Sugar Island by Sanjida O'connell
On tour in America in 1859, Emily Harris, a young English actress at the height of her fame, meets and marries the charming Charles Earl Brook. But Charles has kept a terrible secret: he is a slave-owner, master of a plantation in which seven hundred men, women and children live in abject poverty. Forced to accompany her husband south, Emily's attempts to help the slaves put her in great danger. And when civil war breaks out, she realises she stands to lose everything she has ever loved. Set against the brilliantly realised backdrop of the American Civil War in the heart of the deep south, Sugar Island is a story of love and loss in a time of chaos.
'An absorbing novel inspired by the life of the famous English actress and writer Fanny Kemble, with a good helping of imagination thrown inIt's gripping, entertaining and entirely on the side of the angels' * The Times *
'Completely absorbing . . . A surprise delight that will please romantics with a conscience hugely' * City AM *
'This thought-provoking book is based on a true story . . . well-written and moving, though at times it is uncomfortable reading. This is partly due to the descriptions that make us feel as if we are actually witnessing the events and experiencing the places. The author . . . is to be congratulated on her excellent research and her ability to translate it into such a gripping and informative novel' * Yorkshire Gazette *
'Beautifully written, the contrasts between the luxurious life of the rich and the horrific, cruel lives of their slaves are vividly recorded and stay in the memory for a long time' * Press Association *
'A well-researched and sensitive story evoking a "twisted version of paradise". O'Connell writes with passion' * Oxford Times *
'A diverting read' * Irish Examiner *
'One of the ten books to look forward to in 2011' * Irish Post *
'Pitch-perfect settings . . . Sugar Island is a terrific read, an enlightening, dark, deeply emotional and satisfying novel' * Historical Novel Society *
'Completely absorbing . . . A surprise delight that will please romantics with a conscience hugely' * City AM *
'This thought-provoking book is based on a true story . . . well-written and moving, though at times it is uncomfortable reading. This is partly due to the descriptions that make us feel as if we are actually witnessing the events and experiencing the places. The author . . . is to be congratulated on her excellent research and her ability to translate it into such a gripping and informative novel' * Yorkshire Gazette *
'Beautifully written, the contrasts between the luxurious life of the rich and the horrific, cruel lives of their slaves are vividly recorded and stay in the memory for a long time' * Press Association *
'A well-researched and sensitive story evoking a "twisted version of paradise". O'Connell writes with passion' * Oxford Times *
'A diverting read' * Irish Examiner *
'One of the ten books to look forward to in 2011' * Irish Post *
'Pitch-perfect settings . . . Sugar Island is a terrific read, an enlightening, dark, deeply emotional and satisfying novel' * Historical Novel Society *
Sanjida O'Connell is a TV presenter and producer. She is the author of five previous books, two novels, Theory of Mind and Angel Bird, written in her early twenties and three works of non-fiction, Mindreading: How we Learn to Love and Lie, Sugar: The Grass that Changed the World and Nature's Calendar. She also has a PhD in Theory of Mind.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781848540408 |
| ISBN 10 | 184854040X |
| Title | Sugar Island |
| Author | Sanjida O'connell |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Hodder & Stoughton |
| Year published | 2012-03-15 |
| Number of pages | 352 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |