. Some characters were the same, example a girl in one of the main 3 storylines who is, in a later storyline, a mother - and those 2 separate storylines flip back and forth by chapter. As well as the 3rd main storyline that flips through time back and forth in a different location.
I'm sure there was a correlation that the author would have reached had I stuck it out. There was just too much; like the author was trying too hard by including every single thing possible.
I hope others enjoy what I couldn't.
I'm sure there was a correlation that the author would have reached had I stuck it out. There was just too much; like the author was trying too hard by including every single thing possible.
I hope others enjoy what I couldn't.
June 23, 2020
Love it! Here is why ->https://youtu.be/rvTdDMS2buc
January 3, 2021
3.5 Stars! Wow. I think the first thing to say is that overall, I did like this book a lot. It is VERY well-written and there are so many moments I stopped to read over and highlight a quote and a truism about life. The best part of this is obviously learning a little about Trinidadian colonial history and also a bit about Indigenous history. Caribbean history is not something I’ve encountered much in my reading past and certainly, Trinidadian history less so. So, this was an immersion crash course for me told through the perspective of a black mother with a storied past and her Indigenous-raised son who’s coming of age.
The premise of this book is that Rosa is raised as the somewhat-spoiled, somewhat privileged strong and brave, daughter of a black father and a mixed race mother in Trinidad. With anger, misunderstanding and resentment rife in her family, Rosa is determined to keep their family legacy alive. But with growing tensions with British colonial powers, Rosa is forced to leave her home for greener pastures across the sea. She finds a new family with the Apsáalooke people but when her firstborn son faces difficulties in the community as he comes of age, she is forced to take an epic journey with him, to teach him his past and her history so he can come into his own.
There are a lot of fantastic things about this novel- its use of language and it’s revelation of history in a humanistic way, its recognition of how we are all intrinsically flawed morally and are all capable of doing whatever it takes however despicable to ensure our own survival and the survival of our families, even its quiet ability to make you care about the different characters and get to understand them- even the ones you didn’t particularly care about. What I didn’t love about this novel is the format of storytelling. This is mostly a personal taste issue. I’m not a fan of stories that jump around timelines and then within that jump around perspectives and then also leave you hanging with each perspective. I found it a little irritating to just be getting into Rosa or Creadon or even Victor’s perspective only to be suddenly cast adrift and pick up from a random point in someone else’s story. I feel like this style also left some gaps that I would have like filled. It sometimes felt a little abstract when I think a historical fiction novel like this could have done with a bit more solid strokes- there felt like so much more I wanted to know historically (not that I’m asking for an info dump, but very interesting tidbits would be dropped in passing but then characters like Rosa or her father or anyone at all- even her “no-good” reb brother wouldn’t interact with the tidbits happening at the time around them in society). The whole story was building up to the truth about Rosa’s past and then it was dealt with in a sort of very abstract, very third-hand (to me) way, where we were left to infer what happened from clues and certain statements made. And that’s fine, I think I have a good idea of what happened but since this is what the story was building up to, I would have liked a more satisfying revelation of the secret. I would have liked a bit more information of what life was like for Rosa when she joined the Apsáalooke people. Even more of her closure a bit. Maybe this is not realistic but I felt this was a somewhat slow-moving story that built up to a conclusion that felt a little throw-way (to me).
Overall, this is a really good book and I feel like I’d definitely like to read more about the injustices of colonialism in the Caribbean told from the perspective of the people who were victimized by the colonial powers- black and indigenous people. I loved that this book also had themes that remain relevant even now including colourism (even within families), favouritism and resentment in families, difficult relationships with mothers and fathers and their sons and daughters, gender roles, and potentially toxic family secrets. I recommend this if you’re looking for some Caribbean historical fiction and want a more honest look at the evil wrought by colonialism in the Caribbean.
The premise of this book is that Rosa is raised as the somewhat-spoiled, somewhat privileged strong and brave, daughter of a black father and a mixed race mother in Trinidad. With anger, misunderstanding and resentment rife in her family, Rosa is determined to keep their family legacy alive. But with growing tensions with British colonial powers, Rosa is forced to leave her home for greener pastures across the sea. She finds a new family with the Apsáalooke people but when her firstborn son faces difficulties in the community as he comes of age, she is forced to take an epic journey with him, to teach him his past and her history so he can come into his own.
There are a lot of fantastic things about this novel- its use of language and it’s revelation of history in a humanistic way, its recognition of how we are all intrinsically flawed morally and are all capable of doing whatever it takes however despicable to ensure our own survival and the survival of our families, even its quiet ability to make you care about the different characters and get to understand them- even the ones you didn’t particularly care about. What I didn’t love about this novel is the format of storytelling. This is mostly a personal taste issue. I’m not a fan of stories that jump around timelines and then within that jump around perspectives and then also leave you hanging with each perspective. I found it a little irritating to just be getting into Rosa or Creadon or even Victor’s perspective only to be suddenly cast adrift and pick up from a random point in someone else’s story. I feel like this style also left some gaps that I would have like filled. It sometimes felt a little abstract when I think a historical fiction novel like this could have done with a bit more solid strokes- there felt like so much more I wanted to know historically (not that I’m asking for an info dump, but very interesting tidbits would be dropped in passing but then characters like Rosa or her father or anyone at all- even her “no-good” reb brother wouldn’t interact with the tidbits happening at the time around them in society). The whole story was building up to the truth about Rosa’s past and then it was dealt with in a sort of very abstract, very third-hand (to me) way, where we were left to infer what happened from clues and certain statements made. And that’s fine, I think I have a good idea of what happened but since this is what the story was building up to, I would have liked a more satisfying revelation of the secret. I would have liked a bit more information of what life was like for Rosa when she joined the Apsáalooke people. Even more of her closure a bit. Maybe this is not realistic but I felt this was a somewhat slow-moving story that built up to a conclusion that felt a little throw-way (to me).
