Skusiła mnie okładka. Wygląda jak plakat z dawnego amerykańskiego westernu - jest prosta, graficzna, a jednocześnie wysmakowana. Dodatkowo - pozycja ta została uhonorowana nagrodą Pulitzera za rok 2017, ma rekomendację Baracka Obamy i została również wpisana na listę Oprah Winfrey (od czego zresztą Whitehead się odżegnywał). Co prawda historia niewolnictwa w Ameryce Północnej, a w zasadzie jej fragment, niezupełnie mnie interesowała, ale zaczęłam czytać. Uczucia mam mieszane.
Jedno życie, które starczyłoby na kilka powieści
Kiedy dorasta, inny niewolnik, Caesar, proponuje jej ucieczkę. Dziewczyna początkowo jest przeciwna, ale kiedy wyjątkowo okrutny właściciel wyznacza ją jako swoją kolejną nałożnicę (dziewczyna była już wcześniej zgwałcona przez niewolników z farmy, towarzyszy swojej niedoli), przestaje się wahać. Zbiegowie używają systemu kolei podziemnej - faktycznie istniejącej siatki domostw i tras przerzutowych niewolników, którzy mieli trafiać do wolnych stanów lub do Kanady. W książce Whiteheada tytułowa kolej staje się ukrytą pod ziemią siecią torów wraz z obsługującymi ją konduktorami, zwiadowcami, etc. Corze udaje się zbiec do Karoliny Południowej, gdzie wraz z Cezarem znajdują pracę i czują się bezpiecznie. Dziewczyna wie, że jeśli zostanie złapana, spotka ją straszliwy los - podczas ucieczki zabiła w obronie własnej młodego chłopca, ścigana jest więc nie tylko jako cudza własność, ale także jako morderczyni. Towarzysząca jej w ucieczce niewolnica Lovey została schwytana i powieszona na haku, gdzie zmarła okrutną i powolną śmiercią.
Bezpieczeństwo Cory i Cezara w Karolinie Południowej jest jednak względne, i to z dwóch powodów. Po pierwsze, w tym stanie prowadzone są badania nad sterylizacją niewolników pod pozorem pomagania w kontroli urodzeń. Po drugie, bezwzględny łowca niewolników, Ridgeway, wpada na jej trop. Mężczyzna jest zdeterminowany, by ją schwytać, ponieważ nigdy nie udało mu się znaleźć jej matki, Mabel, której zresztą Cora szczerze nienawidzi za zostawienie jej na pastwę losu. Dziewczynie udaje się zbiec, niestety Cezar nie ma tyle szczęścia.
Cora używa kolei podziemnej i zostaje przewieziona do Północnej Karoliny, gdzie z narażeniem życia pomaga jej zawiadowca stacji, Martin. Ukrywa on Corę na strychu swojego domu przez wiele miesięcy, aż w końcu donosi na niego jego własna pomoc domowa, a Ridgeway dopada Corę. Jednak podczas drogi powrotnej szczęście uśmiecha się do dziewczyny i zostaje wyzwolona przez zbiegłych niewolników i znajduje schronienie w Indianie, na farmie, której właściciel udziela schronienia zbiegłym niewolnikom i zapewnia im godne warunki życia. Sąsiedzi jednak patrzą na rosnącą w siłę populację czarnoskórych z niechęcią i podczas zebrania wspólnoty napadają na nią, palą zabudowania, zabijają właściciela farmy i ponownie zmuszają niewolników do ucieczki. Cora znów wpada w ręce Ridgewaya i zostaje zmuszona, by pokazać mu wejście do kolei podziemnej. Udaje jej się uderzyć go i odepchnąć, co umożliwia jej ucieczkę na drezynie. Wyczerpana, spotyka na swej drodze osadników i czarny mężczyzna zabiera ją na swój wóz.
