REVIEW: "The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead

Cora is a third-generation slave, who knows only of life on a Georgia plantation. When her relatively hands-off master passes away and his considerably more "involved" brother takes over, it becomes apparent that a previously offered chance at escape might be her best choice. And so, with the help of fellow slave Caesar, she's off to find the Underground Railroad, which in this book is a literal train running beneath the United States. Things don't ever go easily for Cora, and beginning in South Carolina, she finds herself shuffling from state to state in search of a new life, all the while trying to evade capture. Each state is different in the way its people treat her fellow African-Americans, be they free men or escaped slaves. Some hide their prejudice and cruelties under a facade of assistance and pleasantries, others are more outright atrocious in their behavior. Cora soon finds out, much of America has nothing but hatred for her kind. This book vividly paints just how terrible human beings can be to each other, and it can be hard to take knowing that the events are based on a real time in our nation's history; but this is still an entertaining read, which is perhaps what gives it even more emotional resonance. You will be unable to help but root for Cora during her travels, feeling hopeful every time she alights somewhere new. And each time the book manages to twist the knife in your heart yet again, you will ache with sorrow. Most interestingly, her journey could easily be a stand-in for the journey of blacks in this country, through their abduction from Africa up until the present, when they seem to be merely tolerated by many, with the threat of violence flaring up ever present. It won't leave you feeling especially fond of your fellow man, but this is a must-read, and one of the year's best books.
★★★★★ (out of 5)
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