A Light in the Wilderness by Jane Kirkpatrick

My rating: 3 of 5 stars





A light in the Wilderness is not the usual type of book I read. However, having received it from Netgalley, I gave it a try.

The story follows a freed slave, Letitia, and her journey through life after slavery. Not surprisingly, her new life as a free woman is not much different than her previous life as a owned slave.
The story kept me interested, while tugged at my heart strings. At times I was upset and extremely frustrated -- because whether we accept it or not, population reactions to recent events in our society stem from deep, embedded roots in our history as a country. This book is an example of that.

I feel this is a book everyone should read. the writing itself is plain and direct, telling Letitia's story through a marriage, children, (marrying a white man), and the Oregon trail. Although her story ends in a hopeful tone and she encounters many good people that help her along the way, it doesn't take from the pain and humiliation that Letitia suffers at the hands of others. All because of circumstances beyond her control: gender and skin color.

I strongly recommend this different read, and face the fact that we still have a long way to go not only as Americans, but as human beings.

***ARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.



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