David Fuller is a screen writer, thus he has an excellent command of pacing, which was evident in this book. Although this book read like a character-driven novel, there was action at every turn.

Cassius is a 30-something slave on a Virginia tobacco plantation, Sweetsmoke, owned by Hoke Howard, who has been his only owner and had named him at birth. The whereabouts of his parents is never discussed, but he was raised by old Mam' Rosie, who also raised Hoke's children.

Hoke and Cassius have a complex relationship, part long-standing affection, part fear (on both sides), and part grudging respect. Early in the book Hoke tells Cassius the bad news that Emoline, a former slave freed by Hoke some years before, and a woman who had saved Cassius' life after he fled the plantation, had been murdered. Though Hoke had clearly once loved Emoline, he seems to feel no interest in who the murderer is. Cassius, however, feels he must uncover it and avenge her death.

The reader really feels the plight of the slaves, and one of the ways it's made obvious is that whenever anyone who is free speaks there are quote marks around their speech. If they are slaves, there are no quotes. Thus, the reader is always aware of the difference in position of the speakers, even between a slave and a freed negro.

The descriptions of slave life are often very gritty and give the reader an excellent idea of how horrible it was to be property of another human, one who felt their property was subhuman and inconsequential. Also, the description of the battle at Sharpsburg is one of the best battle scenes I've ever read.

It is also apparent that the slaves themselves are jockeying for position and will often do whatever is necessary to advance themselves, even at the expense of another slave. There were several instances when women (usually the flowers of the South, so often thought to be so kind and benevolent) were spiteful, manipulative, or cruel, to the ultimate degradation, horrible pain, or death of the slaves.

My only argument with the book was that Cassius' life seemed to be charmed both when he was young, and during the events of this book. There certainly was a period of about five years when his life was very, very bad, but otherwise he seemed to be able to get away with nearly anything he wanted. Fuller was careful to explain all those instances, but still it stretched the imagination too far.

I loved many quotes in the book. The following are a few that stood out:

"Cassius still found it odd to be spoken of as if he were deaf or invisible. It happened often; whites simply said whatever was on their minds in front of their 'people,' bluntly revealing their thoughts and secrets. . . . knowing he was taken so lightly made him feel small."

"Humiliations from planters, their families, and every other white man, woman, and child in the county are more easily borne when your new partner hasn't been witness to your history of degradation, thus allowing you to maintain a small measure of dignity."

"Hoke looked at Cassius and his eyes were burdened with the helplessness of a terrible knowledge. In dismay, Cassius felt Hoke's empathy enfold him and finally understood his punishment. He did not intend to sell Cassius. Cassius was to witness the results of his actions, actions that had brought Tempie to this place, and thus be foreced to confront his conscience. The bleached muslin of the tent, warmly lit and close, embraced a history of anguish and grief and apprehension, the last place so many, God, so many people, would ever see their sons and daughters, their mothers and fathers and grandparents, their sisters and brothers and playmates before they were sold, and as the side of the tent bowed and shuddered in a soft breeze, Cassius heard a collective moan."

"A pet is something to love, a dog particularly. He loves you without opinion or judgment, he does not speak to you indignantly, he does not confuse your affections with foolish ideas and odd perspectives; he merely loves. I sometimes think of how easy it was for my father to favor you, Cassius." ( )

This book had a wonderful premise that it did not meet. The mystery itself was somewhat weak and I found the final denouement less than satisfying.

Set on a southern plantation before and during the Civil War the look at slavery in that time and place was only slightly more interesting and has probably been better covered elsewhere.

All in all, a disappointment. A promising beginning that didn't pan out. ( )

Sweetsmoke, a Virginia tobacco plantation, is the home of Cassius and many other slaves during the Civil War. Emoline, the woman who rescued and nursed Cassius back to health after a devastating event in his life, has been murdered. The devotion Cassius has for Emoline has driven him to find the killer - no matter what the cost.

This didn't live up to my expectations. The characters were okay, the setting was okay, but the mystery story line did not seem plausible to me. (Yes, I know it's fiction.) There were, also, many dry spots, and on occasion I didn't even care to pick it up. So, for whatever reason it didn't grab me. The good news is that there were a few minor surprises or twists, and it ended on a good note. :) (3.5/5)

Originally posted on: "Thoughts of Joy..." ( )

Sweetsmoke by David Fuller has been all over the place and has gotten such great reviews that I wanted to try it for myself. Originally my copy came from the library, but it turned out to be a book that I wanted for my collection because at some point I would like to read it again.

