The Underground Railroad

Colson Whitehead

Exactly what you expect from the title, and yet different. Whitehead follows Cora, a 3rd generation slave in Georgia as she runs away and is ferried from state to state along the railroad. The conceit here is that the railroad is an actual railroad, in secret underground tunnels. But while that little surprise adds flavor to the story, setting it clearly in historical fiction, the mastery of this fiction is in its ability to hold to the truth. Yes, I understand that slavery was bad, and intellectually I know that the atrocities were outrageous. But in this telling, Whitehead provides a sampling of what these atrocities were, and how they affected lives and people. And we both see and feel the evil of 'humans as property' from all perspectives (slave, benevolent owner, harsh owner, abolitionist, freeman, slave hunter, etc.). Not a single person or role is exempt from the destruction begat by the system. And not a single person or role is oblivious to the fact that this country, especially in its infancy, was built with the lives and blood of the human capital of native and slave populations. Amidst this reality, we follow Cora through 5 or 6 states along her journey and get a distinct perspective from each, noting the individuality and "state sovereignty" presumed by each. In the end, I suppose I am not sure whether this tale is ultimately a tragedy or hopeful telling of the history of this country.
4 stars (out of 4)