Marvelous Middle Grade Monday # MMGM Book Review: Unbound: A Novel in Verse by Ann E. Burg

 

Grace has been raised in slavery. She lives with her mama, Uncle Jim, and her brother is in a small cabin where they share nightly stories and love. But when Grace gets called to the Big House her mama is worried because Grace has a tendency to say what she thinks. That won’t do up there. Warned to keep her eyes down and her mouth closed Grace goes off to the Big House alone, unsure of what she is stepping into. She soon sees that things are even harder at the Big House than they were at the small cabin. The Missus of the house is mean to the core, and seems to take pleasure in asking Grace and the other slaves to do things twice or a third time.  Luckily a kindly woman in the kitchen befriends Grace and tries to help steer her through the tricky situations.  Unfortunately, Grace sees an injustice and doesn’t hold her tongue. She worries because she has she puts her whole family in danger. It gets even worse when she overhears the Master say they are going to sell her mama, or her brothers, or her. She can’t believe her family will no longer be together, and it’s her fault. Grace knows she has to get word to her mama and they may need to be on the run. What will they do? Where will they go? Is it even possible to flee to safety on the spur of the moment? Is freedom a possibility? Are the rumors of safety at the Great Dismal Swamp a reality? You’ll have to read this adventure and heartwarming story to find out.

Unbound: A Novel in Verse by Ann E. Burg is a beautifully written story that will draw the reader right in. I enjoyed that this book is historical fiction and the characters tugged at my heart. I completely agreed with Grace’s questions and the things she thought weren’t fair. Unfortunately, during slavery those questions and looks could get someone whipped, or even worse. I would have felt the same way as Grace because no human should be treated the way slaves were treated. Reading her story reminds readers of this horrible time in history, but her spirit gives you hope. I loved seeing the way her family connected with each other and how much they all loved each other. I also liked learning about what happened to the family and hoped they would make it to the freedom they so deserved. I won’t tell you what happens, but trying to make it to freedom was a dangerous journey and the outcome wasn’t guaranteed. The author’s note at the end helped me learn a lot about some parts of slavery, the Underground Railroad, aspects of escaping that I did not know about, and the Great Dismal Swamp which I had never heard of before. I recommend this book to people who like books told in verse, historical fiction, and characters and stories that stay with you. This is a story that should not be missed.

Has anyone else read Unbound: A Novel in Verse? Or have you read another book by Ann E. Burg? We would love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!

~L

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