Lawrence Hill

Hill's novel is a beautiful, compelling artifice, spun from unspeakably savage facts.... a fiction that faces the terrible truth about slavery

A colossal achievement... heartrending yet inspiring

The ebb and flow of Aminata's fortunes is gripping stuff, with the horrors inflicted upon her and her people brought to life almost matter-of-factly - and all the more enraging for that

Richly meticulous recreation of late 18th century slave life... in its grand historical sweep, The Book of Negroes succeeds admirably in giving voice to a captive people who were for so long kept mute

Wears its thorough research lightly... fitting that this ambitious revision of slave narratives should have won the overall Commonwealth Writers' Prize in the year that the American electorate demolished one of its most persistent categories of exclusion

Epic... a compelling tale well told... an important story to tell, one that gives a sense of individuality to people who might otherwise be drowned out in the tragic chorus of history

[Hill] has an easy style and a fine sense of pace that make this a gripping, if horrifying story

Wonderfully written... populated by vivid characters and rendered in fascinating detail

Lawrence Hill's hugely impressive historical work is completely engrossing and deserves a wide, international readership

A powerful indictment of the way in which so many innocent victims were robbed of everything dear to them

An unforgettably vivid picture of the Atlantic slave trade... a remarkable achievement, which deservedly won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize

A masterpiece, daring and impressive in its geographic, historical and human reach, convincing in its narrative art and detail

Aminata is a heroic figure... you can never forget this character. She embeds herself in your heart

The award-winning classic bestseller

'A beautiful, compelling artifice, spun from unspeakably savage facts . . . a fiction that faces the terrible truth about slavery' The Times 
 
WINNER OF THE COMMONWEALTH PRIZE FOR FICTION 
 
Based on a true story, Lawrence Hill's epic novel spans three continents and six decades to bring to life a dark and shameful chapter in our history through the story of one brave and resourceful woman. 
 
Abducted from her West African village at the age of eleven and sold as a slave in the American South, Aminata Diallo thinks only of freedom - and of finding her way home again. 
 
After escaping the plantation, torn from her husband and child, she passes through Manhattan in the chaos of the Revolutionary War, is shipped to Nova Scotia, and then joins a group of freed slaves on a harrowing return odyssey to Africa. 
 
 
What readers are saying: 
 
***** 'Beautifully written ... an enlightening read' 
***** 'Since reading, this has become my favourite book ever' 
***** 'A powerful historical account of an incredible woman's journey'

Lawrence Hill

Praise for The Book of Negroes

Hill's novel is a beautiful, compelling artifice, spun from unspeakably savage facts.... a fiction that faces the terrible truth about slavery

A colossal achievement... heartrending yet inspiring

The ebb and flow of Aminata's fortunes is gripping stuff, with the horrors inflicted upon her and her people brought to life almost matter-of-factly - and all the more enraging for that

Hill's novel is a beautiful, compelling artifice, spun from unspeakably savage facts.... a fiction that faces the terrible truth about slavery

A colossal achievement... heartrending yet inspiring

The ebb and flow of Aminata's fortunes is gripping stuff, with the horrors inflicted upon her and her people brought to life almost matter-of-factly - and all the more enraging for that

Hill's novel is a beautiful, compelling artifice, spun from unspeakably savage facts.... a fiction that faces the terrible truth about slavery

A colossal achievement... heartrending yet inspiring

The ebb and flow of Aminata's fortunes is gripping stuff, with the horrors inflicted upon her and her people brought to life almost matter-of-factly - and all the more enraging for that

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter