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A review by louiza_read2live
The Indigo Girl by Natasha Boyd
3.0
(Historical Fiction) This was hard to rate. On one hand, I enjoyed the writing style, and I loved that the book is based on the true story of this amazing woman (young girl at the time of the book) that I think she should be more well known. On the other hand, I thought that it was a little too slow at times and I felt that something was missing that made me feel distant from the characters. It was not the different era and mentality of the time period that made me not connect with any of the characters. It was something else that was missing that I can't pinpoint yet.
Furthermore, (and it could be the cause of the problem I had connecting) I felt uncomfortable with the way Eliza's relationship with her family's slaves is portrayed. I felt that the author could have done a much better and clearer job showing the emotional world of Eliza and her internal conflict about what she had been taught about slavery and what she felt about it herself.
I felt that this issue was brushed off and it made me feel that Eliza thought her relationship with the slaves as if they were good friends helping her or regular employees. I do not believe that this was the intention of the author. I just think that in some parts it came out this way. This made Eliza someone that not only I couldn't connect, but I had trouble liking her on some instances, like when she compares her life and limited freedom as a woman as being equally tragic as the life and complete lack of freedom of her slave. I might be too harsh on this book; however, I have read several books with slavery as a theme and I never felt this way before.
That being said, Eliza is a strong, brilliant young girl who clearly understands the evil of slavery and tries to break off from the learned behavior and mindset she has grown up with. I just think that the author could have done a better job showing this conflict in a stronger manner that she did.
Nevertheless, I wish we knew more about Eliza, a young 16 year old girl left to take care her whole family, and all she accomplished with determination and strength that was not the norm for a woman of her time.
Furthermore, (and it could be the cause of the problem I had connecting) I felt uncomfortable with the way Eliza's relationship with her family's slaves is portrayed. I felt that the author could have done a much better and clearer job showing the emotional world of Eliza and her internal conflict about what she had been taught about slavery and what she felt about it herself.
I felt that this issue was brushed off and it made me feel that Eliza thought her relationship with the slaves as if they were good friends helping her or regular employees. I do not believe that this was the intention of the author. I just think that in some parts it came out this way. This made Eliza someone that not only I couldn't connect, but I had trouble liking her on some instances, like when she compares her life and limited freedom as a woman as being equally tragic as the life and complete lack of freedom of her slave. I might be too harsh on this book; however, I have read several books with slavery as a theme and I never felt this way before.
That being said, Eliza is a strong, brilliant young girl who clearly understands the evil of slavery and tries to break off from the learned behavior and mindset she has grown up with. I just think that the author could have done a better job showing this conflict in a stronger manner that she did.
Nevertheless, I wish we knew more about Eliza, a young 16 year old girl left to take care her whole family, and all she accomplished with determination and strength that was not the norm for a woman of her time.