Review of The Known World

This is the kind of book that sticks with you. It’s a story of antebellum Virginia and the slaves and slave masters who live there. In this historical novel, the masters are themselves former slaves who have purchased their own freedom, and their property are people still in servitude. This novel creates a world that we did now know, the world of people who are property of others, their masters and other assorted passers-by. This novel takes us deep into that world. This novel is full of memorable characters and unforgettable scenes, of both compassion and brutality. This novel has stuck with me. I think it will stick with you as well. - Dave Bennett