Overall, this is a really good book and I feel like I’d definitely like to read more about the injustices of colonialism in the Caribbean told from the perspective of the people who were victimized by the colonial powers- black and indigenous people. I loved that this book also had themes that remain relevant even now including colourism (even within families), favouritism and resentment in families, difficult relationships with mothers and fathers and their sons and daughters, gender roles, and potentially toxic family secrets. I recommend this if you’re looking for some Caribbean historical fiction and want a more honest look at the evil wrought by colonialism in the Caribbean.
September 27, 2020
This book was a slow start for me but then I got into the story and last night I was still reading at 2 am. I will be thinking about the book for a while. 4+ stars. Thank you to Libraries Transform for picking this book.
May 17, 2020
In Book of the Little Axe, Francis-Sharma has accomplished something so ambitious as to feel very nearly singular. I'll write more about this work for critical review, but for now, let me say that I found it achingly painful and beautiful.
didnt-finish-didnt-start
January 4, 2021Didn’t finish. Library had as available to everyone for a joint read but i only got to 4%.
Want to read
September 15, 2020#LTBookPick
Libraries Transform Book Pick: September, 2020
Libraries Transform Book Pick: September, 2020
October 23, 2020
3.5 stars. I’ll get back to this after i collect my thought. The last quarter of this book saved it for me.
May 23, 2020
I received a free electronic ARC of this excellent historical novel from Netgalley, Lauren Francis-Sharma, and publisher Grove Atlantic - Atlantic Monthly. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. Lauren Francis-Sharma brings us a very well researched, historically accurate view into life in both Trinidad and Montana in the early years of the 1800s. Her characters are personable and honest, with that extra spice that brings them to life in the pages of this book.
Book of the Little Axe covers the period of 1796 - 1830, and follows Rosa Rendon from her family home on the Isle of Trinidad in the Caribbean as it goes through the growing pains of European control, first Spanish then the French, and finally British rule, and the effects that had on the Rendon family, father Demas a free black, mother Myra, a free mulatto, and their three children, oldest daughter Eva and youngest son Jeremias light complected like their mother, middle daughter Rosa black-skinned like her father. With each rollover of political control of the island, the family loses rights and property, eventually leading to the breakup of the family.
We follow Rosa with Creadon Rampley, who worked for the farm and blacksmith shop run by Demas in Trinidad, as they travel across the sea, across Mexico, and through the territories of the US to Kellyspell, a discarded military post located to the west of Apsaalooke Territory, in what would become Oregon Country. Rampley knew of the fort as he helped build it, and was there when it closed down. Rosa's father trusted him to get her to a safe place where Rosa would be able to be as independent as she wanted to be. That was never going to happen in Trinidad. There is a time of healing for both Rosa and Creadon at the old Post Kellyspell before Rosa meets Edward Rose and Rampley chooses to move on. Our tale is told from several first-person accounts and jogs back and forth through time but this is handled well and not too distracting. We hear from Rosa and her son, Victor, and the Creadon Rampley contributions are via his journal which Victor finds in the old military post where he and his mother find refuge after a vicious attack on them while Victor is seeking a vision quest. During his pre-teen years, Victor lived with the Amerindian tribe who called themselves Apsaalooke and were identified by the white man as the Crow tribe.
During Victor's time with the tribe, his mother Rosa was married to Edward Rose, a man of mixed heritage who had earned a place as a revered Apsaalooke war chief. Victor does not carry the black skin of his parents, looking more like his Aunt Eva and Grandmother Myra. He and Rosa spend months at the deserted military post while Victor heals broken bones and a heart that mourned his best friend, who was a part of the party who attacked them and raped his mother.
There is a LOT of history here, but it isn't pressed on the reader, just there if they find it interesting.
It is a compelling read for those of us who treasure history but also entertaining for the mystery fans out there.
pub date May 22, 2020
Grove Atlantic - Atlantic Monthly
Reviewed on Goodreads and Netscape on May 7, 2020. Reviewed on May 23, 2020 at AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
Book of the Little Axe covers the period of 1796 - 1830, and follows Rosa Rendon from her family home on the Isle of Trinidad in the Caribbean as it goes through the growing pains of European control, first Spanish then the French, and finally British rule, and the effects that had on the Rendon family, father Demas a free black, mother Myra, a free mulatto, and their three children, oldest daughter Eva and youngest son Jeremias light complected like their mother, middle daughter Rosa black-skinned like her father. With each rollover of political control of the island, the family loses rights and property, eventually leading to the breakup of the family.
We follow Rosa with Creadon Rampley, who worked for the farm and blacksmith shop run by Demas in Trinidad, as they travel across the sea, across Mexico, and through the territories of the US to Kellyspell, a discarded military post located to the west of Apsaalooke Territory, in what would become Oregon Country. Rampley knew of the fort as he helped build it, and was there when it closed down. Rosa's father trusted him to get her to a safe place where Rosa would be able to be as independent as she wanted to be. That was never going to happen in Trinidad. There is a time of healing for both Rosa and Creadon at the old Post Kellyspell before Rosa meets Edward Rose and Rampley chooses to move on. Our tale is told from several first-person accounts and jogs back and forth through time but this is handled well and not too distracting. We hear from Rosa and her son, Victor, and the Creadon Rampley contributions are via his journal which Victor finds in the old military post where he and his mother find refuge after a vicious attack on them while Victor is seeking a vision quest. During his pre-teen years, Victor lived with the Amerindian tribe who called themselves Apsaalooke and were identified by the white man as the Crow tribe.
During Victor's time with the tribe, his mother Rosa was married to Edward Rose, a man of mixed heritage who had earned a place as a revered Apsaalooke war chief. Victor does not carry the black skin of his parents, looking more like his Aunt Eva and Grandmother Myra. He and Rosa spend months at the deserted military post while Victor heals broken bones and a heart that mourned his best friend, who was a part of the party who attacked them and raped his mother.
There is a LOT of history here, but it isn't pressed on the reader, just there if they find it interesting.
