A Slave of the Shadows is a beautiful historical fiction novel written by Naomi Finley. This tale is the first book in the Livingston Legacy series. Finley’s research of the deep south shines in this tome.
- Title: A Slave of the Shadows (The Livingston Legacy – Book 1)
- Author: Naomi Finley
- Publisher: Huntson Press, Inc.
- Genre: Historical Fiction
- Format: Kindle Edition
- Pages: 329
- Rating: 5/5 Stars
Synopsis from Goodreads:
In 1850 Charleston, South Carolina, brutality and cruelty simmer just under the genteel surface of Southern society. In an era where ladies are considered mere property, beautiful and headstrong Willow Hendricks’ father has filled her life with turmoil, secrets, and lies.
Her father rules her life until she finds a kindred spirit in spunky, outspoken Whitney Barry, a northerner from Boston. Together these Charleston belles are driven to take control of their own lives—and they are plunged into fear and chaos in their quest to fight for the rights of slaves. Against all odds, these feisty women fight to secure freedom and equality for those made powerless and persecuted by a supposedly superior race.
Only when they’ve lost it all do they find a new beginning.
Book 1 presents Willow and Whitney—and the reader—with the hardships the slaves endure at the hands of their white masters.
My Review of A Slave of the Shadows:
A Slave of the Shadows is a harrowing tale of slave life and those people who are sympathetic towards them. It is a dangerous position to be in, especially if you are a woman with a mind of her own. Willow Hendricks is the daughter of a plantation owner who tries to keep his daughter in line but to no avail. Willow is too headstrong for anything such as discipline and rules.
The way that Finley writes these characters makes them come to life.
Everyone has a story to tell, and the stories are all intertwined. This type of storytelling is vivid and makes the reader get lost in the story. The author’s descriptions of the plantation houses, the slave quarters, and the great outdoors that surround the homes place you there in the scene. I could smell the horses while reading this book.
Knowing that this is the first book in the series fills my heart with glee as I am ready for more. Action and adventure are on every page, and it takes your breath away at times, then leaves you rooting for everything to turn out okay. Sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn’t, but the reader always has hope.
I am happy to award A Slave of the Shadows a full 5 out of 5 stars. Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and the deep south is my preferred setting. Naomi Finley has done an exceptional job of telling this story. I recommend this novel to anyone who loves historical fiction that is full of hope and love.
Happy Reading
If you would like to pick up a copy for yourself, you can purchase it on Amazon.com. If you use my special link in the image below, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Thank you to the author and R&R Book Tours for gifting me with this book in exchange for an honest review.
