Peter's Reviews > Freedom

Another beautiful historical fiction by Catherine Johnson. Set in 1763.

Nathaniel is a twelve year old slave brought by his master and mistress from Jamaica to England to work in their London house. With the help of his friends, a maid of all works at the house and a cabin boy on the ship he came over on, Nathaniel is able to escape his confinement into the city of London, there he stumbles on a group of black abolitionists who are going to watch a trial about the terrible events that took place on the Zong slave ship. It's a sensitive personal story, that travels from Jamaica to London, and throughout it we witness through Nathaniel's eyes the injustices and cruelties of the slave trade and one of the first events that led to slavery's eventual abolition.

A subtle and thoughtful account, without some of the violence and disturbing imagery you might get in an adult book, but still with a lot for a 8+ or teen readers to think about.

Another great thing about the book is the account of the history of the slave trade in the back, that give a broader picture and encourages further reading, with dates and the sketches of the real-life figures who appear in the story.