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Reviewed by Keith Mbuya for Readers' Favorite
It is 1829. Kathy, a black slave woman, gives birth to a beautiful baby girl fathered by her wealthy master, Mr. Cartwright, and names her Anastasia. Kathy raises her daughter at her master’s mansion, where she works. Mr. Cartwright dotes on Anastasia, and when he dies a few decades later, he declares both her and her mother free in his will. However, Mrs. Cartwright refuses to honor her husband’s wishes and refuses to let them go. Anastasia, unwilling to endure any more time as a slave, runs away. Although of mixed race, Anastasia has dominant white features which make her easily pass for a white woman. She heads to Creole territory, where young white women are in short supply and are very welcome by the large population of white slave owners. Soon, Anastasia marries a young, wealthy slave owner, and they start a family. Unknown to her, her marriage is about to fall apart, and she will shock the whole Creole territory with an unprecedented legal battle. Find out how more in Anastasia: From Slave to Countess by Joseph Shaw.
If you are looking for a historical novel flavored with gritty realism, drama, suspense, and an intriguing, poignant tale, Anastasia by Joseph Shaw is a perfect pick. Shaw features a fascinating cast and transports me back to the 1790s and 1800s in West Africa and America. The narration alternated between moments of reflection, tension, and action. The cinematic depictions brought the settings to life, from Mr. Cartwright’s grand, opulent mansion to the slave cabins made of cut logs, shabbily assembled with mud and weeds, the vast cotton plantations, and Anastasia’s mansion in the Creole territory. Shaw balances the plot’s development with the characters’ struggles, adding depth to each page. As I followed Anastasia’s life from the Cartwright mansion to her marital home, I understood the lives slaves and women lived, and the challenges they faced during that era. It must have been a terrifying time to be a woman, and even worse, as an enslaved woman. Some scenes brought me to tears as I watched the exploitation and oppression of vulnerable and helpless people. Shaw accompanies the narration with historical details, which I found very enlightening. I relished every moment I spent with this page-turner.
