Historical Fiction · DarkOn a plantation near New Orleans in 1828, Manon resents Sarah, the enslaved woman she received as a wedding gift
Property
A plantation owner's wife resents the enslaved woman she was given when she married
In 1828 Manon Gaudet lives on a sugar plantation near New Orleans, the wife of its owner. Sarah, an enslaved woman, was a wedding present, and Manon brought her from the city. The novel centers on Manon's resentment of Sarah, and the private drama of the estate plays out against a backdrop of civil unrest and slave rebellion. Doubleday published it in February 2003, and the Observer named it one of "The 10 best historical novels" in 2012.
More about this book
Who
Manon Gaudet, a plantation owner's wife, and Sarah, an enslaved woman.
World
A sugar plantation near New Orleans in 1828.
What makes it different
The narrator is the slaveholder's wife, and the story is about her resentment.
Feel
Cold and unsettling.
Page count and cover shown for: Selected edition
Further reading
- PropertyWikipedia