3.5 Rounded Up.

What more can be said about this novel that hasn't been. The hype here is real. This is a stunning debut. I also would say this is a book like you've never read before, it's not the Underground Railroad, it is a work that stands completely on its own.

The story follows Isaiah and Samuel, two men who are enslaved and given the role of animal caretakers. They are also in love and their love is a well known secret and yet it is threatened when one of the other slaves at the plantation becomes evangelized. Violence descends on the plantation.

Here's what I'll say this book is not easy. It is not easy in the sense that the material is challenging and graphic. But it is also challenging in literary prowess. This book has a lot of time shifts and shifting perspectives and it's not always clear what is going on. There are a lot of biblical allusions that certainly went over my head. This isn't a book you can read in the background of something else, it is a journey and requires your focus and time. Ultimately since I chose to listen on audio I couldn't give it my complete focus (I work and listen to audio). A lot of it went over my head but I want to reread it and just completely adore it like I know I could, but right now with my limited absorption of the material, it didn't quite make it to incredible for me. Do I still think the writing is extraordinary? Yes, am I still thinking about it? Yes. This is a book that takes effort but I think you'll be rewarded. My rating will likely improve with reread because I will catch things I didn't on audio.