Written by Canadian author Esi Edugyan, Washington Black tells the story of a young man named George Washington "Wash" Black, who endeavors to escape the bonds of slavery in the Barbados. The book follows Black's escape, as well as what he does subsequently - from his time in Virginia as an abolitionist to his time in the Arctic.
When it was released, Washington Black received tremendously positive reviews. Kirkus Reviews loved the book, calling it "A thoughtful, boldly imagined ripsnorter that broadens inventive possibilities for the antebellum novel." Publisher's Weekly called the novel "magnificent" and said that "The novel’s patience feels essential: the characters’ many passages from painful endings to tentative rebirths are necessarily slow and searching. Crafted in supple, nuanced prose, Edugyan’s novel is both searing and beautiful."
