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The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation #2
The Kingdom on the Waves
Sequel to the National Book Award Winner!
"A novel of the first rank, the kind of monumental work Italo Calvino called ‘encyclopedic’ in the way it sweeps up history into a comprehensible and deeply textured pattern." — The New York Times Book Review
Fearing a death sentence, Octavian and his tutor, Dr. Trefusis, escape through rising tides and pouring rain to find shelter in British-occupied Boston. Sundered from all he knows — the College of Lucidity, the rebel cause — Octavian hopes to find safe harbor. Instead, he is soon to learn of Lord Dunmore's proclamation offering freedom to slaves who join the counterrevolutionary forces.
In Volume II of his unparalleled masterwork, M. T. Anderson recounts Octavian's experiences as the Revolutionary War explodes around him, thrusting him into intense battles and tantalizing him with elusive visions of liberty. Ultimately, this astonishing narrative escalates to a startling, deeply satisfying climax, while reexamining our national origins in a singularly provocative light.
"A novel of the first rank, the kind of monumental work Italo Calvino called ‘encyclopedic’ in the way it sweeps up history into a comprehensible and deeply textured pattern." — The New York Times Book Review
Fearing a death sentence, Octavian and his tutor, Dr. Trefusis, escape through rising tides and pouring rain to find shelter in British-occupied Boston. Sundered from all he knows — the College of Lucidity, the rebel cause — Octavian hopes to find safe harbor. Instead, he is soon to learn of Lord Dunmore's proclamation offering freedom to slaves who join the counterrevolutionary forces.
In Volume II of his unparalleled masterwork, M. T. Anderson recounts Octavian's experiences as the Revolutionary War explodes around him, thrusting him into intense battles and tantalizing him with elusive visions of liberty. Ultimately, this astonishing narrative escalates to a startling, deeply satisfying climax, while reexamining our national origins in a singularly provocative light.
560 pages, Paperback
First published October 14, 2008
124 people are currently reading
4625 people want to read
About the author
M.T. Anderson
59 books1,253 followersMatthew Tobin Anderson (M. T. Anderson), (1968- ) is an author, primarily of picture books for children and novels for young adults. Anderson lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
His picture books include Handel Who Knew What He Liked; Strange Mr. Satie; The Serpent Came to Gloucester; and Me, All Alone, at the End of the World. He has written such young adult books as Thirsty, Burger Wuss, Feed, The Game of Sunken Places, and Octavian Nothing. For middle grader readers, his novels include Whales on Stilts: M. T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales and its sequel, The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen.
-Wikipedia
His picture books include Handel Who Knew What He Liked; Strange Mr. Satie; The Serpent Came to Gloucester; and Me, All Alone, at the End of the World. He has written such young adult books as Thirsty, Burger Wuss, Feed, The Game of Sunken Places, and Octavian Nothing. For middle grader readers, his novels include Whales on Stilts: M. T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales and its sequel, The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen.
-Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 471 reviews
December 2, 2008
I liked the first book very much. The story, the characters, the idea--everything about it-- are unique. But the prose, so welcome and so unusual in the first volume, wore me down within the first 50 pages of Vol. 2. This was an absolute struggle to get through. I am glad it's over.
June 23, 2008
Most historical fiction books for young people take as their object to show a Typical Person with a Typical Problem in a particular era; and most historical fiction for young people reflects a sort of bland consensus view of history, something that is acceptable to teach in schools.
Octavian Nothing is not most historical fiction.
Picking up where the first book left off, Octavian -- a slave raised in luxury with a first-rate education as part of an experiment -- enlists with the Royal Ethiopian Regiment, which has promised to free any Rebel-owned slaves that join up. There he encounters war, friendship, heartbreak, betrayal, the difficulty of fitting in when he fits in nowhere. He has spent his childhood learning Latin and violin fugues, where his comrades have spent theirs on plantations. Octavian's cultural heritage is extremely complex. He has been given music and religion - but has been deprived of the music and religion of his own people. The novel refuses to make an easy calculation of what he has gained and lost.
We see Octavian's growing maturity as he acquires wisdom -- and also cynicism. Is selfishness at the core of human nature, human existence? Can success -- or survival -- only be achieved at the expense of others? And if so, how do we reconcile ourselves with that?
The issue of historical memory is one I've been deeply interested in for some years now. There is probably no nation on earth that has never, somewhere in its history, committed war crimes or genocide, that has no scars on its conscience. It's easy to say, it's history, it's in the past. It's too easy; the past is never past. Octavian Nothing is willing to confront that, to ask hard questions. To refuse to provide easy answers to them. It asks how we can reconcile ourselves with our past -- with our present -- and says, maybe we don't. Maybe we can't.
What a profoundly troubling and beautiful piece of work.
Octavian Nothing is not most historical fiction.
Picking up where the first book left off, Octavian -- a slave raised in luxury with a first-rate education as part of an experiment -- enlists with the Royal Ethiopian Regiment, which has promised to free any Rebel-owned slaves that join up. There he encounters war, friendship, heartbreak, betrayal, the difficulty of fitting in when he fits in nowhere. He has spent his childhood learning Latin and violin fugues, where his comrades have spent theirs on plantations. Octavian's cultural heritage is extremely complex. He has been given music and religion - but has been deprived of the music and religion of his own people. The novel refuses to make an easy calculation of what he has gained and lost.
We see Octavian's growing maturity as he acquires wisdom -- and also cynicism. Is selfishness at the core of human nature, human existence? Can success -- or survival -- only be achieved at the expense of others? And if so, how do we reconcile ourselves with that?
The issue of historical memory is one I've been deeply interested in for some years now. There is probably no nation on earth that has never, somewhere in its history, committed war crimes or genocide, that has no scars on its conscience. It's easy to say, it's history, it's in the past. It's too easy; the past is never past. Octavian Nothing is willing to confront that, to ask hard questions. To refuse to provide easy answers to them. It asks how we can reconcile ourselves with our past -- with our present -- and says, maybe we don't. Maybe we can't.
What a profoundly troubling and beautiful piece of work.
December 17, 2008
I give this one 5 stars for its ambition, authenticity and for its ability to take the reader back to the Revolutionary War. But as an enjoyable read, only 3.
I loved the first one and didn't really have a problem getting through it despite its language, but this one almost became a burden. I read the first one over a weekend. This one took me two months.
I think my problem was that the story felt more standard than the first book, which was such a unique reading experience for me. This is a "war is hell" book more so than the first's "we can be hell" stance.
I was drawn to the first and could get past the difficult language because the premise -- a young African-American boy is raised as a social experiment -- was so different and so scary -- the worst kind of horror story, one that could actually happen.
We pieced Octavian's horrific story through various sources. But with this one, most of the story is told through Octavian's journal, which eliminated much of the intrigue for me.
I wanted to love this one as much as the first, but the same magic wasn't there. And that saddens me. It's still a worthy sequel, written beautifully and thoughtfully, it just seems a bit more typical.
As an aside, I still have to wonder what Young Adult would read this without having it assigned to them in school.
I loved the first one and didn't really have a problem getting through it despite its language, but this one almost became a burden. I read the first one over a weekend. This one took me two months.
I think my problem was that the story felt more standard than the first book, which was such a unique reading experience for me. This is a "war is hell" book more so than the first's "we can be hell" stance.
I was drawn to the first and could get past the difficult language because the premise -- a young African-American boy is raised as a social experiment -- was so different and so scary -- the worst kind of horror story, one that could actually happen.
