51 pages 1 hour read

Hannah Crafts, Henry Louis Gates Jr., ed.

The Bondwoman's Narrative

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2002

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

The Bondwoman’s Narrative by Hannah Crafts, edited by Henry Louis Gates Jr., follows the harrowing journey of Hannah, an enslaved woman in Virginia and North Carolina, who escapes to New Jersey to seek freedom. She faces numerous obstacles, including betrayal, wrongful imprisonment, and the constant threat of being captured. The book is considered to be the first novel written by an African American female slave in the United States.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

The Bondwoman's Narrative, edited by Henry Louis Gates Jr., fascinates with its unprecedented glimpse into the 19th-century African-American woman's life. Readers praise its historical significance and narrative richness. However, some critique the editing and occasional repetitiveness. Overall, it’s an essential read for historical and literary insight.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Bondwoman's Narrative?

A reader who enjoys The Bondwoman's Narrative by Hannah Crafts, edited by Henry Louis Gates Jr., would be captivated by historical novels and narratives of slavery. Fans of Harriet Jacobs' Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl and Solomon Northup's Twelve Years a Slave will find this autobiographical novel compelling, enriched by Gates's scholarly insights.

Recommended

Reading Age

18+years

Book Details

Genre

Historical Fiction

Classic Fiction