Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I loved this book! It's an engaging story, but more than that - there are some beautiful one-liners, descriptions of the scene or observations on life, that just make you stop and re-read them. For example, "Spanish moss like gauzy gray scarves draped from the bend of each joint - reaching as if there were something they wanted, desperately wanted," and "There were no stars, as if some lamplighter, lazy or drunk, had neglected to light them." I have to admit, the first few chapters were slow . . . and I didn't realize it was historical fiction, so I was confused. Then again. I'm stressed right now and maybe wasn't bringing my "A" game. This book alternates two related stories, chapter by chapter. One chronicles the days leading up to a 1822 slave revolt in Charleston, South Carolina. The other story is modern-day, as a history student whose life is falling apart tries to get to the bottom of the historical evidence. I wish I had read the Author's Note first, where Joy chronicles her journey as she learned about this piece of history and spent time in Charleston. I kept thinking - wait, is this 1822 stuff real? How much of this is real? I would have saved myself some wondering, had I read the Author's Note first!