⋙ Download Property A Novel Valerie Martin 9780385504089 Books

Property A Novel Valerie Martin 9780385504089 Books

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Property A Novel Valerie Martin 9780385504089 Books

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Unlike some of the other reviewers I like the ending. I love how the author dropped you in the middle of the chaos and left you in it. That this author denied us our human need for that closure underscored just how brutal the reality was for these characters. I was left with as much wonderment about their future state as the characters themselves might have had. She ended the book the way she had wriiten it, by folding horrific moments between general day to day thoughts of the wife. It was almost as if this author was shoving the normalization of this wicked way of life down our thoats. The author did an effective job at giving you a peek into the mind of a sociopath and how she normalized her own sickness.


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Property A Novel Valerie Martin 9780385504089 Books Reviews

Can't believe this book doesn't get 5 stars! Wow, this story is told from the other side of the fence; narrated by the slave owner's wife. I'm a black woman and this book made me realize that no matter who you more relate to, when a story is being narrated, you usually go through the emotions of the Narrator as he/she tells the story.

That's why, I read the book that inspired it which is Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs, where the Narrator is the slave herself. THESE books were so AWESOME!! Highly recommend.
Spare story well written really captures the attitudes of the time. The choice of such an unlikeable narrator is pretty genius, as it shows the reality of attitudes with every page. An excellent read.
I felt so sorry for Manon, but began to dislike her more and more as she gained her independence. As she became independent her need to find Sarah and enslave her in tighter chains became even stronger. I hated how she felt no empathy over the death of the baby. This is a must read for women interested in how it would have felt to be a slave, whether a black woman forced to have sex with a white owner, or the white wife who was also his property. The difference was that the death of the husband held SOME hope of freedom for the wife. The black slave had none. This was a very emotional book and exploded on the last page, but DON'T skip!!!!
This book is written (in my opinion) in a pitch-perfect voice for historical fiction. It was a deeply disturbing tale about a horrible and complicated situation where no one is truly happy. It evokes atmosphere and emotion. To be honest - I never thought about those plantation wives, and how horrifyingly hard their lives could have been - not to mention this account really delves into the life of a female slave subjected to both of her white owners. Toni Morrison provided the cover blurb. Slavery was a twisted institution that generated money, but helped no one.
Valerie Martin illustrates the damage visited on the humanity of the slaveowner by slavery, and in so doing, she quietly reveals the horror of the lives of the direct victims of American slavery. Martin bases part of the action on the true story of the escape from slavery of William and Ellen Craft. She writes gracefully and concisely, she has a strong grasp of the historical details, and she understands that often what is not said speaks the loudest.
A story told from the perspective of the female slave owner. I found myself both despising the protagonist and at times feeling a bit, just a bit, sorry to her, but not too much. It’s a quality story that makes you feel that way.
The south and slavery is not my usual preference for reading, however, it was the 1 star reviews that made me want to take a chance on this book. Told from the perspective of a slave owners wife, this narrative peels back a sugar coated layer to reveal the true vileness of this time period. There is nothing to like about the main character. She is a true product of her upbringing and environment -- she plays entitlement like a pro. Do we learn anything about the slaves? Of course not because they are non-entities in the eyes of the main character. Do we learn how slaves are treated and hunted down? Yes, and from a 21st century perspective it should make you uncomfortable and mad. Does the ending leave you wanting more? YES, and if the author would indulge her readers, I would love another book written from the perspective of Sarah, or Delphine during this same time frame.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Unlike some of the other reviewers I like the ending. I love how the author dropped you in the middle of the chaos and left you in it. That this author denied us our human need for that closure underscored just how brutal the reality was for these characters. I was left with as much wonderment about their future state as the characters themselves might have had. She ended the book the way she had wriiten it, by folding horrific moments between general day to day thoughts of the wife. It was almost as if this author was shoving the normalization of this wicked way of life down our thoats. The author did an effective job at giving you a peek into the mind of a sociopath and how she normalized her own sickness.