It is a compelling read for those of us who treasure history but also entertaining for the mystery fans out there.
pub date May 22, 2020
Grove Atlantic - Atlantic Monthly
Reviewed on Goodreads and Netscape on May 7, 2020. Reviewed on May 23, 2020 at AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
September 26, 2020
I grabbed this book from OverDrive because it was the Libraries Transform Book Pick (unlimited checkouts) and sounded interesting. And it was. The first thing I noticed is how I know almost nothing about Caribbean history (thanks, Eurocentric U.S. public education)...but it was really no surprise that England employed all their terrible colonialist, imperialist, capitalist moves in Trinidad to the detriment of everyone who wasn't them.
The book is told in two different time periods. One moves forward in time and the other moves mostly backward, and eventually they meet. The story initially seems to center on Victor, a boy being raised in the Apsaalooke tribe in northwest North America, but then shifts more to his mother, Rosa, a free black Trinidadian who ends up in North America. Both are a bit out of place. Victor is going through a bit of a personal crisis, as he has repeatedly failed to have a vision when he goes on a quest. His mother takes him away from the camp and he ends up understanding his whole family better.
One reviewer wrote that the book has a "frustratingly cluttered narrative," and I have to agree. Cluttered is the right word. But I was still intrigued by these characters and the often intensely violent worlds in which they lived. So many lies and betrayals tangled the characters into a knot that couldn't be undone - the way Papa was beholden to DeGannes to keep his land, the way Papa betrayed enslaved people in order to keep that land, the relationship between Francine and DeGannes, how Jeremias was caught in the middle, and on and on.
If I had to pick one quotation to sum up the book, it would be this one: "'Only stories make one world seem different from the other,' Ma said. 'And then sometimes you tell the same story and it can make one world seem the same as all the others'" (99).
I remain a bit confused about the title. Ma tells Victor that a little axe can cut down a big tree, and I guess Victor is the little axe, but I'm still not sure what the big tree is. It doesn't seem to make sense that it is Like-Wind. Creadon also confused me a bit. Ma says he was a bridge and Edward was her anchor, but if his character was only there to get Rosa to North America, then it was overdeveloped. While I enjoyed this book, I am left with a sense of muddledness.
The book is told in two different time periods. One moves forward in time and the other moves mostly backward, and eventually they meet. The story initially seems to center on Victor, a boy being raised in the Apsaalooke tribe in northwest North America, but then shifts more to his mother, Rosa, a free black Trinidadian who ends up in North America. Both are a bit out of place. Victor is going through a bit of a personal crisis, as he has repeatedly failed to have a vision when he goes on a quest. His mother takes him away from the camp and he ends up understanding his whole family better.
One reviewer wrote that the book has a "frustratingly cluttered narrative," and I have to agree. Cluttered is the right word. But I was still intrigued by these characters and the often intensely violent worlds in which they lived. So many lies and betrayals tangled the characters into a knot that couldn't be undone - the way Papa was beholden to DeGannes to keep his land, the way Papa betrayed enslaved people in order to keep that land, the relationship between Francine and DeGannes, how Jeremias was caught in the middle, and on and on.
If I had to pick one quotation to sum up the book, it would be this one: "'Only stories make one world seem different from the other,' Ma said. 'And then sometimes you tell the same story and it can make one world seem the same as all the others'" (99).
I remain a bit confused about the title. Ma tells Victor that a little axe can cut down a big tree, and I guess Victor is the little axe, but I'm still not sure what the big tree is. It doesn't seem to make sense that it is Like-Wind. Creadon also confused me a bit. Ma says he was a bridge and Edward was her anchor, but if his character was only there to get Rosa to North America, then it was overdeveloped. While I enjoyed this book, I am left with a sense of muddledness.
April 28, 2020
3.5 stars. Vague spoilers below.
Francis-Sharma is clearly a talented writer. The complex storyline moves back and forth in time, and this makes the story slow to build and hard to get into. Once I did finally get a cohesive picture of what was happening, I became much more invested and interested in the story. The historical insights around colonialism, slavery, native peoples, and racism in 19th century Trinidad and America were well written and interesting. I am not convinced that the structure of back and forth in the narrative works well here; I think it actually detracts. The character development felt incomplete.
HSPs this is not the book for you. In just the first half alone we have murder, suicide, lynching, rape, death, death, and wow more death. This made for a difficult read. I was invested in Rosa and Victor's stories, but found I had to keep taking short breaks because everything would be moving along and then something else graphic and awful would happen. I understand these elements really happened in history, but due to the way the story jumps through time and place, it's one assault after another and almost starts to feel implausible. The writing does nothing to shield you from the true horrors of these events, which is probably the correct way to handle them. But nor does the writing offer enough redemptive insights to make us fully want to see these characters through to the end. Because we're not sure it's worth it.
3.5 stars for a challenging work with some really excellent writing; this is a book that ultimately felt compelling and problematic all at the same time.
Thank you netgalley for the ARC.
Francis-Sharma is clearly a talented writer. The complex storyline moves back and forth in time, and this makes the story slow to build and hard to get into. Once I did finally get a cohesive picture of what was happening, I became much more invested and interested in the story. The historical insights around colonialism, slavery, native peoples, and racism in 19th century Trinidad and America were well written and interesting. I am not convinced that the structure of back and forth in the narrative works well here; I think it actually detracts. The character development felt incomplete.
HSPs this is not the book for you. In just the first half alone we have murder, suicide, lynching, rape, death, death, and wow more death. This made for a difficult read. I was invested in Rosa and Victor's stories, but found I had to keep taking short breaks because everything would be moving along and then something else graphic and awful would happen. I understand these elements really happened in history, but due to the way the story jumps through time and place, it's one assault after another and almost starts to feel implausible. The writing does nothing to shield you from the true horrors of these events, which is probably the correct way to handle them. But nor does the writing offer enough redemptive insights to make us fully want to see these characters through to the end. Because we're not sure it's worth it.
3.5 stars for a challenging work with some really excellent writing; this is a book that ultimately felt compelling and problematic all at the same time.
