The Book of Night Women

The Book of Night Women by Marlon James
Reviewed by Zainab
📙📘📗📕 📒

This haunting masterpiece had me bawling when the book came to an end and on that day I refused to eat. Never have I been so emotionally invested in a book until now. Marlon James bravely writes a vivid nightmare in Jamaican dialect and I wouldn't have it any other way. And even through all the darkness of this genre he found a way to squeeze in some laughs and a small love story. His novel follows the story of slavery and a young girl growing up on a sugar plantation in the 18th century. Getting thrust into a secret rebellion of her people, her path goes this way and that, questioning the meaning of freedom when there's nowhere to run, hide or no one to trust. Imagine whatever you choose to do even if its minding your own there's a chance you'll be whipped everyday for good measure, burned at the stake slowly or hung in a gibbet. I didn't even know what gibbeting was until I googled it and was mortified! I understand why there is still so much anger and bitterness in people today. I understand now.