"Sugar Money" by Jane Harris is a captivating historical fiction novel set in the Caribbean islands of Martinique and Grenada in 1765. The story follows the lives of two brothers, Lucien and Emile, who are slaves of French monks in Martinique. They are sent on a dangerous mission to Grenada to smuggle back 42 other slaves in exchange for their freedom. The narrative is told through the eyes of Lucien, a young and witty narrator who provides a unique perspective on the harsh realities of slavery and the cruelties of the slave trade. beautifully captures the sights, sounds, and smells of 18th-century Grenada, immersing readers in a vivid and compelling story filled with adventure, hope, and courage.
From The Publisher:
Set in 1765 on the Caribbean islands of Grenada and Martinique, Sugar Money opens as two enslaved brothers - Emile and Lucien - are sent on an impossible mission forced upon them by their masters, a band of mendicant French monks.
The monks run hospitals in the islands and fund their ventures through farming cane sugar and distilling rum. Seven years earlier - after a series of scandals - they were ousted from Grenada by the French authorities, and had to leave their slaves behind. Despite the fact that Grenada is now under British rule, and effectively enemy territory, the monks devise an absurdly ambitious plan: they send Emile and Lucien to the island to convince the monks' former slaves to flee British brutality and escape with them.
Based on a historical rebellion, award-winning writer Jane Harris peoples her daring novel with unforgettable characters. Recounted by Lucien, the younger brother, this story of courage, disaster, and love, is a testament to the tenacity of the human spirit under the crush of unspeakable cruelty.
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