Pippa Jones

This story is hard to read, but then so is any tale of the utter cruelty of slavery. Life on the plantation is described so vividly you feel you are there with the slaves; and then suddenly the story roars off with the description of the (of course fictional) Underground Railroad as the young slaves make their escape. There’s kindness and bravery from some of the people who shelter them, and horrific cruelty (hanging, stoning) from so many who do not. What stands out though is the courage of the people who made it out; and that of the many who never did. A page turning narrative that keeps you gripped and then stays in your mind long after you close the book.