4.5 Stars. Wow. What an interesting coming-of-age story of Libertie, a young, free-born, dark-skinned, Black girl growing up in New York around the end of the slavery era in the United States. I’m not quite sure what I expected going into this, but I did not expect this amazing journey of this young girl and her fraught relationship with her doctor mother, her community, the pressure of the dreams of her ancestors and her reconciliation with herself.

The premise is that Libertie is a dark-skinned girl living in a Black community around the start of the US Civil War. Even though she’s scorned for her dark complexion, her white-passing mother is the respected town doctor who dreams of a better life for her daughter through education and joining her in the medical field. But Libertie has different dreams.

This was a really unique narrative on an oft-told story. A lot of books have been written about this epoch in time much like a lot of books have been written about World War 2. But much like Anne Frank’s eponymous diary is seen as a quintessential classic telling the story of a young girl’s perspective of Nazi occupation, I see this as having the potential to become a fictionalized classic, revealing the zeitgeist of the period in an African-American community of free people from the perspective of a young girl. There are unpopular themes in this book, discrimination and bigotry even within Black communities is a key theme- especially in terms of colourism, classism, freeborn status, educational attainment and so on. The internalized racism of the time which many people had bought into is explored from all angles. The weight of expectation of a new, free generation of Black youngsters, from their parents who had experienced slavery, is another key theme which manifests in Libertie’s fraught relationship with her mother. The difficulties around love, activism, family and forgiveness, relocating to a utopia and finding there is no such place, friendship and sexuality are also major themes in this novel. The relationship between free African-Americans and the Black people they met in the colonies is also explored, specifically in Haiti, and it was a delight to have Haitian-Creole as another language in this book. I’m usually the first to side-eye when an author translates all the second language in their book, but here it is seamlessly incorporated into the plot why the translations exist and take place.

One thing I think is fantastic about this book is the fact that even though the themes are very specific to the historical period of the book, they are incredibly germane to current events and modern day experiences of racism, colourism, featurism, classism within and outside the Black community globally. The colonization of the mind that automatically condemns anything indigenous as primitive whilst glorifying Western ideas, that appropriates certain cultural norms for financial gain whilst condemning the people, those things the author writes about in this book are valid even today. Reading this, I got a lot of new insight into a historical period, but I also was able to draw parallels with current cultural norms and values and it was as sad as it was enlightening.

I often find that these sorts of single-narrator coming of age stories can be a little uneven and lose some traction in the telling, so that at a point they begin to drag or become a little boring. Not this one! This was perfectly executed. There’s a great blend of character development and plot development. Libertie’s narration feels objective even in her revelation and examination of herself- her flaws, her fears, her misunderstandings are front and center. At times, this was a painful read, a sad one, one to make you shake your head at life and youthful decision-making, but it was also a hopeful one, one that was an absolute pleasure to read, a page-turner that leaves you wishing there were a few more pages. Libertie as a central character is an absolute delight in her journey to find herself, she is perfect imperfection and relatable in her humanity, it is brilliant. In her journey, there is space for any of us who have ever felt lost to find a piece of our own restlessness, to understand ourselves a little better and to know that we can always make our own way. I loved this book, it is eminently readable and I highly recommend it.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Algonquin Books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an opportunity to read Libertie

What a gorgeous cover ? Such an amazing plot. ...but somehow this book just didn’t work for me . I love historical fiction and reading stories based on the lives of strong women, and this book definitely had those elements but it was slow and the writing style didn’t resonate with me. It’s is actually beautiful writing, but almost too poetic and lyrical for me. - so I think others will definitely enjoy it.

I would highly encourage those who are interested in the story to give this book a try.

This is one of the most beautiful - and poetic- books I have read in a long time. LIbertie is a dutiful daughter who lives as a free Black in Brooklyn, NY before, during, and after the Civil War. Her mother is a Black homeopathic physician, a rarity in those times. Her father has died, and Mama is the center of her universe; however, Libertie wishes her mother was more affectionate and did not push her so hard to be a doctor someday. They never fully understand each other. When Libertie has a chance to attend college, she rebels against her mother, a rebellion that eventually takes her to Haiti as a new bride. There she receives many messages about who she is and who she wants to be, lessons that will impact future generations. This book stands alone as a work of art, but I, for one, would love to see a sequel. Strong, independent women, and those who strive to be, will devour this beautifully-written book.