We pieced Octavian's horrific story through various sources. But with this one, most of the story is told through Octavian's journal, which eliminated much of the intrigue for me.
I wanted to love this one as much as the first, but the same magic wasn't there. And that saddens me. It's still a worthy sequel, written beautifully and thoughtfully, it just seems a bit more typical.
As an aside, I still have to wonder what Young Adult would read this without having it assigned to them in school.
September 3, 2015
26/11 - This isn't impressing me as much as the first book. The language, the exceedingly thick and fake-torn pages, the characters - none of it is drawing me in to the story like the first book. The novelty seems to have worn off. The second book is also quite a bit longer than the first and my first thought when I picked it up at the library was "Wow, that's a lot bigger than I expected!" That sounds dirty, but it's not meant to be and no matter what word I substitute for 'bigger' (still in the same context - longer, fatter, thicker etc) it still sounds dreadful, so I'm not going to bother trying and will put up with the mockery I'm likely to get. This might be a DNF for me, simply because I think the first book could (should) have been a stand alone. To be continued...
11/12 - This didn't pass the litmus test of being given a second chance to be read while it sat on my bedside table. I had only a few passing thoughts of picking it up over one of the other books I was currently reading concurrently - that tells me that it hasn't, and probably never will, hold my attention. I read so little (maybe 20 pages), that I don't feel it's fair to rate it formally, but informally I would give it 2 - 2.5 stars.
11/12 - This didn't pass the litmus test of being given a second chance to be read while it sat on my bedside table. I had only a few passing thoughts of picking it up over one of the other books I was currently reading concurrently - that tells me that it hasn't, and probably never will, hold my attention. I read so little (maybe 20 pages), that I don't feel it's fair to rate it formally, but informally I would give it 2 - 2.5 stars.
April 15, 2013
This review has been revised and can now be found at Expendable Mudge Muses Aloud. Sequels...always a little less exciting.
November 1, 2008
The action of Volume I: The Pox Party is summed up neatly in a broadside, allowing the plot of Volume II to stand on its own. The emotional content of this book, though, is probably better understood in light of the first book, but there's enough going on here to completely occupy the reader.
Octavian, as a character, is a fascinating outsider in the world he occupies. He has the education of a well-to-do white man, he was raised as an object of scientific inquiry, but he also witnessed his mother's horrific death and suffered his own indignities at the hands of Mr. Gitney and Mr. Sharpe. In some ways he is mature beyond his years, but he can't bring himself to speak to a girl he admires. He is seen as a slave by most white men, both Royalist and revolutionary. He is seen as a pampered boy by many of his fellow former slaves in Lord Dunmore's Ethiopian regiment. At times he brings a sense of history and philosophy to his situation, and at other times he is overcome by the world around him.
Not only is Octavian a fascinating character, but so are others around him. It's an overwhelming example of historical fiction - overwhelming because it does not seem to impose our present day understanding on historical figures, but instead shows them as they were understood at the time. Both sides care only for the slaves in as far as they can further their cause. Nothing is glamorized or glorified. The language is amazing - and was the source, along with the character of Pro Bono, of a lot of the humor of the book. "I don't cut so excellent a figure when I'm vomiting," says Bono (or Private William Williams, as he is now known). "I bend from the waist, and it interrupts the line of beauty."
At times the book is a delight to read - and at other times an agony. There's action, and introspection, and views on the story from plenty of characters. We read Octavian's testimony, his diary, letters between various characters, and the occasional document from real historical sources. "Sweet mercy in a firkin," as Bono would say, this is a book worth reading. My own words can't do it justice.
While it's not an easy read, teens interested in realistic historical fiction or classics would find this a pleasant challenge. It is, at heart, an unusual coming of age story, concerned with an aspect of history that isn't covered enough in school.
Octavian, as a character, is a fascinating outsider in the world he occupies. He has the education of a well-to-do white man, he was raised as an object of scientific inquiry, but he also witnessed his mother's horrific death and suffered his own indignities at the hands of Mr. Gitney and Mr. Sharpe. In some ways he is mature beyond his years, but he can't bring himself to speak to a girl he admires. He is seen as a slave by most white men, both Royalist and revolutionary. He is seen as a pampered boy by many of his fellow former slaves in Lord Dunmore's Ethiopian regiment. At times he brings a sense of history and philosophy to his situation, and at other times he is overcome by the world around him.
Not only is Octavian a fascinating character, but so are others around him. It's an overwhelming example of historical fiction - overwhelming because it does not seem to impose our present day understanding on historical figures, but instead shows them as they were understood at the time. Both sides care only for the slaves in as far as they can further their cause. Nothing is glamorized or glorified. The language is amazing - and was the source, along with the character of Pro Bono, of a lot of the humor of the book. "I don't cut so excellent a figure when I'm vomiting," says Bono (or Private William Williams, as he is now known). "I bend from the waist, and it interrupts the line of beauty."
At times the book is a delight to read - and at other times an agony. There's action, and introspection, and views on the story from plenty of characters. We read Octavian's testimony, his diary, letters between various characters, and the occasional document from real historical sources. "Sweet mercy in a firkin," as Bono would say, this is a book worth reading. My own words can't do it justice.
While it's not an easy read, teens interested in realistic historical fiction or classics would find this a pleasant challenge. It is, at heart, an unusual coming of age story, concerned with an aspect of history that isn't covered enough in school.
March 8, 2009
The conclusion of Octavian's tale is every bit as satisfying as the beginning -- it's like a stew, full of strong, hearty language and meaty chunks of characterization and... I'm going to drop this metaphor, for obvious reasons.
Anyway, there was some really great stuff about The Kingdom on the Waves -- I really enjoyed the tales of how some of the slaves ended up in the Ethiopian Regiment (and Octavian's chronicling thereof), and how Bono's levity sparkles throughout what is otherwise an extraordinarily dark book, and Octavian's voice itself -- and the language! Beautiful.
Some passages I particularly enjoyed:
Also, I have to thank Anderson for keeping this a two-volume series; for not succumbing to trilogy pressure and writing a third volume with "gargantuan, cleansing battles" and a happy ending for all.
Sigh. I booked it home from the bus so I could drive over to the library (a little too far to walk from the bus, plus I needed to start my car) and pick this up, where it is on hold for me. I battled the rush-hour traffic and pulled into... an EMPTY parking lot. It's Lincoln's 200th birthday, and the library is closed.
At least I know the book is worth all the hassle.
Anyway, there was some really great stuff about The Kingdom on the Waves -- I really enjoyed the tales of how some of the slaves ended up in the Ethiopian Regiment (and Octavian's chronicling thereof), and how Bono's levity sparkles throughout what is otherwise an extraordinarily dark book, and Octavian's voice itself -- and the language! Beautiful.
Some passages I particularly enjoyed:
Is it not ever thus, the attempts to parley between master and slave, and perhaps between all men--is it not always words shouted across the shifting flood, torn away by wind? Each hath his element; each is wary of brigandage; and a gulf roils between us all.
And I saw the Earth as the sun rose; and it was a world of fire, of particle, spark, and aether consumed and exchanged, no solid place to stand; and we were creatures of fire, loops and bright coils devouring as we could in serpentine chase, exhausting until ourselves extinguished; and all shed superficies, and clutched to renew, and preyed upon all.
