Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for gifting me a digital ARC of the sophomore book by Rachel Beanland - 5 stars! I was a huge fan of her debut, Florence Adler Swims Forever, and this book is just as wonderful.
In 1811, in Richmond, Virginia, on the night after Christmas. More than 600 of the Virginian elite as well as some of their slaves in the colored gallery, gather to watch a performance in a theater. When the theater goes up in flames, the true character of many are shown.
Based on a true story, this is a beautifully-written engrossing look into a tragedy and its aftereffects. Told through the voices of 4 very different characters - Sally, the widowed daughter of Patrick Henry; Cecily, a young slave; Gilbert, a slave who becomes a hero; and Jack, the young stagehand. This book will keep you gripped to the pages as you read of the horror experienced by the slaves, as well as decisions made to blame the slaves for a fire that they had nothing to do with. You'll go along the journey with each of these four characters as the fire changes their focus and shows their strength. The afterword by the author is not to be missed as it describes the real fire and people who inspired these characters. Don't miss this one!
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