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A KEVIN R. TIPPLE BOOK REVIEW: A Million Nightingales by Susan Straight
When I announced the start of this new feature, I explained that it would cover books written by Louisiana authors or about Louisiana. In choosing this month's selection, I decided to go with a more literary style novel titled "A Million Nightingales" by Susan Straight. You may have seen the media attention on this novel and/or the author's body of work the last several months and for once, I do believe they got it right. Sometimes the hype is, in fact, well deserved and such is the case here.
A Million Nightingales By Susan Straight Pantheon Books 2006 ISBN 0-375-423-64-8 Hardback 340 Pages
It is the early 1800s as the novel opens and Moinette is a young slave in her early teens working at the Bordelon plantation. The plantation is roughly located fifty miles south of New Orleans with the exact setting deliberately kept rather vague. Moinette is biracial as she is the child of a black slave woman and a white father she has never known. Her mother refuses to speak of him and what she will learn of him has to come from others over the course of the novel. Moinette is constantly watched by Madame Bordelon who keeps an eye on things from her second story veranda. Moinette's primary job is to help her mother take care of the sheets and clothing from the house.
Before long, her job changes as she is moved into the main house to be the personal servant girl for the daughter, Ce'phaline. An arranged marriage for Ce'phaline must happen soon and Moinette is to make sure she is always well presented. Ce'phaline is less than thrilled with her mandated future as being the vessel for some man to have a child and would much rather focus on her reading and writing.
It is through Ce'phaline that Moinette gains knowledge about the human body and other matters and by doing so, Moinette gains her own self awareness and knowledge. That knowledge puts her at odds with her Mother who sees no use for such thoughts. It certainly does not help her much when tragedy strikes the Plantation. Shortly after witnessing an apparent murder and disposal of the body Moinette is ripped from the only life she has known. Without time to say goodbye to her Mother or take her few possessions, Moinette, like the property she is, is sold and sent into a new life full of pain and deceit and yet tremendous hope.
This is an incredible read and a powerful novel full of emotion and meaning. Not only does the author bring to life a time period in our nation's history so eloquently, she allows the characters to pass on lessons and concepts that serve just as well now as they would have in the time period. By doing so, Susan Straight ran the risk of lecturing to the audience and does not do so at anytime and tells a very good story in the bargain. This novel is a captivating read and one that resonates on many levels long after the book is closed.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007 |