Her search begins with an ending…
The master of the Providence plantation in Barbados gathers his slaves and announces the king has decreed an end to slavery. As of the following day, the Emancipation Act of 1834 will come into effect. The cries of joy fall silent when he announces that they are no longer his slaves; they are now his apprentices. No one can leave. They must work for him for another six years. Freedom is just another name for the life they have always lived. So Rachel runs.
Away from Providence, she begins a desperate search to find her children – the five who survived birth and were sold. Are any of them still alive? Rachel has to know. The gruelling, dangerous journey takes her from Barbados then, by river, deep into the forest of British Guiana and finally across the sea to Trinidad. She is driven on by the certainty that a mother cannot be truly free without knowing what has become of her children, even if the answer is more than she can bear. These are the stories of Mary Grace, Micah, Thomas Augustus, Cherry Jane and Mercy. But above all this is the story of Rachel and the extraordinary lengths to which a mother will go to find her children… and her freedom.
Read some great 5-Star reviews from our Preview readers here:
The story begins with Rachel running away from Providence plantation. I was with her right from the start… running with her away from slavery, deprivation, loss, total exhaustion from relentless work on the plantation with the searing heat of the sun, malnutrition and deep personal and ancestral heartache. Heartache for every baby she lost either due to natural causes or from the white man taking her children away without her permission. It takes immense courage to just run! No provisions, no plan or maps, just the enormous inner drive to get away and start the journey of discovery. I was not sure how I was going to cope with the story which I knew would be full of twists and turns and not necessarily with a happy outcome or redemption. In spite of the hardship and the deep mourning Rachel feels for her losses, there is a small spark of hope and so she must keep moving forward to whatever lies ahead. I was really impressed by the way the author told the story and allowed the reader to fill in many gaps of how the slaves were treated. I was deeply moved by this story and appreciated the opportunity to read it. I would highly recommend it to everyone. Christina, VIC, 5 stars
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I learned a lot about history that I didn’t know prior & the awful tragedies that were put upon certain members of society. I found it very educational, but I also felt that the settings for the locations sounded beautiful. I envision them this way anyway. Shannan, NSW, 5 Stars
I found River Sing Me Home an extremely powerful story. I felt as though I was walking alongside Rachel on her long journey. Poverty, cruelty, determination, and love were depicted in all their rawness. Rachel explored what family and reconnection meant to her. Kelly, QLD, 5 Stars
What a truly touching, powerful, must-read novel. Hard to believe this is a debut novel, it’s a true page-turner and impossible to put down. The book is a look at history that really teaches you how brutal it was for mothers of this time. A very emotional and thought-provoking read, where you follow the path of Rachel in the search for her stolen children. Whilst heartbreaking this is a story full of hope, that truly opens your eyes to what came after slavery. Thank you to the Better Reading team for my advance copy to read and review. Kellie, TAS, 5 Stars
This book runs deep with emotion, bringing tears to my eyes in parts as it delves into a brutal part of history. The main character, Rachel has senses so sharp and intuition so strong, giving her the capability to feel with every fiber of her being but also to the skill to shut down when needed, that l felt like I was reading her biography. This book is one to treasure as it is so beautifully written showing there are some cords that can never be broken. It is a story that draws the reader in, so it is very hard to put down. Thank you Eleanor Shearer for providing a personal insight into how families lived and coped through this bleak part of history. Coral, VIC, 5 Stars
Oh my goodness, what a page-turner of a book! This story touches every emotion, from sadness to anger to joy and great happiness. The story is very well-written and I was right there along with Rachel as she went on her incredible trek to locate her children. The highs and lows were definitely felt by this reader (and yes I had tears of sadness and happiness). It also opened my eyes to a time and a place in history that I am embarrassed to say, I had no knowledge of. This reader strongly recommends this book and I will certainly be reading more of Eleanor Shearer’s books in the future. Davina, SA, 5 Stars
This is the first book I’ve read in 2023 and I’ve no doubt I won’t read another as achingly beautiful – and brutal – this year. Author Eleanor Shearer takes us on a journey for thousands of kilometres around the Caribbean, a journey inspired by her memories of visiting the island of St Lucia when she was just 11. It’s the story of Rachel, a slave in the 1830s on a sugarcane plantation. Like most female slaves she became pregnant many times. And like all slaves who became mothers, she turned her head when a baby was born, refusing to meet its eyes because she knew loss was the only certainty in her life. Rachel flees the plantation and begins a year-long journey to try to track down the sons and daughters stolen from her. It’s a tender tale of courage and loss, of love and fear. Most importantly, as the author says, it’s a story that’s not afraid to confront the worst horrors of slavery and colonialism, but at its heart, it’s a story about freedom and, most importantly, love. Don, SA, 5 Stars
This is a powerful novel and is a debut novel for the author Eleanor Shearer, Rachel is a slave on the run her quest is to find her children who were sold in different countries in the Caribbean, this book is a wonderful read which I thoroughly enjoyed. Deborah, NSW, 5 Stars
This is not just Rachel’s story, but the story of many. As Rachel searches for her children, she encounters others who share their stories with her. Ultimately a story of loss, hope, and future. Fascinating reading. Mary, QLD, 4 Stars
This is the story of Rachel, a “former” Caribbean slave, searching for her children, all of whom had been sold away from her plantation many years earlier. Although slavery has just been abolished by the British, under the Emancipation Act all slaves become “apprentices”, bound to their masters for 6 years and unable to leave. Upon hearing that the end of slavery does not mean her freedom, Rachel runs, setting herself up to be hunted down. She is determined to find each of her children, beginning a hunt across different Caribbean territories on a seemingly hopeless quest. Rachel’s journey to find her children becomes one to find herself, to move beyond the learned helplessness occasioned by living her whole life a slave to an independent woman who can decide where she wants to be and what she wants from life. Fenella, NSW, 3 Stars
I must say that I was a little bit disappointed with this book as I had expected so much more from it. The blurb drew me into a story of slavery, of a family torn apart and of a mother who was determined to find her children no matter what it took. And this is what I wanted, I wanted that passion and determination to shine through but I just didn’t find it in this story. I found Rachel to be a strong woman, a kind and caring person and someone who has loved and lost but has found hope as well as lose, grief and rejection. The writing of the book to me was slow and even a bit drawn out. I realise the author was trying to give you the feeling and language used by these Caribbean Slaves but I found it a bit off-putting and made the story a bit patchy. Overall the concept and story are one that needs to be told but I just wasn’t enthralled by the writing of this one. Donna, TAS, 3 Stars
Hey, reading your post about the Emancipation Act really hit me—it’s heartbreaking and powerful. While reflecting on it, I took a short break and found spinking , drawn in by the bonuses for all new players. I tried one of their slot games, and after a few frustrating spins, I finally hit a win that gave me a little rush. It was a small but welcome distraction, letting me step away from such heavy history for a moment.