A Respectable Trade by Philippa Gregory
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Book Reviews of A Respectable Trade
Book Review: A human dimension to a historical tragedy
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of my favorite books. In addition to being an enjoyable read, one would learn well-researched historical facts about slave trade that deprived Africa of its sons and daughters of talents.
Its consequences could be seen even today. This book lends a human dimension to this historical tragedy. We hear the slaves telling their stories sitting down at the kitchen table of their masters. We hear their cries, their laughter, their longing for their families and their homeland. The novel also shows the shallow thinking of those slave masters. Even the protagonist of the story, who is supposed to be a sympathetic figure, is superficial in her thinking and even hypocritical.
She wanted to have it all: wealth, status, and empty aristocratic titles. Then she sought love and lust from the very people she enslaved and stripped from basic human rights including the right to have non-English names; and she insisted on keeping them slaves up to the very end. The African man is a great personality. He shocked his masters with his intelligence and wisdom and the speed with which he excelled in their language.
He drew strength from the memories of his homeland. He drew warmth from the bright sun shining in the sky of his hometown while suffering the dark clouds of his new life. Those of us who have escaped in search of freedom, experienced life in exile, and are longing for own family and homeland every day, would appreciate this novel even more.
Book Review: A Respectable Trade
Summary: 5 Stars
There is more than one way to be trapped. Frances Scott is trapped in a marriage entered into only to protect her from poverty. Siblings Josiah and Sarah Cole are trapped by their debt, despite Josiah's marriage to Frances which he hoped would bring him increased wealth. Mehuru is a slave kidnapped from Africa and shipped to England. Each is searching for happiness and the freedom to make their own decisions. Circumstances and events will force all to re-evaluate their beliefs and stations in life.
Philippa Gregory, as usual, is not afraid to shock the reader and spares no details when it comes to the horrors of the slaving ships and the dirty town of Bristol. Parts of this novel are not for the faint of heart. However, there are other themes at work here as well such as courage, love, and the strength of the human spirit.
I felt for each of the four main characters and the struggles they were going through; both within themselves and with the world around them. They all had aspects that I did not like, such as I thought Frances was weak, but it is also important to judge the characters for their own time period and not to our modern societal norms.
An excellent read; you will be transported to the cold, bleak dampness of Bristol and the hardships of the late 1700's for slaves, merchants, and gentry alike.
Book Review: Powerful indictment against slavery that is touching and elegantly presented.
Summary: 5 Stars
A touching story full of real people whose lives are affected by this "respectable" trade.
It is beautifully written and researched. Nothing dry or boring here--as we read about well-drawn characters carried along in a page turning plot.
I don't in any way agree with any negative reviews of this inciteful book.
I was swept away by the story. It is an important book to read about a terrible time in history.
The economics with which the slave traders figure their profits had, for me, a chilling ring--as I saw little difference between their uncaring attitudes than the kind of cost-effective policies the Nazis pursued in their "quest" of establishing a new order in the world.
We saw many levels of barbarity here--from violence to the pursuits of ordinary people involved in the trade. People not especially evil, but made evil by their indifference to such horror.
As for the horrendous slave trade--yes, points are made, but they are made by a skillful, briliant writer--please don't miss this book, it's superb.
Book Review: Loved it...not romance-y at all if that's what you think
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow. This book was great! I loved the Other Boleyn Girl and Boleyn Inheritance (also by Philippa Gregory) and decided to check out her non-Tudor books. Don't worry! They're still as excellent and interesting! The story might start slow (I personally was expecting the more gossip-y tone she uses in the court of OBG) in the first few pages, but it really warmed up. Mehuru is a high priestes in the Yoruba civilization of Africa, and is captured on his way to speak against slavery. On the other side of the pond, Frances marries for convenience-exchanging her high title for the wealth and security of Josiah Cole. Most of the book discusses slavery, and the different viewpoints (a slaveowner, a slave trader, a women bystander, slaves themselves, business in general, government). I'd say only about 10 pages total were spent fully on the relationship between Mehuru and Frances--it's only a few lines at most for the first 4/5ths and the last little bit. The book has a great ending, so don't give up if it seems too romance-y towards the final pages!Book Review: Historical Fiction at its Best
Summary: 5 Stars
I first read this book back in the 1990s when it came out and it's always stayed with me so I decided to re-read it and see if I liked
it as much as I remembered. I did. This is historical fiction at it's best. The writing is excellent. The story moves at a good pace and is well told. Mehuru, an African slave, and Frances, a white British married woman and Mehuru's owner, fall in love. The book begins with their two separate stories until they merge when they meet. Another major plot point, besides the slave trade, is the drive of Frances's husband to improve his station as a ship owner and trader of goods (including humans) in Bristol, England in the 1770s. A wonderful mix of politics and romance. A very satisfying read and very sad what the whites did to the Africans all in the name of money. Perfect for book groups.