Thank you netgalley for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2021
This novel left no loose ends and refused to cut any corners. I am in awe, admiration and deep appreciation for the portrait and reflection of Trinidad in this work. Though I took at least two months to get through it, I love that it paid off in the end. Lauren Francis-Sharma's writing and attention to detail was so satisfying to read.
I've read and heard Little Axe described as ambitious numerous times since I started my journey with it. When ambitious was used to describe this work it initially gave me the impression that the work had high aspirations but had not quite achieved them. What aspirations were not achieved, I have yet to notice. It is certainly a formidable work and unlike any historical fiction novels I've read before, so with that definition of ambitious, I can agree.
Quite a few people asked me whether they should read Book of the Little Axe, and my answer is the same as it usually is for most books ...yes, you should. Whether you will like the book or not is a different matter altogether. If you're into history, historical fiction and can take a slow burn then you may enjoy it.
I've read and heard Little Axe described as ambitious numerous times since I started my journey with it. When ambitious was used to describe this work it initially gave me the impression that the work had high aspirations but had not quite achieved them. What aspirations were not achieved, I have yet to notice. It is certainly a formidable work and unlike any historical fiction novels I've read before, so with that definition of ambitious, I can agree.
Quite a few people asked me whether they should read Book of the Little Axe, and my answer is the same as it usually is for most books ...yes, you should. Whether you will like the book or not is a different matter altogether. If you're into history, historical fiction and can take a slow burn then you may enjoy it.
June 25, 2020
Book of the Little Axe is a sweeping novel that covers the story of three generations of a family from Trinidad. The Rendon family story begins in Trinidad and then moves to North America, where Rosa Rendon moves after events in her home country. Trinidad is a beautiful island and the descriptions will leave the reader wanting to go see it.
Rosa Rendon is a very strong female lead character. She’s not afraid to speak her mind. She has a tendency to remind those around her that she’s just as good at some things as the men are. Sometimes, the men take offense at her attitude, but she sticks to her beliefs. Rosa is a role model that girls today can look up to. During her time though, that boldness could get her in trouble. Rosa is the daughter of Demas Rendon, who is a free Black land-owner and blacksmith. He also runs their farm and raises quality horses. Rosa prefers to work with the horses and with her Papa rather that do the housework or cooking that her sister does. She really hates that kind of work.
Trinidad was under control of the Spanish, and then the English came, took over, and colonized. That’s when things started to change for the Rendon family. They lost more and more as the years wore on under English colonial laws. This part of the story was tough to read. As a reader, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. The colonizers liked to take the land from people whose countries were colonized (they had many unethical ways to do this), and I kept worrying that this would happen to the Rendon family. It was amazing how well the author told the story so that a reader begins to really care about a fictional family.
When events go bad at home, Rosa leaves Trinidad and travels to Oregon. She eventually ends up with the Apsáalooke (Crow) tribe. Her son, Victor, grows up there. He believes that a man named Edward Rose is his father. After a tragic event, Rosa and Victor leave the tribe and travel to Kullyspell, Oregon. Along the way, they are attacked. (There is a very tough scene to read here.) Once they arrive at the abandoned military post in Kullyspell, they both start to heal. Victor finds the diary of Creadon Rampley and learns more about his family’s history.
Through back flashes to the story of Rosa and her family in Trinidad, the tale works its way up to the current time period. Victor is learning of the events in 1830 in Oregon. However, the events in Trinidad go all the way back to the end of the 1700’s. Along the way, the reader will learn a lot of history of Trinidad. In those days, women were not allowed to own land, so Rosa could not inherit her father’s land. Over the years, he has worked hard to make a successful business. But, the English arrive and start changing laws and enacting taxes. The once-successful business falls on hard times. Rosa’s father, Demas, tries to find a husband for each of his two daughters, someone who he can trust to carry on his work and inherit the land to keep it in the family. But, there are many unscrupulous forces at work.
What I liked about this book
I thought that Rosa’s character was a very interesting and complex woman. She was strong-willed and independent. The story of her life on two continents was the main focus, but Victor learning his family history was also a big part of it. So, there were several concurrent storylines to follow. Including the narrations of Creadon Rampley, there were three interwoven stories. The author pulled it off well. It took me a couple chapters to solidify in my mind who each of the characters were and what their situations were, but once that was cleared up, the story just flowed well.
I liked how the historical events on Trinidad were seen through the experiences of the Rendon family. Rosa and her father are Black, but her mother is of mixed race. Her sister and brother look more like their mother. So, things go easier on them than on Rosa and her father. The reader learns a bit of the history of Trinidad and the various colonial takeovers and how that affected the people who called it home. It affected multiple generations of the families. This is not a history that we normally get to learn about so it was all new to me.
I really liked the scenes of Victor’s life with the tribe. I love that time period in history and always enjoy reading stories of that time.
What I didn’t like
I would have liked to know what happened to the Rendon family after Rosa’s departure. I was sad that the events led to the sudden breakup of the family. They tried so hard for so many years. I worried that bad things would happen to them and that Rosa would never see them again. I wanted there to be some resolution to their story too. As a reader, their story was important to me, as was that of Rosa and Victor. Perhaps there will be a sequel in which we can see what happens to them.
I never was able to figure out the complex relationships of the Rendon family with their neighbors and friends. Some of them seemed more like enemies than friends. Some seemed eager to find a way to take Demas’ land by whatever means. It’s like they wanted him to fail so that he could not pay taxes and end up forfeiting his land. I hoped for more clarity on those relationships, but maybe the confusion is the point. It must have felt confusing for the Rendon family to have to sort out the intentions of everyone around them all the time.
Overall impression
I enjoyed this book and found it detailed and complex. With three timelines to handle, the author juggled them quite well. At times, it can be difficult to read some of the incidents that happen to these characters. You really feel for them. The author made them come to life so well that you end up seeing them as real and not fictional characters. The thing is, they could have been real. There very well could have been families like the Rendons that experienced these things. That’s the thing about historical fiction. It brings the reader into that time period and immerses you in what it was like to live through these events. The author, Lauren Francis-Sharma, accomplished this very well.