Also, I have to thank Anderson for keeping this a two-volume series; for not succumbing to trilogy pressure and writing a third volume with "gargantuan, cleansing battles" and a happy ending for all.
Sigh. I booked it home from the bus so I could drive over to the library (a little too far to walk from the bus, plus I needed to start my car) and pick this up, where it is on hold for me. I battled the rush-hour traffic and pulled into... an EMPTY parking lot. It's Lincoln's 200th birthday, and the library is closed.
At least I know the book is worth all the hassle.
March 16, 2009
I savored this book, reveling in the language. (I confess I read it with my ipod touch handy to look up words I didn't know - just as I did with dictionaries and The New Yorker as a child, and I learned a great deal about machines of warfare.)
This second part of Octavian Nothing's journey from slave to freed man takes him to Virginia Governor Dunmore's failed campaign against the rebels where an army of African-Americans, promised freedom, are holed up in ships and sent out in fruitless battles. From others on the ship, Octavian finds out the truth about his ancestry, sees that neither the loyalists nor the rebels will actually respect a black man, and finally, after his tutor and almost all his friends die, escapes to return to Boston and destroy Gitney's records of his childhood, substituting his own narrative, before lighting out to the wilderness with his violin in hopes of finding other freed slaves and making a community of there own -- where Anderson will not follow.
Beyond appreciating the language and the compelling story line, I enjoyed watching Octavian coming to terms with his past, and still staying strong - for the most part - still looking forward. It was not so pleasant to be reminded of the history of black-white relationships, still resonating today, but important. The historical documents are profoundly depressing.
This second part of Octavian Nothing's journey from slave to freed man takes him to Virginia Governor Dunmore's failed campaign against the rebels where an army of African-Americans, promised freedom, are holed up in ships and sent out in fruitless battles. From others on the ship, Octavian finds out the truth about his ancestry, sees that neither the loyalists nor the rebels will actually respect a black man, and finally, after his tutor and almost all his friends die, escapes to return to Boston and destroy Gitney's records of his childhood, substituting his own narrative, before lighting out to the wilderness with his violin in hopes of finding other freed slaves and making a community of there own -- where Anderson will not follow.
Beyond appreciating the language and the compelling story line, I enjoyed watching Octavian coming to terms with his past, and still staying strong - for the most part - still looking forward. It was not so pleasant to be reminded of the history of black-white relationships, still resonating today, but important. The historical documents are profoundly depressing.
February 28, 2016
Powerful and moving stuff. Much bleaker than the first book.
January 25, 2011
This second volume does not fit in the same category as the first of the Octavian Nothing story. The gripping philosophical questions that M. T. Anderson raised in "The Pox Party" are not only left in limbo, but are also replaced by scenarios and rantings all too prevalent in most modern historical fiction. I understand that the past was not a rosy-hued age of perfection, but realism does not require bitter, acidic despondency either.
Warning: If the first volume was questionable as being suitably labeled YA, the second volume certainly should not be so promoted. War, disease, murder, rape, and a host of other evils are portrayed in a spirit of dark realism. Octavian and his friends struggle in a maze with no way out.
The disappointing thing is that he should have a way out, for he has the riches of education. His mind is filled with stories, languages, and music. But the author is bent on showing that oppression crushes all, and perhaps for him that classical education is simply another form of oppression, though he hardly presents a consistent picture of the value of such education one way or the other. At times it saves Octavian, but as the book progresses, he seems to revert to craving some primitive life.
What is the point of this book--and especially of the pair of stories together? I thought at the end of volume one the point was to explore whether education could change a person, lift and buoy him despite other circumstances. Volume two proved me wrong, though. It made clear that the point was to screech out the evils of slavery. This terrible and dreadful topic has been treated before in many ways and in great detail. By the end I wanted to scream back at the author, "What do you want me to do?!" The book spirals into near hopelessness.
Anderson's superior writing style remains in this volume, but the book as a whole is too long (significantly longer than the first volume) and drags in stagnancy of wars unwaged punctuated with calculated shocks of cruelty and baseness. Unlike the neat interweaving of different texts in "The Pox Party," "The Kingdom on the Sea" plods with mostly a straightforward diary-entry style, overused in recent historical fiction as it is. Judged on its own merits, without its partner volume, I must conclude that this book is--excuse my seemingly insensitive phrase--just another book about the historical evils of American slavery.
Warning: If the first volume was questionable as being suitably labeled YA, the second volume certainly should not be so promoted. War, disease, murder, rape, and a host of other evils are portrayed in a spirit of dark realism. Octavian and his friends struggle in a maze with no way out.
The disappointing thing is that he should have a way out, for he has the riches of education. His mind is filled with stories, languages, and music. But the author is bent on showing that oppression crushes all, and perhaps for him that classical education is simply another form of oppression, though he hardly presents a consistent picture of the value of such education one way or the other. At times it saves Octavian, but as the book progresses, he seems to revert to craving some primitive life.
What is the point of this book--and especially of the pair of stories together? I thought at the end of volume one the point was to explore whether education could change a person, lift and buoy him despite other circumstances. Volume two proved me wrong, though. It made clear that the point was to screech out the evils of slavery. This terrible and dreadful topic has been treated before in many ways and in great detail. By the end I wanted to scream back at the author, "What do you want me to do?!" The book spirals into near hopelessness.
Anderson's superior writing style remains in this volume, but the book as a whole is too long (significantly longer than the first volume) and drags in stagnancy of wars unwaged punctuated with calculated shocks of cruelty and baseness. Unlike the neat interweaving of different texts in "The Pox Party," "The Kingdom on the Sea" plods with mostly a straightforward diary-entry style, overused in recent historical fiction as it is. Judged on its own merits, without its partner volume, I must conclude that this book is--excuse my seemingly insensitive phrase--just another book about the historical evils of American slavery.
August 19, 2017
I have waited to read the conclusion for awhile -- thanks be to bronchitis for giving me the time.
I didn't find the second one to be quite as mesmerizing and fascinating as the first, but it was still solid, interesting, and harrowing. Octavian finally finds himself surrounded by others who are like him -- African -- and yet he is so unlike them that it is painful. Anderson pulls no punches in proclaiming Octavian to be lost between the Anglo world in which he was raised, before he ever knew that he was a slave, and the African world that he had barely heard of, except for his mother's singing before she died and her proclamation that she was a princess.
And Octavian's trials, through the rest of the revolution, are interesting and painful, too. The best part about the entire book, though, was perhaps Octavian's true coming-of-age, finding a place for himself outside of both cultures and finding assurance in his own thoughts and beliefs. Those, more than anything else (certainly not the writing, which is still very adult and difficult for any teenager) makes this a true bildungsroman, and a good one, at that. The history was solid, the emotions true, and this was still a literary triumph.
I didn't find the second one to be quite as mesmerizing and fascinating as the first, but it was still solid, interesting, and harrowing. Octavian finally finds himself surrounded by others who are like him -- African -- and yet he is so unlike them that it is painful. Anderson pulls no punches in proclaiming Octavian to be lost between the Anglo world in which he was raised, before he ever knew that he was a slave, and the African world that he had barely heard of, except for his mother's singing before she died and her proclamation that she was a princess.
And Octavian's trials, through the rest of the revolution, are interesting and painful, too. The best part about the entire book, though, was perhaps Octavian's true coming-of-age, finding a place for himself outside of both cultures and finding assurance in his own thoughts and beliefs. Those, more than anything else (certainly not the writing, which is still very adult and difficult for any teenager) makes this a true bildungsroman, and a good one, at that. The history was solid, the emotions true, and this was still a literary triumph.
