Approach with caution - it's historical fiction..

I had high expectations for this book, given the many prizes and accolades which it has won, and the premise is certainly interesting - a brutal re-imagining of a brutal time in America's history in which men, women and children were bought, sold, abused and disposed of like property. The concept sounds interesting at first - the actual, historical underground which was a network of people who smuggled escaped slaves to freedom out of the South, becomes a literal underground railroad which has been (somehow) carved out of the rock under the very feet of the white slavers of the south and runs for hundreds of miles through a series of secret stations like some sort of macabre roller coaster.

I'm sure this sounded like a great concept to work with, and something which a talented writer like Whitehead could take on, but for me it quickly became an irritating distraction, as it is never made tangible or believable, so every time it crops up in the story to conveniently whisk the protagonist out of one hellish scene and into the next, hate-induced racial nightmare, I found myself being pulled back out of the story. I generally enjoy magical realism as a genre, but this book is claiming to be historical fiction, and the blurring of this logical impossibility with the real suffering which slaves endured felt trite and contrived.

I am also concerned at the significant number of reviewers who don't appear to realise that most of the events depicted in the book never actually happened, and are quoting elements like the 'freedom road' a gruesome avenue of lynched slaves hanging from trees for miles on end, as being 'new facts' which they've learned through reading this book!

The writing style is fast paced and there's plenty of action, but I struggled to connect with any of the characters, and whilst the narration is well crafted, some of the dialogue feels stilted and dry. The narration is good, although limited somewhat by the dialogue and the lack of character development.

To my mind the author substitutes real character development for lurching plot devices which usually center around Tarantino-esque scenes of horrific, yet casually administered violence and depravity against the slaves. Whilst much of this violence is based in historical fact, the almost comic-book exaggeration of events lessens, rather than heightens the real horror and suffering experienced by millions of slaves. I didn't quite understand the intent in creating an 'alternative universe' in which history has taken a divergent path, as the actual stories of real slaves and the genuine courage and sacrifice of those people who ran the underground railway is a far more compelling basis for a story. I fully appreciate that you're not supposed to 'like' or necessarily 'enjoy' a book with such a heavy and important subject matter, but I do expect to be moved, and find myself emotionally involved. And unfortunately, apart from occasional moments, that didn't happen with this book for me, and the so the trade-off for the relentless gratuitous violence just wasn't there.

If you want to read (or listen to) a genuinely gripping and moving account of life as a slave read Solomon Northup's 12 Years a Slave' which is a first hand, historical account of what happened.

If you really like the 'alternative universe' narrative, I suggest Philip Roth's 'The Plot Against America'

If you enjoy magical realism, read 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

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30 people found this helpful

A spellbinding, heartbreaking tale of slavery.

I always know when I have read a truly great book - I am bereft at its end and want to tell everyone about it. This was such a book. One of my top five reads of 2017, so far.

Beautifully written, well-paced, great plot and characters. The lives and fate of slaves and runaways have always made for shocking reading and this novel is no exception . But the clever concept and depiction of the Underground Railroad gave this novel it's unique edge and kept me wondering if Cora, the main character, would ever reach the Free States.

Excellent and sympathetic narration.

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11 people found this helpful

cora captivated me.

Captivating story. I became so involved with Cora I could feel her next to me.
occasionally I felt the voice sounded a little robotic which was no fault of the narrator. perhaps the recording.
highly recommended nevertheless.

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5 people found this helpful

Powerful, epic, a real look into inhumanity

Listening to this is obviously a struggle, the content of slavery is not something that can be trivialised so be warned.

While Colson Whitehead did not get into much character building, the focus on the underground railroad itself is detailed and descriptive. The protagonist Cora serves as a good barometer in understanding the level of horror that many African Americans faced hence the writer does not seem to concentrate on creating emotive backgrounds for each character.

Nevertheless, the terrifying incidents leave the listener empathising with the characters as it reflects the lack of safety and constant fear they had to face. It is a rollercoaster listen, starting off slow but still horrifying, culminating in more and more terrible situations. The performer is a little stagnant at times probably because it reads more as a factual piece than autobiographical.

A 21st century tribute to the generations who have suffered.

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5 people found this helpful

Gritty and Bleak

great performance and a great story, but its not a light listen! the main character Cora is likeable and you really get drawn in to her story and want her to succeed. there are twists and turns in the story but the gritty realism keeps you grounded.

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5 people found this helpful

Slavery laid bare, warts and all.

I really do not enjoy american narratorss, however Bahni Turpin is simply wonderful as she brings all the characters to life. She was amazing in Calling me home, which I would also recommend as it is in a similar vein, however a little less graphic.

There were some horrific moments in this book which made me gasp in shock, and made me ashamed to be white.
The completee injustice of slavery is laid bare warts and all in this tale of the chance of freedom and how much you would risk for it.

Highly recommended.

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4 people found this helpful

Disappointingly & underwhelming slave tale

I wanted to love this but I couldn't. The premise of the story is set in the southern US slave states and the life of Cora who runs away from slavery. I enjoyed some of the plantation descriptions which detail her life and little touches like her trying to keep a small patch of land to grow vegetables. But overall I felt her character didn't really grow and develop. It was a slow, boring listen once she had run and, at times, I didn't understand what was happening. It definitely has potential with some well written passages and a subtlety that hints at some of the worse aspects -like how doctors see the women to stop them reproducing, but it just lacks forward movement. I don't want lots of action and adventure but this was lots of the same thing over and over. Sadly I can't recommend.

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4 people found this helpful

Strangely Disappointing

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

This book could have been improved with editing it down and sticking more to how slaves really escaped. I had little patience with the idea that the "Underground Railroad", as the slave escape network was dubbed, was an actual railroad under the ground.

I had read a review saying this was better than the factual "12 Years a Slave", but I would absolutely disagree.

No doubt the writer blended a lot of good research on the topic with his artistic license about the railroad and the fictional stories of the characters, but I found the artistic license annoying and the characters could have been better developed.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The most interesting aspect for me were the weekly "festivals" with lynchings the main character witnessed while holed up in an attic on her way north - simply because I had no idea that sort of thing went on for general consumption.

The least interesting: the concept of the Underground Railroad being a real railroad.

Which character – as performed by Bahni Turpin – was your favourite?

Cora.

Did The Underground Railroad inspire you to do anything?

No.

Any additional comments?

If you want your writing to sing... edit it down and tighten it up.

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3 people found this helpful

Great book, great writing.

Good book. Energetic, upsetting and beautifully written. It had its redemptive moments, but it's a grim subject all told.

Recommended.

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3 people found this helpful

All they hype is justified

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes I would but not all. Some delicate souls will be put off by some of the graphic content.

What did you like best about this story?

I felt the author didn't cheat history. The content felt authentic. The cruelty was authentic. This book is so apt for the times we live in.

Which character – as performed by Bahni Turpin – was your favourite?

All of them .

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The massacre neare the end

Any additional comments?

In my opinion this is a really good book and really worth your time. Ditch xfactor/dancing with the stars and tune into some real quality.

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2 people found this helpful