Rosa Rendon is a very strong female lead character. She’s not afraid to speak her mind. She has a tendency to remind those around her that she’s just as good at some things as the men are. Sometimes, the men take offense at her attitude, but she sticks to her beliefs. Rosa is a role model that girls today can look up to. During her time though, that boldness could get her in trouble. Rosa is the daughter of Demas Rendon, who is a free Black land-owner and blacksmith. He also runs their farm and raises quality horses. Rosa prefers to work with the horses and with her Papa rather that do the housework or cooking that her sister does. She really hates that kind of work.
Trinidad was under control of the Spanish, and then the English came, took over, and colonized. That’s when things started to change for the Rendon family. They lost more and more as the years wore on under English colonial laws. This part of the story was tough to read. As a reader, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. The colonizers liked to take the land from people whose countries were colonized (they had many unethical ways to do this), and I kept worrying that this would happen to the Rendon family. It was amazing how well the author told the story so that a reader begins to really care about a fictional family.
When events go bad at home, Rosa leaves Trinidad and travels to Oregon. She eventually ends up with the Apsáalooke (Crow) tribe. Her son, Victor, grows up there. He believes that a man named Edward Rose is his father. After a tragic event, Rosa and Victor leave the tribe and travel to Kullyspell, Oregon. Along the way, they are attacked. (There is a very tough scene to read here.) Once they arrive at the abandoned military post in Kullyspell, they both start to heal. Victor finds the diary of Creadon Rampley and learns more about his family’s history.
Through back flashes to the story of Rosa and her family in Trinidad, the tale works its way up to the current time period. Victor is learning of the events in 1830 in Oregon. However, the events in Trinidad go all the way back to the end of the 1700’s. Along the way, the reader will learn a lot of history of Trinidad. In those days, women were not allowed to own land, so Rosa could not inherit her father’s land. Over the years, he has worked hard to make a successful business. But, the English arrive and start changing laws and enacting taxes. The once-successful business falls on hard times. Rosa’s father, Demas, tries to find a husband for each of his two daughters, someone who he can trust to carry on his work and inherit the land to keep it in the family. But, there are many unscrupulous forces at work.
What I liked about this book
I thought that Rosa’s character was a very interesting and complex woman. She was strong-willed and independent. The story of her life on two continents was the main focus, but Victor learning his family history was also a big part of it. So, there were several concurrent storylines to follow. Including the narrations of Creadon Rampley, there were three interwoven stories. The author pulled it off well. It took me a couple chapters to solidify in my mind who each of the characters were and what their situations were, but once that was cleared up, the story just flowed well.
I liked how the historical events on Trinidad were seen through the experiences of the Rendon family. Rosa and her father are Black, but her mother is of mixed race. Her sister and brother look more like their mother. So, things go easier on them than on Rosa and her father. The reader learns a bit of the history of Trinidad and the various colonial takeovers and how that affected the people who called it home. It affected multiple generations of the families. This is not a history that we normally get to learn about so it was all new to me.
I really liked the scenes of Victor’s life with the tribe. I love that time period in history and always enjoy reading stories of that time.
What I didn’t like
I would have liked to know what happened to the Rendon family after Rosa’s departure. I was sad that the events led to the sudden breakup of the family. They tried so hard for so many years. I worried that bad things would happen to them and that Rosa would never see them again. I wanted there to be some resolution to their story too. As a reader, their story was important to me, as was that of Rosa and Victor. Perhaps there will be a sequel in which we can see what happens to them.
I never was able to figure out the complex relationships of the Rendon family with their neighbors and friends. Some of them seemed more like enemies than friends. Some seemed eager to find a way to take Demas’ land by whatever means. It’s like they wanted him to fail so that he could not pay taxes and end up forfeiting his land. I hoped for more clarity on those relationships, but maybe the confusion is the point. It must have felt confusing for the Rendon family to have to sort out the intentions of everyone around them all the time.
Overall impression
I enjoyed this book and found it detailed and complex. With three timelines to handle, the author juggled them quite well. At times, it can be difficult to read some of the incidents that happen to these characters. You really feel for them. The author made them come to life so well that you end up seeing them as real and not fictional characters. The thing is, they could have been real. There very well could have been families like the Rendons that experienced these things. That’s the thing about historical fiction. It brings the reader into that time period and immerses you in what it was like to live through these events. The author, Lauren Francis-Sharma, accomplished this very well.
May 12, 2020
This book was a slow burn. So much so that I almost thought I didn't like it... but it won me over in the end. What it all boils down to is that I've never read a book quite like this. A lover of historical fiction, this story put me in a time and place and among people I don't read a lot about - the Apsáalooke tribe and the island of Trinidad. It spanned years and countries and made you fall in love with and respect this tough as nails, take no prisoners woman who was born looking a little too like her African father on the island of Trinidad. Her name is Rosa Rendón and she is worth the 400 pages.
One of my biggest complaints about the book is that it starts us off with Rosa's son Victor and we view Rosa through the eyes of her self-absorbed and foolish son. It began the whole novel off on the wrong foot for me and made me feel like the story I was reading was not the story I was promised in the blurb. We also read the POV of Creadon Rampley, a man who's segments again draw away from the brilliant storyline of Rosa and her journey from Trinidad to America. Both Victor and Creadon are essential to the story and their POVs come full circle but for the first half of the novel, they made me feel like I was hearing about a powerful woman through the eyes of the men around her, instead of from her own mouth. This is all to say that the best of Francis-Sharma's writing is in the glorious bits of Rosa's POV.
From the start, we know that Rosa somehow ends up in America, partnered to an Apsáalooke man with three children. We're not sure how it's all going to play out but Francis-Sharma does a great job of unravelling all the stories in interesting and different manners. She is able to distinguish language patterns for all three characters and keep us blind to how they all connect until the end.