This is a poignant coming of age story about a young Black girl living in Brooklyn during the Reconstruction era. Libertie’s mother is one of the first female physicians and has very high expectations of her daughter, but Libertie’s heart takes her on a different path through life. The story follows her journey of self-discovery from girlhood to adulthood.

I quickly attached to Libertie and ached for her as she faced sexism, racism, and the challenge of defining her own identity. The story is layered with a broad scope, so a couple parts were muddled to me. I wish it were a bit more focused. Overall, this is probably a 3.5 rounded up to 4 for me. However the prose as a whole is lovely and I'm sure tons of readers will love this book!

Happy Pub Day!!! & BIG THANKS to @kaitlyngreenidge and @algonquinbooks for inviting me to join in the blog tour of this captivating coming-of-age read.
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Greenidge takes us back to the Reconstruction Era in Brooklyn, where Libertie, a free born Black girl lives in the shadow of her mother, the first Black female doctor of New York. Her mother's life is dedicated to helping her people and has high hopes for Libertie following in her footsteps. Meanwhile, Libertie simply longs for her mother's attention but does as she is told.

When her mother finds a way for Libertie to go to college and pursue a medical career, Libertie plays the role of dutiful daughter and goes off to make her mother's dreams come true. On a visit back home, Libertie falls for her mother's assistant and soon thereafter marries him and relocates to Haiti. Here, she once again does as she is expected and becomes a subservient wife.

It isn't til Libertie recognizes that a life where she bends to others' wishes is not for her, that she takes matters into her own hands and says ENOUGH.
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My thoughts: I couldn't wait for Libertie to find her voice and stop following what others wanted her to be. When she finally did, she stuck to it and found peace in freedom of choice. I was so proud of her!
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If you want an ending tied up nicely with a bow, this one may not work for you. However, I loved it! I liked wondering where the story would go from here and knowing that it didn't matter. Ultimately, Libertie had grown up into a woman with the freedom to define herself and who no one could stop from putting herself and her children at the forefront.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes included may change in final publication.*

lib・er・ty | li - bər - tē |
(n.) the quality or state of being free: a. the power to do as one pleases. b: the freedom from physical restraint. c: freedom from arbitrary or despotic control. d: the positive enjoyment of various social, political, or economic rights and privileges. e: the power of choice

I love historical fiction and coming of age stories so this immediately grabbed my attention. I appreciate any time I can pick up new information while reading and following Libertie’s mother as she built her practice was really fascinating and made me want to do more research.

The thing I took away the most from this was Libertie’s journey. I love following characters discover things about themselves and this raised so many questions about what it truly means to be free and stepping out from someone else’s expectations.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and was glad for what it gave me - both in history and life lessons.

The constant in Libertie’s life has been her mother, and her mother’s career as a doctor willing to care for anyone. What if Libertie could be someone different?

This book was a great reminder of how hard growing up can be. Libertie Sampson, of course, had even more challenges. While living as a freeborn Black girl, she still saw slaves trying to escape. She knew she and her mother had always been free, but sometimes she wondered if freedom was all it was cracked up to be. Libertie saw that she suffered more prejudice than her mother and others with a lighter skin tone. Listening to other free peoples’ stories from around the world, Libertie begins to wonder if freedom is ever a reality.

The historical fiction aspect of this book spoke quite clearly to Libertie’s struggles as a Black woman. Her character seemed defined first growing up in her mother’s shadow, and then as an overlooked woman when her mother’s notoriety in the local community didn’t make her recognizable far from home. Her search for self was somewhat universal. She wondered internally at who she should be, when no one was telling her who to be anymore.

Libertie’s story and quest for her own identity was touching. It was easy to forget the book took place so long ago. I’d give this book 3 out of 5 stars and recommend it to those who like unique historical fiction and coming of age stories.

“Libertie” was hard for me to get into. While the writing itself is beautiful, the story did not draw me in. While I enjoyed the first portion of the book, I lost interest after Libertie ran off to get married. It did have some very interesting aspects though.

There were moments of beautifully lyrical writing. The book, inspired by the life of one of the first Black female doctors in the United States, was well researched. The book addresses several themes - complex mother-daughter relationships, feminism, and searching for what freedom means for a young female dark-skinned woman in the aftermath of the Civil War. It is also a look at life in Haiti, where women are still subservient to men.

