Washington Black is a multiple award-winning novel by Esi Edugyan. It was first published in August 2018 by Harper Collins. Washington Black is a young black boy in 1830s Barbados; sure, he would live and die on the plantation he has known his entire life. Then, one day, two brothers from England arrive, and Washington’s life is forever changed.
CW/TW: violence, suicide, death, mutilation, racism
Synopsis from Goodreads
Escape is only the beginning.
When two English brothers arrive at a Barbados sugar plantation, they bring with them a darkness beyond what the slaves have already known. Washington Black, an eleven-year-old field slave, is terrified to be chosen as manservant to one of these men. To his surprise, the eccentric Christopher Wilde turns out to be a naturalist, an explorer, an inventor, and an abolitionist. Soon, Washington is initiated into a world where a flying machine can carry a man across the sky, where the night sea is set alight with jellyfish fields. Even a boy born in chains may embrace a life of dignity and meaning—and where two people, separated by an impossible divide, can begin to see each other as human.
But when a man is killed and a bounty is placed on Washington’s head, Wilde must choose between family bonds and Washington’s life.
What follows is their flight along the eastern coast of America, which opens them up to the extraordinary: a voyage aboard a ship captained by a hunter whose real purpose is unknown to them, a dark encounter with a scholar of the flesh, a glimpse through an unexpected portal into the Underground Railroad; and, finally, to a remote outpost in the Arctic. What brings Wilde and Washington to seek his true self in a world that denies his very existence.
From the blistering cane fields of the Caribbean to the frozen Far North, from the earliest aquariums of London to the eerie deserts of Morocco, Washington Black is an electrifying story of self-invention and betrayal, love and redemption, that asks the question, What is true freedom?
Positives
The settings are beautifully written. You can easily picture Faith plantation, smell the sugar cane, and feel the sun. The bleakness of the Artic encampment is all-encompassing, with the stark white of the snow and the cold temperatures.
For the most part, the characters are well-written. Big Kit is Washington’s strong mother figure. She will do everything she can to protect and scold him if he gets out of line. Erasmus Wilde is nasty; you can feel it ooze off the page. Christopher “Titch” Wilde is the only character that stands out to me, and I thought it needed to be fleshed out better. When you first meet him, he is a bit cold and self-centered. Then, you find yourself warming up to him as he opens up and becomes a mentor to young Wash. Near the end of the book, you find yourself confused by his actions.
Negatives
This is a bit nit-picky, given the book’s setting, but the language is a bit rough. A particular word is used repeatedly, especially in the book’s first part. But it is a word that would have commonly been used in that setting and thus does belong.
My Opinions
Washington Black is a beautifully written book with complicated details. As strange as this is, it is an easy read that is also difficult.
Washington Black is a character in whom I feel we all can see a bit of ourselves. None of us have been in the exact situations he finds himself in, but you will still find a piece of yourself in him. Wash is a curious boy who has only known pain and heartache most of his short life. He doesn’t know who his parents are; he doesn’t see much of a future for himself, given his station in life. Wash is unsure how to act when someone sees something in him, giving him a chance to grow. Justifiably, he is wary of anything positive. Yet when he allows himself to lean into the positive around him, he learns more about himself than he ever knew. Wash continues to grow and continues to seek answers to various questions.
The circumstances of Wash leaving behind everything he has ever known is heartbreaking. He is an 11-year-old boy who only knows the plantation where he lives. And suddenly, he finds himself on a journey he never expected. Yet, he is also saddened by the fact he can never return. When more unfortunate circumstances occur, he finds himself alone and with more questions than answers.
Some people may not like the book’s open-ended conclusion, and I am unsure I understand what Edugyan is trying to say here. Sadly, I can’t go into more details without spoiling the ending and knowing there isn’t an obvious conclusion to the story.
Washington Black has been shortlisted for CBC Canada Reads 2022. I am interested in seeing how it fares against the other four books. For my initial thoughts on the list, visit my announcement post.
Looking for some more books to read? Check out my other book reviews and my monthly reading wrap-ups.
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This sounds fascinating. I just read a book that was also easy to read but difficult to read. So I think I know what you mean. I will add this to my tbr.
I read this when it was first published and really liked it. Have you seen that Hulu is creating a movie? series? based on it?
I haven’t heard anything about an adaptation. But it would be interesting to see one.