Review by lavenderbooks20 -- The Prodigy Slave, Book One...

[Justine Ocsebio]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Prodigy Slave, Book One: Journey to Winter Garden" by Londyn Skye.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The year is 1859, and Lily works as a slave for the Adams family. In a dismal and cruel world, Lily finds refuge in the family piano that she secretly plays whenever she’s alone in the house. One day, James Adams, the son of her master, sees her playing the piano and threatens to tell on her. Clearly, a harsh punishment awaits a slave who stealthily uses her master’s possession. However, unbeknownst to Lily, there is more to the incident than she thinks, and her life is just about to begin.

The Prodigy Slave, Book One: Journey to Winter Garden by Londyn Skye is a well-written historical romance. The book has non-linear storytelling. The chronological order of events is often interrupted with flashbacks to Lily and James’ childhood. The story is as much about the development of their relationship as it is about Lily’s struggle to become a well-established musician in a society whose good judgment is obscured by bigotry.

I liked Lily’s character development. Due to being a slave her entire life, Lily grew meek and docile. As the story progresses, Lily gains enough confidence to know when to be assertive and when to be kind and forgiving. I additionally liked the exploration of significant themes in this book. The author emphasizes the notion that racism is something people acquire growing up. James is a victim of such a twisted upbringing. James and Lily used to be friends when they were younger until James’ father got in the way. After indoctrinating his son with racist ideals, James started treating Lily differently. Furthermore, the book shows how truly dehumanizing slavery is. In a less severe instance, it’s infuriating how people will not look past the color of Lily’s skin and recognize how much of a skilled pianist she is.

The prose is noteworthy for its poetic writing; it perfectly conveys the characters’ emotions and sentiments. Each chapter opens with a provision from the slave code. This aspect amplifies tension to the narrative, as a reader will get to be aware of the violation the characters may be committing. The book ends with a major cliffhanger, leaving enough anticipation for the sequel.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Prodigy Slave. The text appears professionally edited with little to no errors. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars because it has several merits, and there is nothing I dislike about it. I recommend this book to anyone who adores historical romance with well-developed characters. The text contains explicit sex scenes that are not suitable for readers younger than eighteen. If you dislike steamy romance novels, this is not the book for you.

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The Prodigy Slave, Book One: Journey to Winter Garden
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[Honest-reviewer]

I’ve read this book and I enjoyed it. It kept me hooked throughout. Great review!

[AnnieOgoo]

Your review hit the nail on the head! Just lovely.
I'm currently reading this book, and I'm so into it that I'm currently on the third and final book. I'll save my full impression of this book for my review.

[Justine Ocsebio]

I’ve read this book and I enjoyed it. It kept me hooked throughout. Great review!

thanks for your comment

[duskdawn09]

I have always enjoyed reading this genre of novels that take place in the past. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Justine Ocsebio]

Your review hit the nail on the head! Just lovely.
I'm currently reading this book, and I'm so into it that I'm currently on the third and final book. I'll save my full impression of this book for my review.

Thanks for stopping by

[Justine Ocsebio]

I have always enjoyed reading this genre of novels that take place in the past. Thanks for the recommendation.

Thanks for your comment

[Amy20]

Novels with history and a little romance is what I am all about. Your review was spot on, almost near perfect and I think I'll start reading this one as my first ever novel in this platform. Thank you for a fabulous review.

[AvidBibliophile]

Masters, slaves, pianos, and possessions...
It’s nice when an unexpected pianist becomes a prodigy in love! Great review!

[Raluca_Mihaila]

I enjoyed reading the review and I appreciated your recommendation. Great job!

[Sou Hi]

Thanks for your informative review. This book seems to do a good job depicting the sensitive topics of slavery and racism. Still, after reading the sample, I think it's kind of traditional, as I have read many books with a similar concept.

[Tarilan]

I have read many nice reviews about this book, but yours is well-detailed. I now know that James wasn't as bad to Lily as his father although the story later changed. I agree with the author when he says that slavery can be dehumanizing. I will have to give it a try. Good job on the review.

[KMGR70]

I think the musical aspirations is an interesting addition to a historical romance. I'm curious to know how that went in the novel. Thanks for your review!

[Manali_DC]

I have recently read and reviewed this book. Loved how the relationship between James and Lily progresses. It was nice to read your perspective on the book. Thanks for a great review!

[Humera955]

This historical romance is quite a different book .
Interesting characters.
Great reveiw