Review of Columbus, Slave Trader
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Ramadevi Tatavarthi
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Review of Columbus, Slave Trader
[Following is a volunteer review of "Columbus, Slave Trader" by Marcus Wilson.]
This historical novel is brilliantly written by a well-known journalist and the author of other historical novels, Marc Wilson, and adorns a unique plot based on the historical frame of Columbus’s voyages. In Columbus, Slave Trader, the author immediately and with great intensity throws the reader into the chaos that comes after Columbus’ second voyage in the Caribbean and gives the readers the brutal colonisation through the eyes of a Taíno voice. It does not present the zichgran, greed, violence, and misunderstanding that characterised the confrontation between the indigenous Taíno people and the Spanish settlers.
It is a blend of journal entries, and the conversational style of writing brings the feelings of the protagonist to the forefront, making the reader feel the fictionalised real life of the period. The most important aspects of history are depicted in the narrative, including the capture of the Taíno people, the violence involved, and the great moral issues of individuals involved in historical events. Wilson does an excellent job of painting a picture of the time period and gives the show both the gloom and hope found in historical fiction.
The novel is based on the story of Guarocuya, from the Taíno tribe, who was captured by Columbus and brought to Spain. Thus, Guarocuya, after a transformative experience in the Spanish court, goes back to his island, which the Spaniards have renamed Hispaniola, just to discover that his people are now in new danger from the colonizers. The plot evolves as Guarocuya struggles with his hesitation in helping his people and his past in Spain, while at the same time there is growing tension between the Taínos and Spaniards. This struggle, the fight for the survival of indigenous culture and territory, and the effect of colonisation were introduced in the novel. One of the outstanding features of this book is the portrayal of some historical characters in the context of Taíno tradition. This idea of Columbus as both great, but more so, human and complicated, contributes an extra dimension to the work and helps to banish some of the ‘fairy dust’ often attributed to the historical figure.
I have no single complaint to make about this book. That means it is free from error, and that indicates it has been through an excellent editing process.
This book deserves 5 out of 5 stars for the simple reason that the author has depicted a phase of history that needed to be depicted—about how indigenous people were brutally suppressed by European settlers. The work is a grim portrayal of the suffering that Columbus and Europeans unleashed on the Taíno: chains, rape, and castration; this shows Columbus’s ugly side.
The readership of this book should find it appealing as a work of historical fiction to be read by people who are interested in history, especially in the colonial period and the history of the native American people and other workers of the new world as a result of European exploration.
******
Columbus, Slave Trader
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
This historical novel is brilliantly written by a well-known journalist and the author of other historical novels, Marc Wilson, and adorns a unique plot based on the historical frame of Columbus’s voyages. In Columbus, Slave Trader, the author immediately and with great intensity throws the reader into the chaos that comes after Columbus’ second voyage in the Caribbean and gives the readers the brutal colonisation through the eyes of a Taíno voice. It does not present the zichgran, greed, violence, and misunderstanding that characterised the confrontation between the indigenous Taíno people and the Spanish settlers.
It is a blend of journal entries, and the conversational style of writing brings the feelings of the protagonist to the forefront, making the reader feel the fictionalised real life of the period. The most important aspects of history are depicted in the narrative, including the capture of the Taíno people, the violence involved, and the great moral issues of individuals involved in historical events. Wilson does an excellent job of painting a picture of the time period and gives the show both the gloom and hope found in historical fiction.
The novel is based on the story of Guarocuya, from the Taíno tribe, who was captured by Columbus and brought to Spain. Thus, Guarocuya, after a transformative experience in the Spanish court, goes back to his island, which the Spaniards have renamed Hispaniola, just to discover that his people are now in new danger from the colonizers. The plot evolves as Guarocuya struggles with his hesitation in helping his people and his past in Spain, while at the same time there is growing tension between the Taínos and Spaniards. This struggle, the fight for the survival of indigenous culture and territory, and the effect of colonisation were introduced in the novel. One of the outstanding features of this book is the portrayal of some historical characters in the context of Taíno tradition. This idea of Columbus as both great, but more so, human and complicated, contributes an extra dimension to the work and helps to banish some of the ‘fairy dust’ often attributed to the historical figure.
I have no single complaint to make about this book. That means it is free from error, and that indicates it has been through an excellent editing process.
This book deserves 5 out of 5 stars for the simple reason that the author has depicted a phase of history that needed to be depicted—about how indigenous people were brutally suppressed by European settlers. The work is a grim portrayal of the suffering that Columbus and Europeans unleashed on the Taíno: chains, rape, and castration; this shows Columbus’s ugly side.
The readership of this book should find it appealing as a work of historical fiction to be read by people who are interested in history, especially in the colonial period and the history of the native American people and other workers of the new world as a result of European exploration.
******
Columbus, Slave Trader
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Lionels Law by Don Bennett
