Indigo by Beverly Jenkins

 

Indigo by Beverly Jenkins is a breathtaking work of historical romance. I don't remember being this surprised and delighted by a novel since the early 2018 reads of The Pillars of the Earth and Lonesome Dove. Jenkins is my new hero and I can't help but start gushing about how wonderful this was an introduction to her novels for me.

Okay, so where do we start?  Hester is a former slave living in Michigan. She runs a station on the Underground Railroad when the infamous Conductor The Black Daniel stays in her home after he is injured helping people escape slavery.  They fall in love, of course, but there's so much more than just romance.  

Interesting characters:  Oh, yes. Hester is a spinster who really thinks that love leads to bad things because her father gave up his freedom to be with his mother as a slave and her reluctance to fall in love with Galen makes total sense in this context.  When they officially become a couple, her reservations are still there, but she's so strong and brave about expressing her feelings. Hester feels real.  

And Galen?  Wouldn't we all love a man who spoils us and thinks we're the most gorgeous thing in the world?  He's dreamy.

Believable conflict: So much yes. Jenkins wrote in an author's note at the end of the book that she didn't want to write about actual slaves, but that the abolitionist period fascinated her.  I've recently read An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole and one of my main critiques was that the main character was infiltrating as a slave and it just felt...voyeuristic in a way I was uncomfortable with. All of the conflict in Hester and Galen's relationship seemed completely legitimate, but I didn't feel terrible about reading it.  They had Hester's reluctance to admit to love, class differences, and, oh yeah, those dangerous jobs that they do for the Underground Railroad, not to mention slave catchers and Galen's shitty family.  I was riveted.

Emotional tension: It's so good. Everything about this book was so good. You really feel like that first sex scene was earned after Galen had been seducing Hester "Love Is Dangerous" for hundreds of pages. 

Happily ever after: It's not an unqualified HEA because, you know, slavery, but there are some exciting developments for our couple in the last chapter. I was kind of hoping that this was the start of a series because I'd definitely like to know what happens to them during and after the Civil War, but it looks like it's a standalone, so I guess I'll just have to use my imagination.

Other notes:  I'm from Michigan originally and I loved all the Michigan references. When they talk about Monroe, crossing from Detroit over to Windsor, or Niles, I KNOW THOSE PLACES. I was pumped. Your mileage may vary on this. 

Free Produce Movement: I loved this aspect of the book. This was a movement that boycotted trade produced by slave labor. In this novel, Hester was a follower of the free produce movement and it came up when she would use honey or maple syrup in her coffee as a sweetener instead of sugar harvested by American slaves. I'd never heard of it, but it was a way for people to take a political stance with their dollars. I kept thinking about this as I try so hard to avoid fast fashion items - in a capitalistic society, your dollars are just as powerful as your vote.

Sea Island Indigo Plantations: I had no idea that there were indigo plantations in South Carolina, although I guess I shouldn't be surprised that slave labor was the basis for it.  Interesting stuff.