May 7, 2012
Darien Munden
Historical Fiction
How would you like to be part of a twisted social experiment? Where, to gauge the intelligence of your "race," you are raised under the tutelage of the most brilliant minds money can afford. But when the money necessary to pay for your tuition runs out, you are little more than slave trying to pay back the "debt" you owe your masters. Octavian Gitney is in exactly that situation. Raised from boyhood under the guidance and tutelage of the finest teachers his masters could afford, Octavian has been given what few slaves at the time could ever even dream of: an education. But with their financial house of cards crumbling, Octavian's benefactors decide to return Octavian to the fields to be a slave. With his keen intellect, and the support of his tutor, Dr. Trefusis, Octavian tries to gain control of his own destiny by making a run for it. This is the second volume in the series and Octavian is trying to gain control of his destiny, even as he learns what kind of a truly "uncivilized" world Great Britain can really be. The language in the text is a bit difficult to understand, since its Old English, but once you get past that, its a very thrilling tale.
Historical Fiction
How would you like to be part of a twisted social experiment? Where, to gauge the intelligence of your "race," you are raised under the tutelage of the most brilliant minds money can afford. But when the money necessary to pay for your tuition runs out, you are little more than slave trying to pay back the "debt" you owe your masters. Octavian Gitney is in exactly that situation. Raised from boyhood under the guidance and tutelage of the finest teachers his masters could afford, Octavian has been given what few slaves at the time could ever even dream of: an education. But with their financial house of cards crumbling, Octavian's benefactors decide to return Octavian to the fields to be a slave. With his keen intellect, and the support of his tutor, Dr. Trefusis, Octavian tries to gain control of his own destiny by making a run for it. This is the second volume in the series and Octavian is trying to gain control of his destiny, even as he learns what kind of a truly "uncivilized" world Great Britain can really be. The language in the text is a bit difficult to understand, since its Old English, but once you get past that, its a very thrilling tale.
December 4, 2008
Anderson is an astounding writer, a master of language and character development, so as I indicated in my review of Volume I, his self-proclaimed accolade is well deserved. This is an astonishing work, and Octavian's astonishing life is just one of several in this epic saga that takes place during the American Revolutionary War, the birth of science, and an earlier era of globalization. Categorizing "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing" as a young adult novel doesn't acknowledge the broad audience it should reach. Read it, read it, read it. Highly recommended.
November 24, 2008
As brilliant as the first volume, and as painful to read. You really have to give it to M.T. Anderson. To be able to write in that rich, almost Dickensian voice for 1500 pages (or whatever it was) is really impressive. Especially when you put it next to Feed and Whales on Stilts, which have equally interesting but totally different voices. Anderson's definitely a guy who really *loves* language.
May 28, 2024
A great read, but absolutely not an easy one. I’d never have been able to make it through this book as a teenager. Definitely one of the best anti-war (and anti-slavery, duh) books I’ve ever read.
“We will fold and freeze together
Far away from here
There is sun and spring and green forever
But now we move to feel
For ourselves inside some stranger's stomach
Place your body here
Let your skin begin to blend itself with mine“
“We will fold and freeze together
Far away from here
There is sun and spring and green forever
But now we move to feel
For ourselves inside some stranger's stomach
Place your body here
Let your skin begin to blend itself with mine“
Read
June 8, 2021Again, I've found the texts that I sent to myself as I read this book, intending to write the review two years ago, but lost them.
I recall enjoying the first volume, but finding the second one appropriately more disturbing, as we see him move into manhood, and the full knowledge of the horror that he and his mother have lived through, and how they are being used to perpetuate racist disinformation. My notes follow, please forgive me for not currently having the energy to arrange them better, fellow readers:
very nice ending with lots of Menace and Sinister feeling suspense to the opening scene of the astonishing life of Octavian Nothing by Mt Anderson volume two in the series of the kingdom of the Waves Kingdom on the waves. This was page 17.
P. 28 of Octavian nothing second volume I love this quote as it transpired, this is this was precisely what I did. And quote nice funny ironic ending to this chapter or scene rather
P. 30. Very nice circular problem that our hero is plunged into.
P. 61 oct. Nothing, by Anderson,. Now I know where the Spanish word catarro
P. 101 Henderson is Octavian nothing. Interesting Fable. How sad that is so cynical that either that this author believes that altruism is based either on self-pity, or on anger and the wish to use that anger in a noble way.
P. 144/145. interest and commentary of the Gathering of plantations almost like the varieties of Greek dances on the islands gospel began the blues
I recall enjoying the first volume, but finding the second one appropriately more disturbing, as we see him move into manhood, and the full knowledge of the horror that he and his mother have lived through, and how they are being used to perpetuate racist disinformation. My notes follow, please forgive me for not currently having the energy to arrange them better, fellow readers:
very nice ending with lots of Menace and Sinister feeling suspense to the opening scene of the astonishing life of Octavian Nothing by Mt Anderson volume two in the series of the kingdom of the Waves Kingdom on the waves. This was page 17.
P. 28 of Octavian nothing second volume I love this quote as it transpired, this is this was precisely what I did. And quote nice funny ironic ending to this chapter or scene rather
P. 30. Very nice circular problem that our hero is plunged into.
P. 61 oct. Nothing, by Anderson,. Now I know where the Spanish word catarro
P. 101 Henderson is Octavian nothing. Interesting Fable. How sad that is so cynical that either that this author believes that altruism is based either on self-pity, or on anger and the wish to use that anger in a noble way.
P. 144/145. interest and commentary of the Gathering of plantations almost like the varieties of Greek dances on the islands gospel began the blues
August 5, 2024
Too bleak to be exactly "entertaining". But interesting to see the American Revolution from the point of view of a black regiment fighting for the British. Based on the real "Lord Dunmore's Ethiopian Regiment". (They do more sitting around camp and suffering from cold, hunger and smallpox than they do fighting.)
January 23, 2019
Octavian is such an incredible narrator, and I truly respect MT Anderson's eye for historical detail and sharp attention to systemic oppression. These books are just so, so cutting. The conceit and language are a little hard to get into but once you're in it.......dangg.
November 4, 2012
Reviewed by Cana Rensberger for TeensReadToo.com
For those of you who immersed yourself in the world of THE POX PARTY, you must read M. T. Anderson's second volume, THE KINGDOM ON THE WAVES. I would highly recommend you read the two volumes in order.
In volume two, Octavian escapes the cruelty of Mr. Gitney and, with his former tutor, Dr. Trefusis, on his back, flees across the mud-flats to Boston. Once there, they are able to find lodging, trading only upon the name and reputation of the deathly ill Dr. Trefusis. With war closing in on Boston and their hostess in dire need of payment, Octavian once again finds himself with violin in hand, earning a small amount to apply toward their room and board. At this point, I was still cheering for Octavian, the escaped slave, hoping that he finally would find joy, peace and, most of all, freedom; yet at the same time, knowing that there must be more challenges ahead.
As the Revolutionary War advances, Octavian hears that the Royalists are promising freedom to all slaves who fight for the King of England. He joins and dons his uniform, a shirt inscribed with the words "Liberty to Slaves." We are immediately immersed in the struggle to prepare an ill-equipped regiment for war. He becomes a member of Lord Dunmore's Ethiopian Regiment. Here, for the first time, he is surrounded by other slaves who speak other languages. They tell glorious tales of their homes in Africa and sing rousing songs that make his heart pound. They see him as different, a white man in a black body, and brand him with the name Buckra.