Rosa is a strong-ass woman. She is the youngest of three children, born to an African man and a French woman (potentially mixed? I am unclear). Her sister and brother were born with lighter skin and more widely considered "beautiful" features. Rosa looks like her father. She has dark skin and a wide nose - one which her mother makes her wear a clothespin on to help shape. She loves horses and her father and is the hardest working of her siblings, at least when it comes to the outdoor work. We get a complicated history of Trinidad through the eyes of this family. The island has been conquered by the Spanish, the French, and now the English. The white man is always in power yet many groups of African slaves, natives, etc have been brought to the island over the years to work. The Rendón's own land and Demas, the father, is a talented and respected blacksmith. They think they know their place among the inhabitants until the English take power and begin treating the island residents, especially those who are not white, like trash. There are complicated relationships between families, neighbors, and even siblings. With the insertion of Creadon Rampley, whom we've seen traipse across America running from bad bosses, murders, and on the lookout for a way to make a living, things get interesting.
This novel is a slow and heavy read until it picks up as things are revealed. It is perfect for any historical fiction lover (or even literary fiction lover) who craves new time periods, places, and people to learn about and experience.
I was given this free copy via NetGalley.com in exchange for my honest review.
One of my biggest complaints about the book is that it starts us off with Rosa's son Victor and we view Rosa through the eyes of her self-absorbed and foolish son. It began the whole novel off on the wrong foot for me and made me feel like the story I was reading was not the story I was promised in the blurb. We also read the POV of Creadon Rampley, a man who's segments again draw away from the brilliant storyline of Rosa and her journey from Trinidad to America. Both Victor and Creadon are essential to the story and their POVs come full circle but for the first half of the novel, they made me feel like I was hearing about a powerful woman through the eyes of the men around her, instead of from her own mouth. This is all to say that the best of Francis-Sharma's writing is in the glorious bits of Rosa's POV.
From the start, we know that Rosa somehow ends up in America, partnered to an Apsáalooke man with three children. We're not sure how it's all going to play out but Francis-Sharma does a great job of unravelling all the stories in interesting and different manners. She is able to distinguish language patterns for all three characters and keep us blind to how they all connect until the end.
Rosa is a strong-ass woman. She is the youngest of three children, born to an African man and a French woman (potentially mixed? I am unclear). Her sister and brother were born with lighter skin and more widely considered "beautiful" features. Rosa looks like her father. She has dark skin and a wide nose - one which her mother makes her wear a clothespin on to help shape. She loves horses and her father and is the hardest working of her siblings, at least when it comes to the outdoor work. We get a complicated history of Trinidad through the eyes of this family. The island has been conquered by the Spanish, the French, and now the English. The white man is always in power yet many groups of African slaves, natives, etc have been brought to the island over the years to work. The Rendón's own land and Demas, the father, is a talented and respected blacksmith. They think they know their place among the inhabitants until the English take power and begin treating the island residents, especially those who are not white, like trash. There are complicated relationships between families, neighbors, and even siblings. With the insertion of Creadon Rampley, whom we've seen traipse across America running from bad bosses, murders, and on the lookout for a way to make a living, things get interesting.
This novel is a slow and heavy read until it picks up as things are revealed. It is perfect for any historical fiction lover (or even literary fiction lover) who craves new time periods, places, and people to learn about and experience.
I was given this free copy via NetGalley.com in exchange for my honest review.
May 21, 2022
3 Stars
*A good story that got spread a little thin*
I added Book of the Little Axe to my list when it was picked for the Libraries Transform Book Pick. This is a wonderful program from the ALA that supports libraries and gathers data to prove that libraries help the publishing industry rather than take money from it. (Please look into the ways that the big publishers are limiting libraries’ access to books. This is a critical issue!) I wasn’t able to get to Book of the Little Axe during the promotional period, but I still wanted to read it and support the program.
The story was confusing at first. It started out drastically different from the publisher’s description. The description is about young Rosa Rendón dealing with societal expectations and the struggle of black people in Trinidad when Britain took over. I thought the story would be told chronologically and that the events about Rosa’s eventual emigration would follow later in the story. So I was surprised and perplexed when the whole first section of the book was about her son. Eventually, the story did jump back to Rosa’s childhood in Trinidad. After that, it started switching back and forth between the mother's early years and “current day” storyline. It was still a little confusing, but some pieces started to come together.
But then the narrative also introduced diary entries by a seemingly random side character. It was one timeline too many, and things felt overly muddled after that. I’m not a fan of non-chronological stories anyway, but that combined with the multiple points of view into something that felt like work to keep track of what was happening when and to whom. One of the reasons I don’t like non-chronological stories is that they tend to spoil whatever happened in the “past” sections making things seem repetitive and anticlimactic.
I would have enjoyed this story so much more if it had been told chronologically and in a more cohesive manner. There were many compelling aspects to the characters and the story, but the jumping around between times and points of view made things hard to follow. I liked that Book of the Little Axe covered a less-known part of history and was a diverse story. The author did make the settings come alive. But the format of the book made it hard for me to connect with it.
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 3 Stars
Writing Style: 4 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
Level of Captivation: 3 Stars
Originality: 4 Stars
*A good story that got spread a little thin*
I added Book of the Little Axe to my list when it was picked for the Libraries Transform Book Pick. This is a wonderful program from the ALA that supports libraries and gathers data to prove that libraries help the publishing industry rather than take money from it. (Please look into the ways that the big publishers are limiting libraries’ access to books. This is a critical issue!) I wasn’t able to get to Book of the Little Axe during the promotional period, but I still wanted to read it and support the program.
“he knew now that home was something that couldn’t be denied him; home was not one place but rather it was one experience after another, one memory after another that left one feeling as if one had become more of who one was to become.”
The story was confusing at first. It started out drastically different from the publisher’s description. The description is about young Rosa Rendón dealing with societal expectations and the struggle of black people in Trinidad when Britain took over. I thought the story would be told chronologically and that the events about Rosa’s eventual emigration would follow later in the story. So I was surprised and perplexed when the whole first section of the book was about her son. Eventually, the story did jump back to Rosa’s childhood in Trinidad. After that, it started switching back and forth between the mother's early years and “current day” storyline. It was still a little confusing, but some pieces started to come together.