There were a lot of things that I loved about this novel. One of the most fascinating aspects of this novel is its take on the murder mystery. When Emoline Justice is murdered, everyone is cautious about telling Cassius, a taciturn slave on the Sweetsmoke plantation, the news. Cassius’s owner, Hoke Howard, with whom Cassius has a complicated and painful relationship, calls him specially into his office to tell him that Emoline has been murdered, but before he does, Hoke asks Cassius whether there is anything that will make him run again. As the book unfolds, we find out that Cassius holds a very special place for Emoline ever since she nursed him back to health after a brutal whipping following the death of his wife and his subsequent run. The details of these events and how they came about are carefully unfolded as the story progresses. While Cassius is recovering Emoline tells him stories and eventually teaches him to read. Cassius finds that whatever the cost, he cannot let her death go unavenged, and so he takes it upon himself, at great personal risk, to play detective and find out who killed her.

Cassius’ knowing how to read and the effect it has on his life is carefully explored. We see him reading some of the great classics of literature like Julius Caesar and the Odyssey and comparing his circumstances against the logic that he finds in these books. At one point he is marveling that there are other men besides black men who can be slaves and he ponders this information just as he wonders about the meaning of his name and, if Hoke has given it to him for any particular reason. It was very interesting to me to follow his thought processes about his condition as a slave and what he could do about it.

The book has wonderful characterizations of both people and the environment in which the slaves and master lived. You really get to understand the working of the plantation and the insidiousness of slavery and how it was institutionalized in society and in the written laws and information in how to manage people. All things that I have heard and read before, but I think I am always a little shocked at how such evil things can be codified and in regular secular writing and pamphlets. Cassius and Quashee’s relationship illustrated the difficult obstacles in the path of love if you were unfortunate enough to be born a slave instead of free.

There were times that I questioned Cassius’s freedom in moving around the plantations and the adventures that he has. It is necessary for him to take risks if he is going to solve Emoline’s murder, but at times the risks seemed too high and just plain foolhardy. The times were harsh and I just found myself questioning a lot whether some of the conversations that he had would have ever been possible, and while he could have gotten away with frequently running around outside the farm, and his reckless interactions with people on a number of occasions left me with some questions. But, at the same time I was always invested enough in this book and these characters to be worried about the risks being taken. I also know that truth can be stranger than fiction, so I wasn’t surprised that David Fuller had based a lot of these shocking situations on real events. Though the ending moved very quickly and could have been fleshed out more fully, I really enjoyed reading this novel and pondering the history contained in its pages.

Sweetsmoke, described on the cover as ‘a novel of the civil war’ is about the civil war, but it’s also very much about slavery, murder and justice.

I’ve read a few books about slavery and the stories of brutality are often echoes of the same terrible evil and the horrors suffered by many. This story adds another dimension. There are heart-wrenching tales of injustices, but what makes it different is the focus on the murder of a freed black woman and the efforts of a slave to discover her murderer. An additional flourish that gives this book an interesting perspective is that it takes place in 1865, during the raging civil war and the year when slavery is abolished.

I don’t think I’m an adequate judge of whether the adversaries and obstacles faced by the protagonist, Cassius, are realistic, but I do know I really liked this book. Cassius is a very likable character and lives among others who are portrayed in shades of grey (except the children who are depicted as completely evil), as people really are. It’s interesting to note that the author did not use quotation marks when one of the slaves was speaking, as if what they had to say was of no importance compared to someone who was either freed or white.

When Cassius discovers that Emoline, a woman who cared for him when he needed it most, did not die accidentally, he decides to find her murderer - not an easy thing to do for a slave. Since Cassius’s job on the Sweetsmoke plantation is carpenter, he has a bit of leeway to move around, unlike most of the other slaves. While this allows him to do a bit of detective work it also lends itself to jealousy and resentment among the other slaves who feel he is favored by the plantation owner. The search for Emoline’s murderer leads Cassius away from Sweetsmoke and the further he gets, the closer he comes to the truth. Along this journey Cassius encounters traitors, slave traders and soldiers and sees first hand the terror of war.

I highly recommend this book – it is difficult to put down. ( )