Octavian marches into his first battle behind other regiments, amazed that those first to confront the Rebels are little more than a sacrifice. He does not understand the logic behind this type of fighting. It's not long before they are in retreat, fellow soldiers dead and dying all around, and something inside Octavian changes. How can it not?
With the Rebel force surging into Boston, the Royalists take to their ships. Octavian and the Ethiopian Regiment find a new level of darkness in the bowels of their ship. They spend weeks, nay, months, aboard their watery foundations. Rations are less than sparse and sickness begins to spread. It's a relief to row ashore, even if it is to burn Boston out from under the rebels who have claimed it. Men die. Men kill. Octavian knows not whether it be his bullet or another which steals life.
Back aboard ship, the monotony begins anew, broken only by the occasional duties on deck, and the visits of women as they gather laundry, including Nsia, the woman of beautiful voice and dance who takes his tongue and ties it in knots. He is relieved when Dr. Trefusis visits his ship and bades him fill the empty void with studies while they listen to stories of bravery and ingenuity. Stories of slaves escaping their masters to join the promise of freedom offered by Lord Dunmore and his Royal Navy. Octavian learns much about his mother's tribe in Africa from another soldier from that nation. And as small pox devastates the Ethiopian Regiment, he learns more that he would have liked about the burial customs of his brothers-in-arms.
There is so much history bound up in this volume that it is almost overwhelming. Take your time reading. Savor the beautiful language. Immerse yourself in history from a perspective rarely considered. It is evident that M. T. Anderson spent much time researching his topic before putting pen to paper. Although Octavian is fictional, I feel he is real. I am grateful for the diary he left behind that lets us glimpse what life must have been like for the Ethiopian Regiment. And I am grateful that Mr. Anderson shared a slice of this perspective of our Revolutionary War.
I said it when I reviewed the first volume, THE POX PARTY: Mr. Anderson is brilliant. I can imagine him immersing himself in the history, entertaining his friends in the old English language. There would be no other way to write such prose with this level of accuracy and detail. I am a huge fan of Mr. Anderson and look forward to reading anything he writes. You will, too.
Don't expect it to be easy. It wasn't easy for the Ethiopian Regiment. THE KINGDOM ON THE WAVES is an immensely satisfying read in so many ways. Octavian is real to me. He will stick in my mind for months. There is no question that this book deserves the Gold Star.
For those of you who immersed yourself in the world of THE POX PARTY, you must read M. T. Anderson's second volume, THE KINGDOM ON THE WAVES. I would highly recommend you read the two volumes in order.
In volume two, Octavian escapes the cruelty of Mr. Gitney and, with his former tutor, Dr. Trefusis, on his back, flees across the mud-flats to Boston. Once there, they are able to find lodging, trading only upon the name and reputation of the deathly ill Dr. Trefusis. With war closing in on Boston and their hostess in dire need of payment, Octavian once again finds himself with violin in hand, earning a small amount to apply toward their room and board. At this point, I was still cheering for Octavian, the escaped slave, hoping that he finally would find joy, peace and, most of all, freedom; yet at the same time, knowing that there must be more challenges ahead.
As the Revolutionary War advances, Octavian hears that the Royalists are promising freedom to all slaves who fight for the King of England. He joins and dons his uniform, a shirt inscribed with the words "Liberty to Slaves." We are immediately immersed in the struggle to prepare an ill-equipped regiment for war. He becomes a member of Lord Dunmore's Ethiopian Regiment. Here, for the first time, he is surrounded by other slaves who speak other languages. They tell glorious tales of their homes in Africa and sing rousing songs that make his heart pound. They see him as different, a white man in a black body, and brand him with the name Buckra.
Octavian marches into his first battle behind other regiments, amazed that those first to confront the Rebels are little more than a sacrifice. He does not understand the logic behind this type of fighting. It's not long before they are in retreat, fellow soldiers dead and dying all around, and something inside Octavian changes. How can it not?
With the Rebel force surging into Boston, the Royalists take to their ships. Octavian and the Ethiopian Regiment find a new level of darkness in the bowels of their ship. They spend weeks, nay, months, aboard their watery foundations. Rations are less than sparse and sickness begins to spread. It's a relief to row ashore, even if it is to burn Boston out from under the rebels who have claimed it. Men die. Men kill. Octavian knows not whether it be his bullet or another which steals life.
Back aboard ship, the monotony begins anew, broken only by the occasional duties on deck, and the visits of women as they gather laundry, including Nsia, the woman of beautiful voice and dance who takes his tongue and ties it in knots. He is relieved when Dr. Trefusis visits his ship and bades him fill the empty void with studies while they listen to stories of bravery and ingenuity. Stories of slaves escaping their masters to join the promise of freedom offered by Lord Dunmore and his Royal Navy. Octavian learns much about his mother's tribe in Africa from another soldier from that nation. And as small pox devastates the Ethiopian Regiment, he learns more that he would have liked about the burial customs of his brothers-in-arms.
There is so much history bound up in this volume that it is almost overwhelming. Take your time reading. Savor the beautiful language. Immerse yourself in history from a perspective rarely considered. It is evident that M. T. Anderson spent much time researching his topic before putting pen to paper. Although Octavian is fictional, I feel he is real. I am grateful for the diary he left behind that lets us glimpse what life must have been like for the Ethiopian Regiment. And I am grateful that Mr. Anderson shared a slice of this perspective of our Revolutionary War.
I said it when I reviewed the first volume, THE POX PARTY: Mr. Anderson is brilliant. I can imagine him immersing himself in the history, entertaining his friends in the old English language. There would be no other way to write such prose with this level of accuracy and detail. I am a huge fan of Mr. Anderson and look forward to reading anything he writes. You will, too.
Don't expect it to be easy. It wasn't easy for the Ethiopian Regiment. THE KINGDOM ON THE WAVES is an immensely satisfying read in so many ways. Octavian is real to me. He will stick in my mind for months. There is no question that this book deserves the Gold Star.
January 23, 2010
I have to admit that I was very reluctant to read this book. It's been on my to-read list since it came out, and I would repeatedly pass it by in the library. Eventually, it stared me down and I was forced to check it out. The reason I kept putting it off was because I didn't particularly enjoy the first one. Yes, I appreciated its artsiness, but it was very long and quite boring.
In this installment, we follow Octavian as he runs away once again, but this time with his tutor Dr. Trefusis. Instead of joining up with the rebels, he becomes a soldier in Lord Dunmore's Ethiopian Regiment with the promise of his freedom.
I can honestly say this novel surprised me. I was expecting this novel to be even more dull than the first one since it was even longer. Instead, I ate it up. I think its because I actually got it this time. Perhaps I didn't like the first one because I was distracted and couldn't get into it. This time I realized the humor and was genuinely invested in Octavian's journey. It was funny, tragic, and philosophical. Nothing was sugar-coated, and sometimes the writing was brutal. The writing, tedious in the first book, was fully appreciated here. The 18th century style fitted the story and time period perfectly. Octavian grew up in this book. He really loosened up in this one and was finally showing some emotions.
Also, through out this whole book, it reminded me of something else I read. I couldn't put my finger on it until I saw the title in another person's review. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. They were alike in the sense of style: both were written in 18th century style, and featured letters as a technique. And the plot was alike too when I think about it. Octavian and Frankenstein's monster are both elegant experiments searching for their place in the world. I have to say I did enjoy this book more though, so if you hated Frankenstein feel free to read this one.
