

And preaching the words of Massa Paul's gospel, he betrays them. Their flickering glances, unspoken words and wilful intention, revealing a truth that threatens to rock the stability of the plantation. But the barn is their haven, a space of radiance and love - away from the blistering sun and the cruelty of the toubabs - where they can be alone together.īut, Amos - a fellow slave - has begun to direct suspicion towards the two men and their refusal to bend.

Two young enslaved men, Samuel and Isaiah dwell among the animals they keep in the barn, helping out in the fields when their day is done. The Halifax plantation is known as Empty by the slaves who work it under the pitiless gaze of its overseers and its owner, Massa Paul. blends the lyricism of Toni Morrison with the vivid prose of Zora Neale Hurston to characterise the forceful, enduring bond of love, and what happens when brutality threatens the purest form of serenity. The Millions' Most Anticipated Books of 2021 O, the Oprah Magazine's 32 LGBTQ Books That Will ChangeĬosmopolitan's New LGBTQ+ Books to Add to Your Reading ListīuzzFeed's Most Anticipated Historical Fiction of 2021 TIME's 10 New Books You Should Read in January

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