Wszystkie elementy dobrej książki
Fabuła biegnie wartko, a okrucieństwa spotykające niewolników na farmie opisane są w naturalistyczny, szczegółowy sposób. Dla mnie to główny powód, by po książkę sięgnąć. O potwornym losie niewolników słyszy się nie raz, ale dopiero opowiedziany z pierwszoosobowej perspektywy staje się przejmujący i straszny.
Niestety, mam wrażenie, że na tym powody, by po książkę sięgnąć, się kończą. Zaskakująco jak na doświadczenie autora, książka wygląda jak napisana po przeczytaniu podręcznika "jak napisać dobrą powieść". Emocjonujący pierwszy rozdział - jest, uciemiężona główna bohaterka - jest, okrutny czarny charakter - nawet dwóch! Mimo odhaczonych wszystkich składowych trzymającej w napięciu powieści czegoś jej jednak brakuje. Nie porywa, wydaje się schematyczna i sztampowa. Mało tego, braki fabularne i słabo uzasadnione wybory bohaterów mocno wpływały na przyjemność z lektury. Tym razem miałam wrażenie, że Pulitzer przyznany został z powodów politycznych, a tak w literaturze nie powinno być. To wrażenie wzmacnia postać głównej bohaterki - gdy wyszła ze swoich opresji, zastanawiałam się, co jeszcze przytrafi się jej w przyszłości. Ścigający ją łowca też jest postacią niespójną - niby ucierpiał jego honor, ale nie spieszy się z odtransportowaniem dziewczyny do właściciela. Szlachetnie również nie pozwala jej zgwałcić swojemu wspólnikowi, mniej przejmując się swoją wieloletnią z nim współpracą i przeżytymi niebezpieczeństwami, niż losem właśnie pojmanej niewolnicy. Dodatkowo pozwala jej uciec - to rozwiązanie było dla mnie trochę Deus es machina. Silny, wielki, groźny mężczyzna z pomagającym mu małym ciemnoskórym chłopcem daje się wymknąć osłabionej i przerażonej dziewczynie. Szkoda, bo potencjał był duży. Dla mnie duże rozczarowanie.
Moja ocena: 5/10
Colson Whitehead, Kolej podziemna. Czarna krew Ameryki
Wydawnictwo Albatros
Warszawa 2017
Tłumaczenie: Rafał Lisowski
ISBN: 978-83-6578-101-7
___________________________________________________________________________
I was tempted by the cover. It looks like from an old American western - it is simple, graphic, and at the same time sophisticated. Additionally - the book has won the Pulitzer for 2017, has a recommendation of Barack Obama and has been included on the Oprah Winfrey list (with which Whitehead disagreed). Although the history of slavery in North America, or rather a fragment of it, did not quite interest me, I began to read. I have mixed feelings.
One life as a material enough for several novels
Whitehead introduces us to the story of Cora, or basically of her family. Cora's mother, Mabel, had escaped leaving her daughter alone at a cotton farm in Georgia, and no one could determine her fate. The abandoned girl goes to a special home for outcasts, Hob, and with an ax in her arms defends a piece of a land left by her mother.
As she grows up, another slave, Caesar, asks her to escape together. The girl initially opposes, but when the exceptionally cruel owner appoints her as his next concubine (the girl was already raped by the slaves from the farm, who share her fate), she ceases to hesitate. The fugitives use an underground rail system - the actual existing net of homesteads and slave routes used to sent people to the free states or to Canada. In Whitehead's book, the title railway becomes an actual underground network of hidden tracks, conductors, scouts, etc. Cora manages to escape to South Carolina, where she and Caesar find work and feel safe. The girl knows that if she is caught, she will face a terrible fate - during the escape she had killed a young boy in self-defense, so she is prosecuted not only as someone else's property on the run, but also as a murderess. Accompanying her in the escape, the slave Lovey has been captured and hanged on a hook, dying a cruel and slow death.