I whole-heartedly recommend this novel. It is a very unique young adult book and a must for historical fiction fans looking for a challenge. It is in no way an easy read, for both the prose and material is difficult. I felt like I needed a dictionary a majority of the time. Whether you liked or disliked the first one, give this second installment a shot.
In this installment, we follow Octavian as he runs away once again, but this time with his tutor Dr. Trefusis. Instead of joining up with the rebels, he becomes a soldier in Lord Dunmore's Ethiopian Regiment with the promise of his freedom.
I can honestly say this novel surprised me. I was expecting this novel to be even more dull than the first one since it was even longer. Instead, I ate it up. I think its because I actually got it this time. Perhaps I didn't like the first one because I was distracted and couldn't get into it. This time I realized the humor and was genuinely invested in Octavian's journey. It was funny, tragic, and philosophical. Nothing was sugar-coated, and sometimes the writing was brutal. The writing, tedious in the first book, was fully appreciated here. The 18th century style fitted the story and time period perfectly. Octavian grew up in this book. He really loosened up in this one and was finally showing some emotions.
Also, through out this whole book, it reminded me of something else I read. I couldn't put my finger on it until I saw the title in another person's review. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. They were alike in the sense of style: both were written in 18th century style, and featured letters as a technique. And the plot was alike too when I think about it. Octavian and Frankenstein's monster are both elegant experiments searching for their place in the world. I have to say I did enjoy this book more though, so if you hated Frankenstein feel free to read this one.
I whole-heartedly recommend this novel. It is a very unique young adult book and a must for historical fiction fans looking for a challenge. It is in no way an easy read, for both the prose and material is difficult. I felt like I needed a dictionary a majority of the time. Whether you liked or disliked the first one, give this second installment a shot.
August 27, 2016
Put it this way - no amount of praise, ever, in a million years, could come close to doing this book justice. I mean, holy crap. It might not be a page-turner, per se, and I certainly had to keep my dictionary handy - I mean, how often do you find dialogue like "I can see that if we allow the slightest divagation on the subject of your charms, we shall never have time to hear the tale of your escape" in YA lit? - but wow, was it worth it.
I might have enjoyed this book even more than the first installment - everyone's characters seemed more fleshed out, Octavian came into his own, and it chilled me to the bone in a way that The Pox Party never did. But maybe I liked it better because I knew what to expect - I remember having to pick up The Pox Party several times before I made it all the way to the end, which for the record, never happens to me. Either way, in The Kingdom on the Waves, M.T. Anderson's narrative is at once terrifying and breathtakingly beautiful in its prose, casting a harsh eye on the hypocrisy of our Founding Fathers' ideas of liberty.
I was also impressed with the extensive mythological and literary sources Anderson drew from. Octavian's voice was authentic and polished in a very Colonial American way that had me forgetting, at times, that I was reading fiction. (Yes, that's a cliche, but in this case it was true.) With his nickname of Buckra and his desperate attempts to find belonging, Octavian won me over 100%. Even though on the surface we're very different, I started compiling a mental list of the ways we were the same - overachievement, perfectionism, social awkwardness, etc., etc. The fact that I was able to do that is a testament to what an incredible writer M.T. Anderson is, for sure!
Sad is not a strong enough word to describe how I feel after reading this, and knowing that there's not going to be another sequel. What makes it worse is knowing that the author has carved out a niche so deep and so unique that I will probably never find another book like this in my life. But that's what re-reading is for, right?
The Final Verdict: Bar none, one of the most well-written novels I have ever read - YA, adult, whatever. Definitely not an easy read, but a very worthwhile one - 5 out of 5 stars.
I might have enjoyed this book even more than the first installment - everyone's characters seemed more fleshed out, Octavian came into his own, and it chilled me to the bone in a way that The Pox Party never did. But maybe I liked it better because I knew what to expect - I remember having to pick up The Pox Party several times before I made it all the way to the end, which for the record, never happens to me. Either way, in The Kingdom on the Waves, M.T. Anderson's narrative is at once terrifying and breathtakingly beautiful in its prose, casting a harsh eye on the hypocrisy of our Founding Fathers' ideas of liberty.
I was also impressed with the extensive mythological and literary sources Anderson drew from. Octavian's voice was authentic and polished in a very Colonial American way that had me forgetting, at times, that I was reading fiction. (Yes, that's a cliche, but in this case it was true.) With his nickname of Buckra and his desperate attempts to find belonging, Octavian won me over 100%. Even though on the surface we're very different, I started compiling a mental list of the ways we were the same - overachievement, perfectionism, social awkwardness, etc., etc. The fact that I was able to do that is a testament to what an incredible writer M.T. Anderson is, for sure!
Sad is not a strong enough word to describe how I feel after reading this, and knowing that there's not going to be another sequel. What makes it worse is knowing that the author has carved out a niche so deep and so unique that I will probably never find another book like this in my life. But that's what re-reading is for, right?
The Final Verdict: Bar none, one of the most well-written novels I have ever read - YA, adult, whatever. Definitely not an easy read, but a very worthwhile one - 5 out of 5 stars.
March 16, 2009
I found this, the sequel to Anderson's award-winning The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party to be a little bit of a let-down. It's still an excellent book, but it's twice as long as the first volume and yet does not seem as eventful. Perhaps the issue is that it lacks much of the eerie confusion of the first novel; unlike in the beginning of The Pox Party, where one isn't even quite certain whether the book is historical or speculative fiction, the reader is pretty much aware of the historical context surrounding Octavian. This makes it slightly less intriguing. We still want to follow Octavian on his voyage of discovery, but we already know the score in a way we didn't in the first novel.
Probably if I hadn't been so blown away by the first volume, I would be more enthusiastic about this one. But while I feel it was well-written and interesting, it didn't leave me excited or singing Anderson's praises quite so enthusiastically.
Probably if I hadn't been so blown away by the first volume, I would be more enthusiastic about this one. But while I feel it was well-written and interesting, it didn't leave me excited or singing Anderson's praises quite so enthusiastically.
January 18, 2009
A huge fan of the first book, I found myself disappointed by the second volume. The first book was full of rich character exploration, but "Kingdom on the Waves" got bogged down in the tedium of historical description. I read to the end hoping all the descriptions of war and battles and smallpox would give lead to rewarding character resolutions, but the close of the second volume leaves the reader with not much reward for sticking it out. I'm still a huge MT Anderson fan and recommend the first book, but the second book just didn't feel like it followed through on the promises of the first.
September 1, 2018
M. T. Anderson tells us a story of humanity, and the lack thereof, and the seeking and finding thereof. Whereas The Pox Party was of tale of self-realisation, The Kingdom on the Waves is about stories, and community... Of course, that's an irrelevant gross oversimplification. Everything is about self-discovery, everything is about others - for no man is an island - everything is and isn't.
It's fiction, but it's real. It's not history, but it has caught the past in a sliver of amber, petrified, starkly outlined - but also the present.
It's fiction, but it's real. It's not history, but it has caught the past in a sliver of amber, petrified, starkly outlined - but also the present.
