A decade after the end of the Civil War, Hannie, a freed previously enslaved girl, still has no idea where anyone else in her family is. They were "sold away" when she was only seven years old. An unexpected course of events throws her together with two of the daughters of her old master, one born ligitimately, and other the daughter of a the Master's creole mistress. The three girls go on a perilous journey in search of the sisters' father, in hopes of finding justice and a future. A century later a new school teacher tries to engage a classroom of disadvantaged children. The students are not interested in anything she does until they start a local history project. As white and black students find their common roots, they threaten the status quo of their still bigotted Texas town.
This book is in may ways very similar to her earlier book, Before We Were Yours. In both, Wingate alternates chapters between the earlier and later protagonists to explore the connections in multigenerational families, and the interplay of the "haves" and the "have nots." This book is also based on true historical events, and the historical elements are carefully researched and vividely portrayed. I like that Wingate shows how all three of the historical girls have serious challenges in a society because of rigid gender expectations based on class. This is a good choice if you are looking for a "Black History Month" read for February. (440 p. 2020)
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