This may be the best book I have ever read, plain and simple.

It truly makes me contemplate what a white, open-minded, progressive-thinking individual would have been like during the 1880 - 1930s in the Louisiana swamps.

There are so many aspects of this book that deserve praise. The characters are vividly brought to life, and their struggles and triumphs are both inspiring and thought-provoking.

They face numerous challenges and obstacles, yet they remain resilient and determined. Their strength and courage in the face of adversity are truly remarkable.

It makes me realize how much we can learn from their experiences and how we can strive to be better people ourselves.

This book is not only a great read but also a valuable lesson in history and human nature.

I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a captivating and meaningful story.

This piece of writing is truly well researched and makes for an excellent read.

It is evident that a great deal of effort and attention to detail has gone into its creation.

The content is engaging, informative, and presented in a clear and concise manner.

I find myself completely captivated by every word and cannot wait to read everything else that Tademy writes.

Tademy has a unique ability to present complex ideas in an accessible way, making their work suitable for a wide range of audiences.

Whether you are an expert in the field or simply interested in learning more, Tademy's writing is sure to provide valuable insights and perspectives.

I highly recommend this article and look forward to seeing what Tademy has in store for us in the future.

Maybe a 3.5 for me but rounding up.

This book was well researched, which I really appreciated. The pictures added an extra dimension and made it more engaging. What I loved the most was that it was based on her family. It truly brought to light some of the dark parts of history that we often overlook. At times, the content was so heavy that it was hard to read.

I did find some parts a bit slower, and there were moments when I struggled to keep all the people and events straight. However, despite these minor drawbacks, overall it was still a good read and definitely worth the time.

The author did a great job of presenting a complex and often difficult topic in a way that was accessible and understandable. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in history or looking for a thought-provoking read.

Whenever I encounter a historical marker with only a few words, I can't help but wonder what truly happened at that particular location. How could such a limited number of words accurately describe the events that took place? Tademy's work takes us deep into the heart and horror of the Colfax Riot of April 1873. Through the accounts of Sam Tademy and Israel Smith, we learn the details of that fateful day - details that no marker on the lawn of a Louisiana courthouse could ever fully capture. This retelling of the courage, love, and lasting legacy of these families held my attention from the very beginning, with the 100-year-old Polly's narrative in the Prologue: "Come closer. This is not a story to go down easy, and the backwash still got hold of us today."

As you will discover in the Author's Notes, the marker on the Louisiana courthouse lawn simply states: "On this site occurred the Colfax Riot in which three white men and 150 Negroes were slain. This event on April 13, 1873 marked the end of the carpetbag misrule in the South."

Indeed, words are of great significance, and this concise marker fails to convey the full story.

Lalita Tademy's second novel is a complex and powerful work that is both heart-wrenchingly sad and filled with hope.

It delves into the history of her father's side of the family, painting a vivid picture of their experiences.

The sections that deal with racism are truly depressing and awful, yet they are also painfully true.

As Americans, we are often shielded from this dark side of our history, but it is essential that we are taught about it.

Lalita Tademy is to be commended for sharing her remarkable family's story with us.

Her novel serves as a reminder of the importance of facing the past and learning from it.

It also offers a glimmer of hope, showing that even in the face of great adversity, families can persevere and find strength within themselves.

Overall, this is a must-read novel that will leave a lasting impression on its readers.

Red River is truly one of those remarkable books that I simply didn't want to reach its conclusion.

I had become so deeply fond of the individuals I was reading about. After turning the last page, it felt extremely difficult to bid them farewell.

I earnestly hope that Ms Tademy will continue with the story of her family. This way, our acquaintance with her relatives can persist.

Perhaps my hope is a bit overreaching. Maybe it stems from being overly curious. Or could it be that I'm just plain nosy?

This book follows Cane River, which I also thoroughly enjoyed.

Ms. Tademy conducted an in-depth exploration of her family tree. She managed to locate numerous relatives dating back to the era of slavery. However, she couldn't uncover many details about their lives.

Consequently, after studying the times and understanding the circumstances of that period, she projected certain characteristics onto them.

It is those created personas that I have grown so attached to. I like to envision that she 'created' these folks exactly as they would have been in reality.

They are people whom I would have been proud to make the acquaintance of.

Red River takes the reader to within approximately three generations from the present. This is a large enough gap to leave, at least for me, with a strong desire to know the residents of those three generations as well.

