Review of A Conflicted Slaveholder

[Jane Ogwang]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Conflicted Slaveholder" by Marge Cambre Reynolds.]

---

4 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

I used to cherish those nights when our grandparents would have us gather around the fireplace and tell us exciting stories about their past. This book brought those nostalgic memories back in droves. I felt like I relived those days, especially when I used text-to-speech tools to read this book. What makes it so extraordinary is that it discusses the sensitive topic of slavery from a perspective rarely explored; the slaveowners' perspective. In the book A Conflicted Slaveholder by Marge Cambre Reynolds, Michel Cambre tells his experiences during the years of slavery. The book combines facts from genealogy researchers and a fictional story from the author's imagination.

Michel Cambre was a Bavarian, meaning that at eighteen, he had to report to either the military or the seminary. Priesthood wasn't a thing for him, so he opted for the military. Bavaria was diverse, with both Germans and French living in the area. They even spoke a mix of those two languages. He was assimilated into the French military as a mercenary, where his escapades began. His surroundings were strange and cold, and his nightmare lieutenant did little to help. In fact, he even added to the misery he was facing. Their voyage to New Orleans was unforgettable, and their experience at the destination was life-changing. They were to guard the French government's interests in New Orleans in the slave trade, for which the area was well-known. He makes new friends, meets old friends, and eventually settles in the area once free. He narrates his experiences dealing with the enslaved people he came to own in his new lifestyle.

This book is an absolute page-turner. The story is intriguing and insightful, and the author delivered it excellently. The writing was done in the first person, making it more conversational, engaging, and relatable. It felt like I was walking with Michel through his journey in the French military. The descriptions were vivid and clear; I had no problems imagining the scenery or characters as the author introduced them. She also used language that was simple and very easy to comprehend.

Most importantly, I enjoyed this book for giving me a different perspective and highlighting the plight of a part of our society. When we talk about slavery, we rightly focus on the people that were actually traded for free labor, whipped, and in some instances, even raped. We rarely talk about people like Michel, who were forced into a war they did not want a part of. Being separated from their families during their teenage years, made to travel miles, then put in charge of the inhuman act of slavery involuntarily isn't an atrocity we talk about enough. This, of course, doesn't excuse what they did, but it gives a perspective that makes it easier to understand an otherwise ridiculous and confusing situation. The book explored the human aspects of the slave owners and, in Michel's case, the guilt and remorse he had to live his latter days with.

The only negative for me was that by the time of his death, Michel still casually used the terms buying and owning slaves. It seemed like he had now believed it was something that was meant to happen and was kind of okay with it. I was angered by his attempt to get justification from the Bible. While he acknowledged the act was inhuman, he just wanted enslavers to treat their slaves humanely and never actually called for an end to the act. This, for me, pointed to a lack of spine. It tainted an otherwise excellent read and made me deduct a star from my rating.

I, therefore, give this book a rating of four out of five stars. It was well-written and professionally edited. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in exploring the history of slavery from the enslaver's perspective. They'll definitely enjoy reading the book.

******
A Conflicted Slaveholder
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Monale Bariyima Ueh]

Wow your review is awesome and very insightful. The perspective of the slaveowners is one that has not really been given a lot of attention. The act of slavery is inhumane and one usually considers those that partook in it as monsters. But it is thought provoking to consider their humanity and the circumstances that led to that path.

[Jane Ogwang]

Wow your review is awesome and very insightful. The perspective of the slaveowners is one that has not really been given a lot of attention. The act of slavery is inhumane and one usually considers those that partook in it as monsters. But it is thought provoking to consider their humanity and the circumstances that led to that path.

Thank you for your comments, Monale.

[Nicholas Bush]

I love your review for this book and i must admit that it is an interesting read. Would be nice to read this book someday ASAP. adding it to my bookshelf. Nice review.