BOOK REVIEW: THE BOOK OF NIGHT WOMEN BY MARLON JAMES

ABOUT:

The Book of Night Women is a sweeping, startling novel, a true tour de force of both voice and storytelling. It is the story of Lilith, born into slavery on a Jamaican sugar plantation at the end of the eighteenth century. Even at her birth, the slave women around her recognize a dark power that they and she will come to both revere and fear.

The Night Women, as they call themselves, have long been plotting a slave revolt, and as Lilith comes of age and reveals the extent of her power, they see her as the key to their plans. But when she begins to understand her own feelings and desires and identity, Lilith starts to push at the edges of what is imaginable for the life of a slave woman in Jamaica, and risks becoming the conspiracy's weak link.

Lilith's story overflows with high drama and heartbreak, and life on the plantation is rife with dangerous secrets, unspoken jealousies, inhuman violence, and very human emotion between slave and master, between slave and overseer, and among the slaves themselves. Lilith finds herself at the heart of it all. And all of it told in one of the boldest literary voices to grace the page recently--and the secret of that voice is one of the book's most intriguing mysteries.

 My Thoughts

This book was such a heavy read, if you are triggered by brutality and violence especially related to slavery maybe this would not be your cup of tea.

What I enjoyed about this story the most, as a person who have studied Caribbean History, is how Marlon James was able through this work of fiction depict quite clearly major events that occurred in Jamaican Sugar plantations during slavery.

Lilith's character was a testament of James' skill as a writer. When you read about Lilith and the night women especially Homer, You would not help but feel empathy and also admire the strength of these women. I always felt that women's voices especially black's women voices are underrepresented in Caribbean History. This was what probably drew me to the story so much.

I am going to look for other books written by Marlon James . I cannot believe this is the first time that I read one of his books. For persons who like historical fiction novels this one is really good.