An eye-opener from the book, for me, was how much easier life was for light-skinned Blacks who could pass for White than for the dark-skinned. It was also interesting - shocking - reading of some of the experiments done to treat people. The sea horse one. early in the book. still has me shaking my head. A powerful portion of the book that applies to present days is how even when a person may be freed there is lasting emotional damage that can result in serious mental health issues. We see that today in some of our refugees.

This is a good book for exploring another piece of American history that many of us were unaware of.

Thank you to Algonquin Books for generously supplying me with a review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

From my blog: Always With a Book

This is the first book I've read by Kaitlyn Greenidge and I know it will definitely not be the last. As soon as I heard about this one, I knew it was something I wanted to read and I was not disappointed.

This book totally captivated me, yet it is a slow-burn and one that while I wanted to rush to find out how it would end up, I also wanted to savior. It is a book inspired by the life of one of the first Black female doctors and her daughter, yet what I found incredibly interesting was how much attention the author paid to the mental health of her characters, especially as this is set during the Reconstruction era.

This is the third book that I have read where it talks about a black person being able to pass for a white, the second one just this week. It's not a concept I have ever given much thought to prior to reading these books, yet in this book, it is given much weight. Libertie's mom is very light-skinned, and so she is able to pass for white, which gives her certain freedoms that other blacks do not have. Libertie, on the other hand, is very dark-skinned. When Libertie is working with her mom at the hospital, many of the patients are very leery of having Libertie in the room.

I also appreciated the journey Libertie goes on in trying to find herself. She leaves her mother's house because she doesn't think her mother sees her for who she is, yet she finds that her marriage is not much different. I loved the mother-daughter relationship and how it is portrayed here. It is so realistic. Mothers only want what is best for their children, yet sometimes they project too much onto them without letting their children spread their wings. Libertie pushed too far away yet ultimately ended up where she needed to be.

This is such a beautifully written, thought-provoking read that has left me wanting to know more, which is what I love best about reading historical fiction. The author deftly draws you into the story, providing just the right amount of fact and fiction to tell her story and keep you entertained, while also shedding light on what happened during this time. This is a book I know I will be thinking about for quite some time and I definitely recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction.

I was so excited to read this historical fiction based off of real women, especially one that was one of the first black female doctors. Libertie is clearly a story that addresses racism, feminism, mental illness, and sexism
in the Civil War era and was well done in drawing my attention into following the characters in the beginning.

However, I found myself enjoying it while I was reading it enough when I was reading, but I was not excited to pick it up. I found myself getting a little bored from the lack of character personality in spots, which I understand can be as part of the times and the situation, and the lack of plot movement. I also found myself confused at parts as the lack of clear section separation had me thinking that I had missed a few parts and I had to reread parts.

Isn’t the cover of this book pretty? Take it in... because that’s probably the only thing I really loved about this book.

It’s true. I always feel bad when I’m gifted a book and I don’t love it. I thought the beginning was so great and then it just fell apart from there. It moved slow, the main character had no depth and the story was boring... At least to me. 🙈🙈🙈

This is the coming-of-age story of Libertie, the free-born black daughter of a woman physician. From a young age Libertie is raised in the hospital, apprenticing with her mother. She is expected to continue doctoring after school. But while at university, Libertie finds her voice and decides to choose her own path in life.

Even though Libertie is ‘born free’ I feel like she isn’t truly free. She is either tethered to her mother who constantly makes her feel guilty. Or, she takes the backseat to her male partner where she will always be subordinate in comparison. I don’t want to spoil the story, but I have other examples.

This book is basically a series of events one after the next with no major climax. It’s just things steadily happen and then it’s the end. I just found myself distracted and getting a bit bored....but I WILL SAY that the writing is beautiful and I think that’s what kept me going. It was lyrical and eloquent.

So, if you enjoy historical fiction I do encourage you to pick it up. Just because it wasn’t my thing, it could be yours! Thank you @algonquinbooks for this gifted copy! This book is OUT TODAY! 🥳🥳🥳

“Libertie,” by Kaitlyn Greenidge, Algonquin Books, 336 pages, March 30, 2021.

Libertie Sampson is a free-born Black girl in Reconstruction-era Brooklyn. Dr. Cathy Sampson, her mother, is a physician who helps escaped slaves.

