Review by nmbotela -- The Prodigy Slave, Book One: Journ...
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nmbotela
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Review by nmbotela -- The Prodigy Slave, Book One: Journ...
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Prodigy Slave, Book One: Journey to Winter Garden" by Londyn Skye.]
The Prodigy Slave, Book One: Journey to Winter Garden is an enticing romance historical novel by Londyn Skye. The book explores a complicated interracial relationship in an era when it was not only frowned upon but against the law.
The story begins with a jarring scene of a slave woman in a bitter tug of war with her master as he tries to forcefully take away her only child, Lily, to sell her off to another plantation. At only nine years old, Lily is not only ripped apart from her mother, but on the same day, she learns a bitter truth, the man hell-bent on getting rid of her is her very own father. Distraught and defeated, she is sold off to Jesse Adams, a slave owner looking to replace his aging housemaid. However, unbeknownst to the Adamses, Lily is no ordinary slave; she possesses a rare and extraordinary gift, a brilliant brain that can recall and retain information after only being exposed to it once and for a short period.
Although a gift on the surface, this innate ability proves to be a curse for Lily as she can't shake off the haunting memories of her past. To escape her mind, she secretly begins to watch Mrs. Adams teach and play the piano, and the soothing sounds of the instrument become a welcome comfort for Lily. Soon after, and simply from watching from afar, she can not only play the piano independently but create original compositions as well, something she secretly starts doing each time the Adamses leave their home. However, according to Virginia Slave Codes, a Negro slave is forbidden from acquiring any superior skills and, if found, such an offense attracts severe punishment. One fateful day, her worst nightmare comes to life. She's caught playing by James Adams, Jesse's youngest son, and as punishment, he suggests an idea guaranteed to crash Lily's spirit even further. Nonetheless, it also marks the beginning of a journey into a world Lily never dreamed of and, most significantly, an unexpected romance that will turn her life upside down.
Aptly set in Virginia, U.S, in 1945, The Prodigy Slave, Book One: Journey to Winter Garden realistically captures the complex realities of slavery and oppression. Although I can't confirm if the book's details are historically accurate, I found the ideologies and character representation believable. I loved that the author began each chapter with a particular slave code and then followed it with a related narration.
The characters were terrific. Lily was an ideal protagonist. I felt and understood her every step of the way. The apparent villains were also compelling, and I thoroughly loathed them and their maliciousness. I grappled with understanding and accepting Lily's primary love interest and how he treated their relationship. I had such a love-hate relationship with him and kept changing my perceptions of him throughout the book. In the end, it left me speechless by the unexpected twist. Londyn indeed executed a killer plot twist that is a perfect segue to the next book in this trilogy. It is definitely not a standalone book.
I enjoyed most of the book. However, I found the middle section dull as it focused more on music, which wasn't particularly interesting to me. The earlier drama that made the book enjoyable seemed to have been tossed to the side, leaving the story stagnant and mundane. I also didn't enjoy the long and unnecessarily graphic sex scenes. One particular sex scene almost covered a whole chapter of the book.
Any adult looking for a book that touches on slavery in America with a forbidden love twist will enjoy reading this book. It may not suit the typical romance reader looking for a happy, touchy-feely romance as some readers may find the power play in the relationship a bit toxic. Moreover, it contains profanity, racial slurs, adult dialogue, and sexual descriptions that some readers might find inappropriate or disturbing.
My overall rating for the book is 3 out of 4 stars. The story is original, creative, and very well-written. The writing was almost flawless, and I picked up very few editing errors. It did not get the perfect score of 4 out of 4 due to the overly exaggerated romance segments and the highly descriptive erotic scenes, which dulled down the book for me. I'm not a big fan of romance novels, but I enjoy reading literature on race relations, thus the reason I picked this one up, and it did not disappoint. I cannot wait to read book two of this trilogy.
******
The Prodigy Slave, Book One: Journey to Winter Garden
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Prodigy Slave, Book One: Journey to Winter Garden is an enticing romance historical novel by Londyn Skye. The book explores a complicated interracial relationship in an era when it was not only frowned upon but against the law.
The story begins with a jarring scene of a slave woman in a bitter tug of war with her master as he tries to forcefully take away her only child, Lily, to sell her off to another plantation. At only nine years old, Lily is not only ripped apart from her mother, but on the same day, she learns a bitter truth, the man hell-bent on getting rid of her is her very own father. Distraught and defeated, she is sold off to Jesse Adams, a slave owner looking to replace his aging housemaid. However, unbeknownst to the Adamses, Lily is no ordinary slave; she possesses a rare and extraordinary gift, a brilliant brain that can recall and retain information after only being exposed to it once and for a short period.
Although a gift on the surface, this innate ability proves to be a curse for Lily as she can't shake off the haunting memories of her past. To escape her mind, she secretly begins to watch Mrs. Adams teach and play the piano, and the soothing sounds of the instrument become a welcome comfort for Lily. Soon after, and simply from watching from afar, she can not only play the piano independently but create original compositions as well, something she secretly starts doing each time the Adamses leave their home. However, according to Virginia Slave Codes, a Negro slave is forbidden from acquiring any superior skills and, if found, such an offense attracts severe punishment. One fateful day, her worst nightmare comes to life. She's caught playing by James Adams, Jesse's youngest son, and as punishment, he suggests an idea guaranteed to crash Lily's spirit even further. Nonetheless, it also marks the beginning of a journey into a world Lily never dreamed of and, most significantly, an unexpected romance that will turn her life upside down.
Aptly set in Virginia, U.S, in 1945, The Prodigy Slave, Book One: Journey to Winter Garden realistically captures the complex realities of slavery and oppression. Although I can't confirm if the book's details are historically accurate, I found the ideologies and character representation believable. I loved that the author began each chapter with a particular slave code and then followed it with a related narration.
The characters were terrific. Lily was an ideal protagonist. I felt and understood her every step of the way. The apparent villains were also compelling, and I thoroughly loathed them and their maliciousness. I grappled with understanding and accepting Lily's primary love interest and how he treated their relationship. I had such a love-hate relationship with him and kept changing my perceptions of him throughout the book. In the end, it left me speechless by the unexpected twist. Londyn indeed executed a killer plot twist that is a perfect segue to the next book in this trilogy. It is definitely not a standalone book.
I enjoyed most of the book. However, I found the middle section dull as it focused more on music, which wasn't particularly interesting to me. The earlier drama that made the book enjoyable seemed to have been tossed to the side, leaving the story stagnant and mundane. I also didn't enjoy the long and unnecessarily graphic sex scenes. One particular sex scene almost covered a whole chapter of the book.
Any adult looking for a book that touches on slavery in America with a forbidden love twist will enjoy reading this book. It may not suit the typical romance reader looking for a happy, touchy-feely romance as some readers may find the power play in the relationship a bit toxic. Moreover, it contains profanity, racial slurs, adult dialogue, and sexual descriptions that some readers might find inappropriate or disturbing.
My overall rating for the book is 3 out of 4 stars. The story is original, creative, and very well-written. The writing was almost flawless, and I picked up very few editing errors. It did not get the perfect score of 4 out of 4 due to the overly exaggerated romance segments and the highly descriptive erotic scenes, which dulled down the book for me. I'm not a big fan of romance novels, but I enjoy reading literature on race relations, thus the reason I picked this one up, and it did not disappoint. I cannot wait to read book two of this trilogy.
******
The Prodigy Slave, Book One: Journey to Winter Garden
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Hotel Detective and his Lover by Derek Picot
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Jasy95
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Thanks for the engaging review! This sounds like a really interesting novel and I'll consider checking it out.
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