The authors use of her real life family history to craft a historical fiction is unique and well done in this book. Overall I found the story very heartbreaking and while it was slow for me I think this being a somewhat true account adds so much value. I chose not to rate this one as I think it would be unfair to the 4 generations of women and their hardships.

A novelization of the author’s own family and a portrait of her grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great grandmother and the lives they carved out for themselves on plantations along the Cane River near Natchitoches, Louisiana

An interesting examination of how complicated our intersections with race are in this country.

I couldn't put it down. Beautifully written.

Don’t try to match one misery against another. Field or house, we’re all in the same web waiting for the spider to get home.”
.

Learning. Teaching. Applying. Realizing.

Those are the words that come to mind when I think of the four generations of women we follow here in this novel. Elisabeth, Suzette, Philomene, and Emily initially on and near a Creole plantation on Louisiana’s Cane River.

All of these women living in similar times with small differences who shape them as mothers and as people. The three eldest women navigating slavery, and eventually freedom. Baring children by men that they could not marry, and the ones that could marry (in a sense) were devastated when it was time to be sold to other plantations. Manipulated but also navigating decisions that would ultimately lead to family stability but at the same time hoping that things didn’t get worse.

.

Even though these women progressed throughout the years, individually and as a family, they were struck with discrimination (as expected with the times) due to their color and because of their choice in men.

Some were color struck and felt that the lighter their skin the more advantage they would have in the world. While the others felt that they would still be labeled as colored and mixing with white men was merely “bleaching the line”.

.

Given the times, I feel that each of these women did what they needed to do to protect themselves to the best of their ability and provide for their family.

In the end, they saw some of their line education, owning land and having the ability to see the truths that always remained the same.
.

Spanning over 137 years of family history, Cane River, covers the authors family written as fiction. Surprisingly, there are photos of wills, family trees for each of the women and a combined tree for the entire family; photos of every family member that’s spoken of and a very much appreciated Authors Note and Acknowledgements that bring this story full circle.

Very good. And I loved that the story was the author's own family history told through the eyes of her women ancestors.

I loved this book so much that I slowed down reading Emily’s story because I wasn’t ready for the book to end. I myself have been working on my Creole genealogy on both of my grandparents side a few parishes over and although this story is Lalita’s family , it helped me to understand the lives of so many. This will be forever one of my all time favorite books and I would love to see a movie made from this book. I liked it a lot better than the color purple.

I liked this book and probably would give it 3.5. It was disturbing in many places. Slavery in the south. But I did enjoy reading it,

I’m a historical fiction fanatic! This is one of my favorite!

This is a memoir or genealogical account of seven generations of women, also known as the “Women of Cane River.” There are copies of papers that document the Creole lineage, which I found out originated in France.

This Oprah’s Book Club selection not only educated, but enlightened me to some of the struggles of our ancestors. It solidified a known fact that our history is rich and full of secrets. As I was reading it, it put me in the mind of “Roots”, as told you Alex Haley and “Jubilee” by Margaret Walker.

I highly recommend this

I was in a bit of a reading slump and this was the book that got me out of it. It was very good. It follows generations of women, the first of which was sold as a slave to a plantation in Louisiana. The Civil War happens and freedom is given, but the hard stuff isn’t over yet.
I’ve read a lot of Civil War era books (none set in Louisiana), but none have given me such a clear picture of what it was like to live a slave, a freed slave, a biracial person in love with a white person…it was very revealing for me. And then the fact that the characters were all real and the ancestors of the author.
This is a very good book and I will be adding it to my personal library.

I took my time in reading this, and I’m glad I did. Lalita Tademy left a dream job in order to do extensive research into her ancestry. What she found were generations of strong women, who she gave voice to in Cane River.

The book follows Elizabeth, her daughter, Suzette, also Suzette’s daughter Philomene, and her daughter, Emily.

I found their stories gripping and deeply moving. If you’ve never read this one, I would recommend it. It is a stark look into history and a testament to the determination of the human spirit. I’m glad this was written, and that these women will be remembered.

5 stars

It was a good read. It opens a window into a time when slavery was at its peak. Reading about the abominations carried out on the people of colour and their sheer will to create a better life for each new generation, makes me appreciate their strong willed women.