Dr. Sampson is light-skinned. Because of that, she is more accepted, whereas her daughter is dark-skinned. Libertie’s father, Robert, a traveling preacher, died before she was born.

Her mother wants Libertie to become a physician and to go in to practice with her. But after she is sent to Cunningham College in Ohio, Libertie becomes more interested in music.

When she is in danger of flunking out, Libertie accepts a marriage proposal from Emmanuel Chase, a young doctor from Haiti. He convinces her that she will be treated equally.

Libertie marries him against her mother’s wishes and moves to Haiti. It is there that she finds that women are still subordinate to men. She begins to miss her independent mother. She realizes that she's not happy as a married woman.

The character of Dr. Sampson was inspired by the real life Dr. Susan Smith McKinney Steward who was the first black woman to become a medical doctor in New York State and the third in the United States.

The best part of the novel is when Libertie is a young girl and the mother-daughter relationship is the driving force. After Libertie moves to Haiti, the novel isn’t as strong. The story slows in the middle of the book and it ends abruptly.

Kaitlyn Greenidge is the author of “We Love You, Charlie Freeman,” one of the New York Times Critics’ Top 10 Books of 2016.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

This story is said to be inspired by the life of one of the first Black female doctors in the United States. It is a coming of age story set in Reconstruction-era Brooklyn. Libertie's mother has her future planned out but Libertie is drawn in another direction. This is beautifully written history about what freedom means for a young girl growing up Black and the dynamics of mother and daughter.

I’m torn by this book. I loved how intersectionality was displayed in full force here, intertwining so many different themes through a fictionalized story based on real people. The beginning hooked me full force and I just HAD to know what would come of Libertie.

And then... it all went steadily downhill, culminating in a highly rushed and disappointing ending. The story was all over the place, the character arcs went off the rails, and it all just felt... sloppy. So many loose threads left hanging at every turn, so much left unexplored... it was both too long and too short.

That being said - there’s definitely something here thematically that resonated, though sadly the execution and final product was merely average.

“The only good poem I’ve ever written is you. A daughter is a poem. A daughter is a kind of psalm. You, in the world, responding to me, is a song I made. I cannot make another.”

I completed Libertie a couple of weeks ago and everything about this book is still lingering in my mind. Just a heads up, based on the synopsis of the book you would assume there is a focus on Black female physicians during the pre-civil war, although the book touches on that as you continue to read you get a whole different narrative. A complicated mother-daughter relationship, the pressure to follow in your parent’s footsteps, colorism —Libertie’s mother is light skinned and she has a darker completion, misogyny and ultimately finding your true self.

This book is captivating from page one, beautiful written, complex but fleshed out characters and the end, oh the ending—absolutely beautiful. Fans of historical fiction, then I highly recommend this one.

thank you, @algonquinbooks for this gifted copy via Netgalley.

4.5

From girlhood to womanhood, Libertie is one woman's journey to freedom—both mental and physical—inspired by the life of one of America's first Black female doctors. Talk about some stunning writing and storytelling.

Writing: ★★★★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★★★
Characters: ★★★★

I think this book is going to be the source of a lot of discussion this year. It feels like a story that will last, not the least because of its captivating writing and strong sense of character.

Libertie is a free born Black woman growing up in Brooklyn in the mid-1800s. Her mother is a practicing doctor. The two women and their female assistant, Lenore, operate a medical practice for Black people in the New York area, and occasionally for white women, too, as Libertie's mother can pass for white.

In this uniquely matriarchal and progressive bubble, Libertie is raised. She is raised to be educated, to read and write and learn medicinal treatments, and to follow in her mother's footsteps as a free Black woman with ambitions of her own. She grows up with an abundance of food, education, and sense of self in a world where many Black individuals are still actively enslaved and seeking freedom.

But like many daughters, Libertie doesn't necessarily recognize the unique circumstances of her mother's efforts as a gift to savor... she needs to carve her own path, regardless of the consequences.

Spanning from Brooklyn to Ohio to Haiti and beyond, Libertie was a physical, mental, and emotional journey that will remain with me for years to come.

I thought this novel was beautiful. The writing was show-stopping—Greenidge's prose lifted me into the story immediately and I found myself swept along for the ride in a consuming reading experience. Even though I disagreed with many of Libertie's actions and feelings, I couldn't help but read her story.