However, Cora and Caesar's safety in South Carolina is illusory, for two reasons. Firstly, a research on the sterilization of slaves disguised as birth control is conducted and promoted in this state. Secondly, the ruthless slave hunter Ridgeway finds her trail. The man is determined to capture her, because he never managed to find her mother, Mabel, whom Cora hates deeply for leaving her alone. The girl manages to escape, unfortunately Caesar is not so lucky.
The girl uses an underground railway again and is taken to North Carolina, where at risk of his own life is helped by another stationmaster, Martin. He begins to hide Cora in the attic of his house for many months, until finally his own housekeeper reports on him, and Ridgeway catches Cora. However, on the way back, luck strikes again and the girl and is liberated by fugitive slaves and finds refuge in Indiana, on a farm where the owner shelters people like her and provides them with decent living conditions. However, the neighbors look at the growing black population with reluctance and fear and during the community gathering attack it, burn the buildings, kill the farm owner and force the slaves to flee again. The girl falls into Ridgeway's hands again and is forced to show him the entrance to the underground railway. She manages to strike him and push him away, which allows her to escape on the draisine. Exhausted, he meets settlers on their way and a black man takes her on his cart.
All elements of a good book don't make the book good
The plot runs fast, and the atrocities that happen to slaves on the farm are described in a naturalistic, detailed way. For me it is the main reason to reach for the book. You hear about the monstrous fate of slaves now and then, but only when told from a first-person perspective, it becomes poignant and terrible.
The objectification of black inhabitants of America applies to every sphere of life - on farms they are used as a cheap labor force to work beyond strength, then - theoretically free - they serve for experiments on the human body. After their death, their corpses are dug up and sold to the section. "After death, a black man became a human. Only then was he equal to white," writes Whitehead (p. 175). Even Ethel, Martin's wife, who is reluctant to take Cora under her roof and allows her to hide in her home, accepts her only when she can take care of her during illness and evangelize. "She finally had her own savage", states Whitehead bitterly (p. 245).
Unfortunately, that are the end of the pros. Surprisingly - taking the author's experience - the book looks like it was written after reading the 'how to write a good novel' textbook. The exciting first chapter - tick, the oppressed female character - tick, a cruel villain - let's have even two! Despite the presence of all of the components of a good novel, something is missing. The book seems schematic and clichéd. This time I had the impression that the Pulitzer has been granted for political reasons, which shouldn't happen. This impression strengthens with observing the main character - when Cora came out of her oppressions, I wondered what else would happen to her in the future. The hunter chasing her is also an incoherent character - his honor suffered, but he is in no hurry to transport the girl to the owner. He also does not allow his partner to rape the hated girl, seeming less worried about their long-term cooperation and adventures undergone together than the fate of the slave he had just captured. In addition, he also allows her to escape - this solution was a bit out of the blue to me. A strong, big, menacing man with his little dark-skinned boy helping him let a fragile woman slip away. It is a pity, because the potential of the book was huge.
My rating: 5/10
Author: Colson Whitehead
Title: The Underground Railway. The Black Blood of America
Publishing House: Albatros
Warsaw 2017
Translated by: Rafał Lisowski
ISBN: 978-83-6578-101-7
___________________________________________________________________________
I was tempted by the cover. It looks like from an old American western - it is simple, graphic, and at the same time sophisticated. Additionally - the book has won the Pulitzer for 2017, has a recommendation of Barack Obama and has been included on the Oprah Winfrey list (with which Whitehead disagreed). Although the history of slavery in North America, or rather a fragment of it, did not quite interest me, I began to read. I have mixed feelings.
One life as a material enough for several novels
Whitehead introduces us to the story of Cora, or basically of her family. Cora's mother, Mabel, had escaped leaving her daughter alone at a cotton farm in Georgia, and no one could determine her fate. The abandoned girl goes to a special home for outcasts, Hob, and with an ax in her arms defends a piece of a land left by her mother.
