Runaway
This moving book about slavery is set in 1863 on a farmstead in Missouri. It focuses on six-year-old Clara and her mother, Lizbet, who, through the last days of slavery, hide Joshua, a runaway slave, in their barn.
The child’s presence brings an innocent perspective on the matter that highlights the cruelty of slavery yet also allows for some of the more refreshing elements in this novel.
While the plot and outline are not overly original, the book shines with its likeable and endearing characters, and its ultimately upbeat tone.
I was gripped by the suspense and deeply touched, and would recommend this book to others.