“My mother hoped only to be free,” she said one night. “And now that I’m free I do not know what else there is to hope for.”
But then the narrative also introduced diary entries by a seemingly random side character. It was one timeline too many, and things felt overly muddled after that. I’m not a fan of non-chronological stories anyway, but that combined with the multiple points of view into something that felt like work to keep track of what was happening when and to whom. One of the reasons I don’t like non-chronological stories is that they tend to spoil whatever happened in the “past” sections making things seem repetitive and anticlimactic.
I would have enjoyed this story so much more if it had been told chronologically and in a more cohesive manner. There were many compelling aspects to the characters and the story, but the jumping around between times and points of view made things hard to follow. I liked that Book of the Little Axe covered a less-known part of history and was a diverse story. The author did make the settings come alive. But the format of the book made it hard for me to connect with it.
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 3 Stars
Writing Style: 4 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
Level of Captivation: 3 Stars
Originality: 4 Stars
October 9, 2020
Beautifully written. One of the best works of historical fiction I’ve read in a while.
May 15, 2020
ARC via Netgalley
I tried to like this book, and I think I succeeded for the most part. But it took a lot of bloody-mindedness on my part to get through the first few chapters. In historical fiction that spans two different timelines, I usually tend to like one timeline more than the other. Almost all the times, it would be the older timeline - things are just more compelling when its issues are more alien to me. But in this one, I preferred the later timeline, even though nothing much happened other than a boy slowly finding out the truth about who he is.
I picked it up for the colonial history, but it turned out to be more a family drama. That’s perfectly okay, but I could not care for the members of the Rendon family, Rosa included. I did not see the love and filial loyalty except maybe from Eve. They say we is we and mean to not just include the immediate family, but everyone who looks like them, but then they lose no opportunity to hurt and cause damage to each other. I felt genuinely sorry for both Jeremias and Eve. Eve whose own ambitions are thwarted first because her mother is ill and then because of prejudice, and so what if they are conventional ambitions. It doesn’t make them any less. (At least Rosa realizes this). Jeremias is never trusted, and while he’s not a nice man, he doesn’t deserve mistrust on that level.
I didn’t warm up to Rosa, but I did warm up to the story eventually. That’s because I really liked Creadon Rampley. Some of his story comes in the form of a diary he writes, and some of them in Rosa’s sections. He’s technically a sad sack who belongs nowhere and wants to make a life for himself with someone, and he gets tangled up with the Rendons. But he’s a wonderful voice to listen to, and a very easy character to sympathize with. He does so many things wrong, but I didn’t see much misrepresentation from him, especially from himself.
This book covers a time period in Trinidadian history when the English, who still owned slaves, took over from the French who had by then abolished slavery. This was really the hook that baited me into requesting the book, but it wasn’t very clear. There are references to mismanagement from the British and that bankruptcy of the country as a whole, and there’s an oblique mention about slaves being marched on the streets (implying that Trinidad was now a stop on the trans-Atlantic and trans-Caribbean slave trade?), but there’s never anyone really there on the scene. We’re told, not shown. This is really a book about the Rendons and if you connect with them, it’s an excellent book. I didn’t, so it’s only so-so.
I tried to like this book, and I think I succeeded for the most part. But it took a lot of bloody-mindedness on my part to get through the first few chapters. In historical fiction that spans two different timelines, I usually tend to like one timeline more than the other. Almost all the times, it would be the older timeline - things are just more compelling when its issues are more alien to me. But in this one, I preferred the later timeline, even though nothing much happened other than a boy slowly finding out the truth about who he is.
I picked it up for the colonial history, but it turned out to be more a family drama. That’s perfectly okay, but I could not care for the members of the Rendon family, Rosa included. I did not see the love and filial loyalty except maybe from Eve. They say we is we and mean to not just include the immediate family, but everyone who looks like them, but then they lose no opportunity to hurt and cause damage to each other. I felt genuinely sorry for both Jeremias and Eve. Eve whose own ambitions are thwarted first because her mother is ill and then because of prejudice, and so what if they are conventional ambitions. It doesn’t make them any less. (At least Rosa realizes this). Jeremias is never trusted, and while he’s not a nice man, he doesn’t deserve mistrust on that level.
I didn’t warm up to Rosa, but I did warm up to the story eventually. That’s because I really liked Creadon Rampley. Some of his story comes in the form of a diary he writes, and some of them in Rosa’s sections. He’s technically a sad sack who belongs nowhere and wants to make a life for himself with someone, and he gets tangled up with the Rendons. But he’s a wonderful voice to listen to, and a very easy character to sympathize with. He does so many things wrong, but I didn’t see much misrepresentation from him, especially from himself.
This book covers a time period in Trinidadian history when the English, who still owned slaves, took over from the French who had by then abolished slavery. This was really the hook that baited me into requesting the book, but it wasn’t very clear. There are references to mismanagement from the British and that bankruptcy of the country as a whole, and there’s an oblique mention about slaves being marched on the streets (implying that Trinidad was now a stop on the trans-Atlantic and trans-Caribbean slave trade?), but there’s never anyone really there on the scene. We’re told, not shown. This is really a book about the Rendons and if you connect with them, it’s an excellent book. I didn’t, so it’s only so-so.
August 3, 2023
“Beginning with breath,” Ma had said. “Listen for it, capture it, fight to control it; direct Breath, and the heart and mind will follow.”
I cried.
Multiple people recommended this book to me at the start of my being on bookstagram (I think @herewereadforfun was the main one who put me on.) I finally decided that now is the time to pick it up. It was mind-blowing. Francis-Sharma bends a beautiful multi-timeline and narrative that is so incredible. It is slow, yet so tense. The ending was something.
The narrative spans around 30 years from the 1796 to 1830s. We start in Trinidad and Tobago and end in Montana. Rosa nee Rendon and her son Victor are the main characters, through readers get other POVs, in the story. Race and colourism are expertly played into the story as each character's awareness, or lack thereof, pulls the narrative along.