Complex themes of racial identity, divides between free born Black people and those escaping from enslaved situations in the American South, what it means to be female and Black in 1800s America, classicism, religion, a hint of magical realism... this novel packed in a lot in its 300-some pages. I thought it was masterfully done.

My one caveat to the reading experience is minor, and most likely personal. I found Libertie's refusal to trust and follow her mother's guidance to be intense. This might be because my own relationship with my mother is very close, but for whatever reason I found Libertie's decisions to be rash and filled with an odd level of anger and distrust. Clearly a personal reason, but still wanted to mention it here in case other readers feel the same way.

Overall, a beautiful story that I hope receives a wide readership this year. One of my favorite reads of 2021.

Thank you to Algonquin Books for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

In the time of slavery, Libertie is the story of Libertie Samson and how she begins to discover being a Black woman in a time of men. Throughout her life, Libertie is brought different situations, talking about race, colorism, as well as issues on slavery. Each point that was talked about hit so many different topics that showed that even through fiction, you can learn a lot.

I gave Libertie four stars, enjoying how each turn of the page made me think twice about what I was reading. It showed the in depth relationship of a mother and daughter and how not everything goes as smoothly as some show. One of my favorite aspects was how Libertie's mother was there for her and even though there were occasional bumps between the two, Libertie's mother was still there for her no matter what.

Libertie was well executed in terms of history and I loved the inclusion of having free Black woman as doctors and showing the power that women can truly have was something I thoroughly enjoyed and continued to love as I read Libertie. There were so many things while reading that I truly enjoyed and I think that Libertie really tackles controversial topics and I think that this was amazingly well written.

Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for inviting me to the Libertie Blog Tour and for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for the eARC of this engaging and thoughtful novel.

Libertie is the daughter of the first African-American doctor in the free north of the US, living in 1850s Brooklyn. Her mother is a pillar of their community, aiding escapees from the south at the end of their journey north on the Underground Railroad.

Libertie is a good student, but finds herself diverging from her mother's career dreams for her at college. She fails out of the medical course, and falls in with a lesbian couple who sing brilliantly, but never fully allow her into their world.

On a trip back home, keeping her failure a secret, Libertie is introduced to a Haitian doctor by her mother. Libertie quickly, and almost accidentally, becomes engaged to him, although she has seen him as an escape from her mother all the while. The pair marry, and leave New York for Haiti, where Libertie begins to face up to the consequences of her rash decisions.

I enjoyed the complexity of this book up until the end, where it seemed to resolve in a disappointingly simple way. Libertie's relationship with her mother, her community, her college life, and her life in Haiti are all told in delightful, believeable detail. Greenidge's exploration of the options available to women (and, certainly, women of color) of the time is eye-opening and sincere. The letters from her mother are heartbreaking, but the too-quickly ensuing end the novel feels very forced in retrospect.

Libertie started off strong, but as it progressed, it slowed way down and became harder and harder for me to want to pick up. I considered DNFing it due to the pacing, but read another review that said it was worth persevering…I wish I would have listened to my gut and put it down.

It’s not that the premise isn’t interesting – the book is about one of the first practicing Black physicians in what is now known as Brooklyn, NY. Cathy is light-skinned; therefore, she was able to “pass” as white and become a doctor. However, she is abrasive towards her daughter (I understand why), and it left me totally uninterested in the story overall due to her relationship with Libertie.

I didn’t find any of the relationships in this book convincing and that may be a large part of why I didn’t enjoy it. While the writing was great on a sentence level, overall it felt jumbled and incomplete.

Libertie is a coming of age story of a free born Black girl in reconstruction era Brooklyn and her journey from a young girl, to a woman.

I really appreciated how the author handled the subjects of colorism, racism, and classism which are all major themes throughout this novel. I really loved watching Libertie try to find her place in the world after being raised by a very strong level headed mother—a character who is inspired by the life of one of the first Black female doctors in the US. I appreciated the relationship between Libertie and her mother, it really touched on how complicated mother daughter relationships can be. The writing was beautiful and I loved the rich historical details and descriptions, and I really enjoyed the way the story felt like watching different “episodes” of Libertie’s life.
Though the story was a little slower than I expected and I did feel like I wanted more from the ending, I still felt this was a very well written and compelling read. If you’re a fan of historical fiction and coming of age stories you should definitely check this book out!