September 19, 2022
Clicking in at 500+ pages, this follow up to Octavian’s earlier adventures is not for the faint of heart, but it is a tour de force well-worth the effort. Anderson has created an off-kilter but historically grounded world that illuminates the plight of early Black Americans. To read an historical account of the Revolution from Octavian’s erudite perspective is to feel repeated dissonance with the narrative we’re fed in our social studies class. To make such a take captivating, moving, and accessible to young readers is an amazing accomplishment.
May 9, 2009
When I read the first volume of the Octavian Nothing series, I knew I'd read something extraordinary, but I didn't know what to do with it, and so I only mildly enjoyed it (as you'll notice from my rating). However, in the intervening years, Octavian's story, and M.T. Anderson's masterful use of narrative, language, and historical theory, got under my skin, and it became the contemporary book I used as a touchstone for excellence in fiction writing (not just Juvenile fiction writing) perhaps more than any other.
So when the New York Times Review of Books announced the sequel, Vol. II The Kingdom on the Waves, I was thrilled. Though it's been out for several months, I've finally had the time to devote to the work, the first book I've been excited about in more than a year. And it did not disappoint.
Early in the novel, Octavian sets the stage for the themes of the book when, in the midst of an interrupted theatrical production he notes that "An anxiety at what was real and what was display beset us." He has discovered that the life he lived in the Novanglian College of Lucidity was not real, but now, he must set about the more difficult task of defining himself. When Octavian enlists with Lord Dunmore, governor of Virginia, he expects freedom. However only after seeing his friends sacrificed in battle, after seeing the chaotic order of the rebels and the ordered chaos of the Loyalists, does he learn understand himself as not a traitor to, but an emblem of the Nation itself: always in conflict, always in a state of flux.
In his closing reflections on the nature of history, Anderson explores the complexity and myriad options that faced slaves during the Revolutionary War: "The decision to emancipate or leave them in bondage," he notes of both sides of the conflict, "was not based on abstract principles, but on strategic interests." Octavian's story gives Anderson the opportunity to explore the troubling uses of the word "Liberty" in Colonial America. Octavian himself is fond of noting that those who cry loudest for freedom from tyranny are the sniveling slave masters, and no one, not even General George Washington, escapes his damning critiques.
Octavian's search for dignity and humanity forces Christian readers to ask serious questions about the idea that we were founded as a "Christian" nation, and pushes all readers to think about the ways that we have constructed the story of our Nation in what we hope will be our own image. This is only a part of reality, Anderson suggests. On the other hand, Octavian knows "How awful it is to contemplate the accidents that determine one's fate." He poignantly notes that "History is not a pageant arrayed for our delectation. We are all always gathered there. ... We ourselves are history. The moment, is always now."
So when the New York Times Review of Books announced the sequel, Vol. II The Kingdom on the Waves, I was thrilled. Though it's been out for several months, I've finally had the time to devote to the work, the first book I've been excited about in more than a year. And it did not disappoint.
Early in the novel, Octavian sets the stage for the themes of the book when, in the midst of an interrupted theatrical production he notes that "An anxiety at what was real and what was display beset us." He has discovered that the life he lived in the Novanglian College of Lucidity was not real, but now, he must set about the more difficult task of defining himself. When Octavian enlists with Lord Dunmore, governor of Virginia, he expects freedom. However only after seeing his friends sacrificed in battle, after seeing the chaotic order of the rebels and the ordered chaos of the Loyalists, does he learn understand himself as not a traitor to, but an emblem of the Nation itself: always in conflict, always in a state of flux.
In his closing reflections on the nature of history, Anderson explores the complexity and myriad options that faced slaves during the Revolutionary War: "The decision to emancipate or leave them in bondage," he notes of both sides of the conflict, "was not based on abstract principles, but on strategic interests." Octavian's story gives Anderson the opportunity to explore the troubling uses of the word "Liberty" in Colonial America. Octavian himself is fond of noting that those who cry loudest for freedom from tyranny are the sniveling slave masters, and no one, not even General George Washington, escapes his damning critiques.
Octavian's search for dignity and humanity forces Christian readers to ask serious questions about the idea that we were founded as a "Christian" nation, and pushes all readers to think about the ways that we have constructed the story of our Nation in what we hope will be our own image. This is only a part of reality, Anderson suggests. On the other hand, Octavian knows "How awful it is to contemplate the accidents that determine one's fate." He poignantly notes that "History is not a pageant arrayed for our delectation. We are all always gathered there. ... We ourselves are history. The moment, is always now."
June 15, 2010
I LOVED THIS BOOK. IT WAS REALLY GREAT AND EVERYONE SHOULD READ IT.
I read this book without reading the first one (this was the only one in the series I could find at the library...), and I would recommend it very highly to ANYONE. The book is about a boy named Octavian who has just escaped from the college where he was raised by a committee of white scientists who were basically experimenting on him to see if a black child, raised in the right environment, could be as intelligent as a white child, all without believing that Octavian and his mother were in any way equal to them. The book follows Octavian as he joins the British army to fight the rebel American soldiers because one of the British generals has formed a brigade of African slaves, promising them freedom from their masters when the British win.
One of the things I loved about this book is how well Anderson fits the character of Octavian, by which I mean he captures Octavian's prose, voice, and vocabulary perfectly. A second thing I loved was the book's intense realism; I've never felt so closely connected to the Revolutionary War in my life. He describes the sights, smells, tastes, and feelings associated with Octavian's army stint perfectly. A third thing I loved was how much this novel complicated the Revolutionary War. Most people, at least where I'm from, see it as God's war in which the "perfect" founding father's led our Blessed Country to liberty. This novel doesn't deal with the issues that caused America to secede, but instead deals with the War's intense racism and the racism that African-Americans experienced from both sides of the war--Octavian doesn't care about taxes or whatever, he only cares about gaining his own freedom and being recognized as an equal in his own society. The author's note at the end of the novel doesn't condemn the American or British forces for their racism, but instead points out that our children will look back on our actions and see them as racist or bigoted. They won't be able to believe the atrocities that were committed in our lifetimes and that we allowed to happen. Therefore, he argues, we should work for human liberty and justice across the world, doing whatever we can in our lifetimes to avoid hypocrisy and help oppressed peoples everywhere.
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone, child, teen, or adult--even people who don't like historical fiction won't be able to help but be drawn into this fascinating story or its gorgeous prose. Read it.
I read this book without reading the first one (this was the only one in the series I could find at the library...), and I would recommend it very highly to ANYONE. The book is about a boy named Octavian who has just escaped from the college where he was raised by a committee of white scientists who were basically experimenting on him to see if a black child, raised in the right environment, could be as intelligent as a white child, all without believing that Octavian and his mother were in any way equal to them. The book follows Octavian as he joins the British army to fight the rebel American soldiers because one of the British generals has formed a brigade of African slaves, promising them freedom from their masters when the British win.
One of the things I loved about this book is how well Anderson fits the character of Octavian, by which I mean he captures Octavian's prose, voice, and vocabulary perfectly. A second thing I loved was the book's intense realism; I've never felt so closely connected to the Revolutionary War in my life. He describes the sights, smells, tastes, and feelings associated with Octavian's army stint perfectly. A third thing I loved was how much this novel complicated the Revolutionary War. Most people, at least where I'm from, see it as God's war in which the "perfect" founding father's led our Blessed Country to liberty. This novel doesn't deal with the issues that caused America to secede, but instead deals with the War's intense racism and the racism that African-Americans experienced from both sides of the war--Octavian doesn't care about taxes or whatever, he only cares about gaining his own freedom and being recognized as an equal in his own society. The author's note at the end of the novel doesn't condemn the American or British forces for their racism, but instead points out that our children will look back on our actions and see them as racist or bigoted. They won't be able to believe the atrocities that were committed in our lifetimes and that we allowed to happen. Therefore, he argues, we should work for human liberty and justice across the world, doing whatever we can in our lifetimes to avoid hypocrisy and help oppressed peoples everywhere.