As she grows up, another slave, Caesar, asks her to escape together. The girl initially opposes, but when the exceptionally cruel owner appoints her as his next concubine (the girl was already raped by the slaves from the farm, who share her fate), she ceases to hesitate. The fugitives use an underground rail system - the actual existing net of homesteads and slave routes used to sent people to the free states or to Canada. In Whitehead's book, the title railway becomes an actual underground network of hidden tracks, conductors, scouts, etc. Cora manages to escape to South Carolina, where she and Caesar find work and feel safe. The girl knows that if she is caught, she will face a terrible fate - during the escape she had killed a young boy in self-defense, so she is prosecuted not only as someone else's property on the run, but also as a murderess. Accompanying her in the escape, the slave Lovey has been captured and hanged on a hook, dying a cruel and slow death.However, Cora and Caesar's safety in South Carolina is illusory, for two reasons. Firstly, a research on the sterilization of slaves disguised as birth control is conducted and promoted in this state. Secondly, the ruthless slave hunter Ridgeway finds her trail. The man is determined to capture her, because he never managed to find her mother, Mabel, whom Cora hates deeply for leaving her alone. The girl manages to escape, unfortunately Caesar is not so lucky.
The girl uses an underground railway again and is taken to North Carolina, where at risk of his own life is helped by another stationmaster, Martin. He begins to hide Cora in the attic of his house for many months, until finally his own housekeeper reports on him, and Ridgeway catches Cora. However, on the way back, luck strikes again and the girl and is liberated by fugitive slaves and finds refuge in Indiana, on a farm where the owner shelters people like her and provides them with decent living conditions. However, the neighbors look at the growing black population with reluctance and fear and during the community gathering attack it, burn the buildings, kill the farm owner and force the slaves to flee again. The girl falls into Ridgeway's hands again and is forced to show him the entrance to the underground railway. She manages to strike him and push him away, which allows her to escape on the draisine. Exhausted, he meets settlers on their way and a black man takes her on his cart.
All elements of a good book don't make the book good
The plot runs fast, and the atrocities that happen to slaves on the farm are described in a naturalistic, detailed way. For me it is the main reason to reach for the book. You hear about the monstrous fate of slaves now and then, but only when told from a first-person perspective, it becomes poignant and terrible.
The objectification of black inhabitants of America applies to every sphere of life - on farms they are used as a cheap labor force to work beyond strength, then - theoretically free - they serve for experiments on the human body. After their death, their corpses are dug up and sold to the section. "After death, a black man became a human. Only then was he equal to white," writes Whitehead (p. 175). Even Ethel, Martin's wife, who is reluctant to take Cora under her roof and allows her to hide in her home, accepts her only when she can take care of her during illness and evangelize. "She finally had her own savage", states Whitehead bitterly (p. 245).
Unfortunately, that are the end of the pros. Surprisingly - taking the author's experience - the book looks like it was written after reading the 'how to write a good novel' textbook. The exciting first chapter - tick, the oppressed female character - tick, a cruel villain - let's have even two! Despite the presence of all of the components of a good novel, something is missing. The book seems schematic and clichéd. This time I had the impression that the Pulitzer has been granted for political reasons, which shouldn't happen. This impression strengthens with observing the main character - when Cora came out of her oppressions, I wondered what else would happen to her in the future. The hunter chasing her is also an incoherent character - his honor suffered, but he is in no hurry to transport the girl to the owner. He also does not allow his partner to rape the hated girl, seeming less worried about their long-term cooperation and adventures undergone together than the fate of the slave he had just captured. In addition, he also allows her to escape - this solution was a bit out of the blue to me. A strong, big, menacing man with his little dark-skinned boy helping him let a fragile woman slip away. It is a pity, because the potential of the book was huge.My rating: 5/10
Author: Colson Whitehead
Title: The Underground Railway. The Black Blood of America
Publishing House: Albatros
Warsaw 2017
Translated by: Rafał Lisowski
ISBN: 978-83-6578-101-7
