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kareila_booksI found this to be an extremely challenging book. It tells the first half of an unlikely story: a colonial boy of African descent, son of a princess who was sold into slavery while pregnant, being given a classical education by a haphazard group of scientists and philosophers, who regard him merely as a subject of their experiments.
As the American Revolution begins to unfold, the hypocrisy of the wealthier patriots is laid bare: they desire liberty from their British "oppressors", while at the same time fearing to grant that same liberty to their slaves. The patrons of Octavian's society hope ultimately to use him as proof of the natural inferiority of non-whites.
The challenge I mentioned lies in the discomfort of the subject matter, along with the use of archaic language - especially in the accounts that comprise the third section of the book, which shifts from Octavian's perspective to eventually settle on that of a rebel soldier who befriends him. Also, one of the villains is such a terrible windbag that I couldn't bear to wade through his horrible expostulations.
That said, I definitely want to know how the story ends...
As the American Revolution begins to unfold, the hypocrisy of the wealthier patriots is laid bare: they desire liberty from their British "oppressors", while at the same time fearing to grant that same liberty to their slaves. The patrons of Octavian's society hope ultimately to use him as proof of the natural inferiority of non-whites.
The challenge I mentioned lies in the discomfort of the subject matter, along with the use of archaic language - especially in the accounts that comprise the third section of the book, which shifts from Octavian's perspective to eventually settle on that of a rebel soldier who befriends him. Also, one of the villains is such a terrible windbag that I couldn't bear to wade through his horrible expostulations.
That said, I definitely want to know how the story ends...