First and foremost, I would like to express just how proud Sam Tademy would have been. Had he known that one of his descendants had actually penned a book! And what a great book it is, indeed. In today's social climate, this is an absolute must-read, regardless of one's skin color. It shines a light on an atrocity in the history of Louisiana that has never before been mentioned. This atrocity serves as a perfect illustration of how deep the racial divide was during reconstruction and how its ramifications still impact today's society. Additionally, it is a wonderful tale of a family dream and the epic journey that was required to make that dream a reality. It is a story that is rich with themes of respect, family, and the fierceness of the human spirit. This is a truly wonderful, horrifying, and ultimately satisfying story that will undoubtedly stay with me for a very long time, perhaps even forever!

This book was truly a bit of a letdown for me.

Seriously, I was seriously considering abandoning it around page 100.

The first half of this 400-page book vividly describes a truly horrible massacre that took place in the town of Colfax, Louisiana.

In 1873, blacks were allowed to vote for the very first time, and they chose to vote for the Republican party. From what I could gather from the text (my AP American History Class is now too far in the past to be of much practical help), the Republican party was sympathetic to the newly freed black population.

The incumbent government, however, refused to hand over power. When the blacks protested at the town's courthouse, white supremacists brutally blasted them out, resulting in the tragic death of 150 men.

Now, I'm not disputing the fact that this is an extremely important story that definitely should be told. But this section of the book could (and in my opinion, should) have been condensed to just 100 pages.

The second half of the book follows the next two generations of the Tademy and Smith families, both of which played a significant part in the courthouse standoff. (The author actually used her own family's history as a source for this story, so it is based on real people and events.)

This part was a considerably better read, although I still didn't think the book was outstanding.

I assume from the accolades that Tademy's first book, Cane River, was superior to this one. Which makes me think that my friend might be onto something when she says that most people only have one really good book in them.

I liked the book, but it wasn't nearly as good as Cane River.

From the beginning, this book seemed to drag on and on. It lacked the immediate charm and engaging narrative that Cane River had.

It wasn't until after the Massacre that the story started to pick up a little. However, even then, it still didn't draw me in the way the other book did.

The characters in this book didn't seem as well-developed or as interesting as those in Cane River. I found it difficult to really connect with them and care about what happened to them.

Overall, while I didn't dislike this book, it just didn't measure up to the high standards set by Cane River. I was left feeling a bit disappointed and longing for a more satisfying read.

DNF
I had the pleasure of reading the prequel to this book and found it quite engaging. Naturally, I had high hopes that I would enjoy this installment even more. However, to my disappointment, it turned out to be an excessive amount of chatter with insufficient story development.

While I understand that certain elements such as politics might be crucial in building the narrative, I simply couldn't get past all the discussions about it, especially when they pertained to events from ages ago. I made a sincere effort to persevere and give the book a fair chance, but unfortunately, it just wasn't for me.

I had expected a more captivating and action-packed storyline, but instead, I was bombarded with what felt like endless conversations that detracted from the overall enjoyment of the reading experience.

Perhaps others might find the political aspects fascinating and be able to overlook the lack of a strong central story, but for me, it was a major drawback that led to my decision to DNF this book.

We are in desperate need of more historical fiction that delves into the Reconstruction and the Jim Crow era.

Red River takes on this important task, exploring this significant period and shining a light on the horrific Colfax, LA massacre. What makes this book even more special is that it is based on the author's own family history, and it is evident that extensive research has gone into its creation.

I have yet to read her other two books, but I am determined to do so.

This is my Louisiana selection for my 2021 50-state challenge. Hooray! Just one more state to go, and I can't wait to see what other literary gems I'll discover along the way.

It's exciting to think about the stories and experiences that await me as I continue this journey of exploration through the literature of each state.

Red River has already piqued my interest and made me eager to learn more about this often overlooked era in American history.

I'm looking forward to delving deeper into the author's work and uncovering the hidden truths and emotions that lie within these pages.

It has been a long time since I delved into Tademy's first family-inspired novel, CANE RIVER.

I vividly recall that it was an incredibly poignant and moving story, one that depicted the brave individuals who triumphed over the abhorrent horrors of slavery.

It was truly powerful stuff that left a lasting impression on me.

Tademy then attempts another tour-de-force with RED RIVER. However, about halfway through the narrative, the story begins to lose its momentum and oomph.

The Colfax Massacre, of course, is a truly horrible event, and its retelling is sickening. But after the initial impact wears off, Tademy seems to get the reader lost in a convoluted family tree with seemingly endless branches.

Moreover, the series of confrontations that follow are rather plodding and lack the necessary vitality.

The conclusion, unfortunately, just seems to occur rather abruptly and without much fanfare.

All in all, RED RIVER is a disappointment when compared to the brilliance of CANE RIVER.