This moving story of a brother and sister who have been raised as slaves and now, at the end of the Civil War are ostensibly free, illustrates how differently the institution of slavery can be viewed, even by those who have suffered most from it. June, who has been a “house slave” and Coleman, a thoughtful and bookish boy who has found no firm place are forced into equally unsavory positions: June as a servant to her loutish and abusive master who is fleeing to Mexico to avoid repercussions of his perfidy and Coleman as a companion to the daughter of the house; a woman who disrespects and demeans him but needs him desperately to find her wayward father and claim her legacy.

The book is told in alternating chapters, one from June and one from Coleman. A feature which adds a layer of interest to the narrative is that while Coleman’s chapters are told in first person, June’s are written in the third person. The variation in the voice makes June’s travails seem more trying while Coleman’s evoke an empathy from the reader that adds to the character’s connection. The writing is warm and moving, enabling the reader to see the inner lives of these unfortunate people. The landscape of both post-civil-war America and a revolutionary Mexico add to the vivid coloration of the author’s imaginings. One of the themes throughout is the remarkable resilience of the human being. Hope never disappears even through the harshest of trials. There is considerable heroism in just surviving.

This book could be easily recommended to anyone who feels kinship to fellow humans and enjoys seeing how triumph can be achieved by simply enduring hardship. The writing flows swiftly and the detail is satisfying: the reader never feels left out or bereft of meaning. Clear, concise and rich, the narrative is superb.