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone, child, teen, or adult--even people who don't like historical fiction won't be able to help but be drawn into this fascinating story or its gorgeous prose. Read it.
June 21, 2009
Wow. I have been looking forward to this sequel for a long time, and it did not disappoint.
If you have NOT read the first book, there WILL be spoilers here (otherwise writing a review will be nearly impossible).
We catch up with Octavian and Dr. Trefusis pretty much from where the first book ended, with their flight to Boston. From there, Octavian finds work as a violinist with a British orchestra. All too soon, war breaks out, and Octavian and his tutor flee to join Lord Dunmore's Ethiopian regiment after hearing that Great Britian will free the slaves who have enlisted to help the King. Of course, there are a couple of problems. One, we all know how the Revilutionary War played out, and who wins. Two, where Octavian is concerned, Lord Dunmore is woefully incompetent. Octavian learns bit by bit that Great Britain's promises for freedom are not at all based in good will, but are merely a strategic move. Dr. Trefusis says something early on about altruism being like a pie you conver with gravy and check carefully the kidney it has been stuffed with, and that seems ot be the overall theme. Octavian turns more and more bitter as his hopes die away.
This was a very thought-provoking story. You don't often read tales that paint the Patriots (here, the rebels) in less then glowing terms. Also makes you wonder: What if Great Britian would have won? We know the negative things that could have happened -- but could there have been some positive outcomes as well? The author's notes are an interesting read; he wonders, as do I, if the nation would have survived without slavery and the near-genocide of Native Americans. His conclusion is the same as mine: probably not.
"Octavian Nothing" is not a light, fluffy read to take to the beach. But for a meatier, substantial read that will leave you thinking and debating for hours, you don't get much better than this.
If you have NOT read the first book, there WILL be spoilers here (otherwise writing a review will be nearly impossible).
We catch up with Octavian and Dr. Trefusis pretty much from where the first book ended, with their flight to Boston. From there, Octavian finds work as a violinist with a British orchestra. All too soon, war breaks out, and Octavian and his tutor flee to join Lord Dunmore's Ethiopian regiment after hearing that Great Britian will free the slaves who have enlisted to help the King. Of course, there are a couple of problems. One, we all know how the Revilutionary War played out, and who wins. Two, where Octavian is concerned, Lord Dunmore is woefully incompetent. Octavian learns bit by bit that Great Britain's promises for freedom are not at all based in good will, but are merely a strategic move. Dr. Trefusis says something early on about altruism being like a pie you conver with gravy and check carefully the kidney it has been stuffed with, and that seems ot be the overall theme. Octavian turns more and more bitter as his hopes die away.
This was a very thought-provoking story. You don't often read tales that paint the Patriots (here, the rebels) in less then glowing terms. Also makes you wonder: What if Great Britian would have won? We know the negative things that could have happened -- but could there have been some positive outcomes as well? The author's notes are an interesting read; he wonders, as do I, if the nation would have survived without slavery and the near-genocide of Native Americans. His conclusion is the same as mine: probably not.
"Octavian Nothing" is not a light, fluffy read to take to the beach. But for a meatier, substantial read that will leave you thinking and debating for hours, you don't get much better than this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2009
I can't remember the last time I've ever been so disappointed in a book's sequel. After finding such pleasure in Volume I of Octavian's story, I had high hopes for the second.
Let me preface my comments with noting that this book was 560 pages long. It EASILY could have been 200 pages less with little lost to the storyline save pages of repetitive description and scenery. In Volume II, the author picks up where we left Octavian in the first, having fled the College of Lucidity with his mentor, Dr. Trefius, in the early stages of the Revolution. After a stint in Boston, Octavian joins with Lord Dunmore's Royal Ethiopian Regiment but by book's end, discovers that — rebel or British — it doesn't matter who he fights for, either way, as an African American, all he is to the white man is a commodity.
I think my biggest complain with this novel is its length and the Revolutionary dialogue and language (which I found quaint and appealing in the first volume) but wore me down by the second. There were supporting characters I should have cared more about, if I could have kept them straight, and by the end, I had nearly lost the attraction to Octavian (never a good sign when a reader loses interest in the protagonist).
I still recommend the first novel and for those with spare time on their hands, the second. But the first is enough to give you a taste of this time period and the promise of these characters. IMO, it's all downhill from there ...
Let me preface my comments with noting that this book was 560 pages long. It EASILY could have been 200 pages less with little lost to the storyline save pages of repetitive description and scenery. In Volume II, the author picks up where we left Octavian in the first, having fled the College of Lucidity with his mentor, Dr. Trefius, in the early stages of the Revolution. After a stint in Boston, Octavian joins with Lord Dunmore's Royal Ethiopian Regiment but by book's end, discovers that — rebel or British — it doesn't matter who he fights for, either way, as an African American, all he is to the white man is a commodity.
I think my biggest complain with this novel is its length and the Revolutionary dialogue and language (which I found quaint and appealing in the first volume) but wore me down by the second. There were supporting characters I should have cared more about, if I could have kept them straight, and by the end, I had nearly lost the attraction to Octavian (never a good sign when a reader loses interest in the protagonist).
I still recommend the first novel and for those with spare time on their hands, the second. But the first is enough to give you a taste of this time period and the promise of these characters. IMO, it's all downhill from there ...
November 30, 2010
I may eventually bump up my rating on this one. I admit, it was every bit as good as the first one, and often much better. However: OUCH. Anderson has said that, if he had allowed Octavian to triumph over everything (anything?) than these books would turn into the "fantasy novels they so much resemble." Well, I like fantasy novels, dagnabbit, largely because, even though guys like Octavian don't always win, they at some point get thrown SOME kind of bone! Even the dad-blamed epilogue is depressing. I just want to believe that Octavian grew up to have a million babies on a farm in Freetown New York, and eventually dandled his grandaughter Harriet Tubman on his knee, teaching her about human dignity and the unnatural rights of man. IS THAT SO MUCH TO ASK????
Well, of course it is. Besides being historically idiotic, any kind of rainbow at the end of this rainstorm would have sent the message "See, it was all worth it! Octavian may have lost the battle, but future Americans won the war for freedom and equality, because of true American heroes like him! It's all part of the grand, glorious sweep of our nation's history! Yay, America!!" When really, what happened was that these guys got royally screwed out of military expediency and greed, and all free people in America reaped the benefits of slavery for a hundred more years, regardless of Octavian's efforts. So, er, way to uphold the integrity of your book's themes and context, Anderson...jerk.
Well, of course it is. Besides being historically idiotic, any kind of rainbow at the end of this rainstorm would have sent the message "See, it was all worth it! Octavian may have lost the battle, but future Americans won the war for freedom and equality, because of true American heroes like him! It's all part of the grand, glorious sweep of our nation's history! Yay, America!!" When really, what happened was that these guys got royally screwed out of military expediency and greed, and all free people in America reaped the benefits of slavery for a hundred more years, regardless of Octavian's efforts. So, er, way to uphold the integrity of your book's themes and context, Anderson...jerk.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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