I LOVED seeing a free Black family in the Caribbean that owned land. Readers see the struggles of being a land and business owner during the 790s-1810s. I have never read anything about Trinidad switching hands from Spanish to British so that was by far the most interesting thing about this book. Under Spanish rule, it seems like the Rendon family lives a relatively comfortable life with less tension than under British rule. It made me wonder about the flexibility of life under the Spanish legal and social system versus the British. I also thought about the fluidity of family life back then, as Rosa's mama is originally from Martinique and Rosa's papa is originally African (?), making the family multi-cultural and multi-lingual.
I enjoyed seeing indigenous representation through the Apsáalooke tribe. I wondered how a Black Caribbean woman ended up amongst natives. I thought about the slave trade and native participation. It was interesting to see the story unfold as we see Rosa blend in with the Crow Nation and how she originally came to them. The historical research alone makes me give HIGH praise to Francis-Sharma, I aspire.
None of the characters are perfect, and I believe that is what makes this book extra special. Everyone is so real. Rosa, Victor, and the other POVs are flawed in their own way.
I cried.
Multiple people recommended this book to me at the start of my being on bookstagram (I think @herewereadforfun was the main one who put me on.) I finally decided that now is the time to pick it up. It was mind-blowing. Francis-Sharma bends a beautiful multi-timeline and narrative that is so incredible. It is slow, yet so tense. The ending was something.
The narrative spans around 30 years from the 1796 to 1830s. We start in Trinidad and Tobago and end in Montana. Rosa nee Rendon and her son Victor are the main characters, through readers get other POVs, in the story. Race and colourism are expertly played into the story as each character's awareness, or lack thereof, pulls the narrative along.
I LOVED seeing a free Black family in the Caribbean that owned land. Readers see the struggles of being a land and business owner during the 790s-1810s. I have never read anything about Trinidad switching hands from Spanish to British so that was by far the most interesting thing about this book. Under Spanish rule, it seems like the Rendon family lives a relatively comfortable life with less tension than under British rule. It made me wonder about the flexibility of life under the Spanish legal and social system versus the British. I also thought about the fluidity of family life back then, as Rosa's mama is originally from Martinique and Rosa's papa is originally African (?), making the family multi-cultural and multi-lingual.
I enjoyed seeing indigenous representation through the Apsáalooke tribe. I wondered how a Black Caribbean woman ended up amongst natives. I thought about the slave trade and native participation. It was interesting to see the story unfold as we see Rosa blend in with the Crow Nation and how she originally came to them. The historical research alone makes me give HIGH praise to Francis-Sharma, I aspire.
None of the characters are perfect, and I believe that is what makes this book extra special. Everyone is so real. Rosa, Victor, and the other POVs are flawed in their own way.
September 29, 2020
Okay I was definitely slow to take to this book, but I think that’s because I’m dumb and didn’t read the summary before I started. It helps if you know how the different perspectives are related. I’m not a fan of jumping from person to person and/or from time to time, but after I got about a third of the way into this book it really grabbed me. Great story!
October 30, 2020
I must start this off by saying that I have an incredible amount of respect for the research, character development, and the descriptive detail that the author put into this book. I had high expectations on the quality and she didn’t disappoint.
Synopsis: Set between 1794 and 1830, it’s a sweeping epic story of the lives of a family in colonial Trinidad, a boy and his mother living with a Native American tribe, and a man who links them all together. The story of all of their lives unfolds when Rosa and Victor are forced to leave the tribe after death of a young girl and a betrayal by a trusted elder. The truth of who he really is and why he’s struggled to achieve the milestones of his peers in the tribe, can only be revealed on this journey with his mother.
I’m a big fan of historical fiction, but I’ve been wary of many of the titles that I feel don’t quite capture the historical aspect. Sharma has done an outstanding job putting you in Trinidad experiencing the racial and political dynamic that has such a heavy influence on the family, who are caught between salvaging their dignity and livelihood, managing their internal family conflicts, and outlasting the political forces that is strangling the local economy.
The descriptions of life within the tribe: the hunts, the nightly feasts, the rights of passage, the respect for animals and nature just really makes this book so much more wholesome.
But...
This is a book that requires patience to let the story unfold. The pace is a slow build, but I feel you learn about some character’s weaknesses and insecurities that dictate action later in the book.
Overall...
I loved this book. Sharma’s writing is well-researched, sophisticated, and characters with circumstances that keep you invested and who are realistic enough that you feel along with them. This is well-written historical fiction.
Synopsis: Set between 1794 and 1830, it’s a sweeping epic story of the lives of a family in colonial Trinidad, a boy and his mother living with a Native American tribe, and a man who links them all together. The story of all of their lives unfolds when Rosa and Victor are forced to leave the tribe after death of a young girl and a betrayal by a trusted elder. The truth of who he really is and why he’s struggled to achieve the milestones of his peers in the tribe, can only be revealed on this journey with his mother.
I’m a big fan of historical fiction, but I’ve been wary of many of the titles that I feel don’t quite capture the historical aspect. Sharma has done an outstanding job putting you in Trinidad experiencing the racial and political dynamic that has such a heavy influence on the family, who are caught between salvaging their dignity and livelihood, managing their internal family conflicts, and outlasting the political forces that is strangling the local economy.
The descriptions of life within the tribe: the hunts, the nightly feasts, the rights of passage, the respect for animals and nature just really makes this book so much more wholesome.
But...
This is a book that requires patience to let the story unfold. The pace is a slow build, but I feel you learn about some character’s weaknesses and insecurities that dictate action later in the book.
Overall...
I loved this book. Sharma’s writing is well-researched, sophisticated, and characters with circumstances that keep you invested and who are realistic enough that you feel along with them. This is well-written historical fiction.
June 4, 2020
I read this book for Carribean heritage month. It was a wonderful book, although, I had to reread several passages. I would definitely recommend this book.
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