In the middle of the 19th century, as the plantations in Virginia begin to wear out the rich tobacco producing soil, Hiram Walker is born - son of the master, Howell Walker, and grandson of Santi Bess, the slave who is said to have walked into the Goose River with 48 other "tasked" and disappeared only to emerge on the shores of Africa. Hiram is valued for his seemingly eidetic memory but as the story unfolds an even rarer gift is exposed. Because of his connection to Howell Walker, Hiram walks a fine line between the "tasked" and the "quality" and often lives in both roles. There is a lot of history including an encounter with "Moses" Tubman and an unusual exploration of the relationship between the black and white culture of this particular time and place. This novel feels a great deal like The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead but with an even stronger African flavor. The language is beautiful providing a more misty mythology than jarring magical realism feel. The cruelty and horror of slavery is mostly revealed through the destruction of the "tasked" family unit which was at the core of slave survival. And - the ending - can't wait for that book group conversation.
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