Book: The Other Side of Free by Krista Russell
Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review
Publication: Available now
Description:
It is 1739. Young Jem has been rescued from slavery and finds himself at Fort Mose, a settlement in Florida run by the Spanish. He is in the custody of an ornery and damaged woman named Phaedra, who dictates his every move. When Jem sets out to break free of her will, an adventure begins in which Jem saves a baby owl, a pair of runaway slaves, and, eventually, maybe all the residents of Fort Mose.
While Jem and the other characters are fictitious, the story is based on historical record. Fort Mose was the first legally sanctioned free African settlement in what is now the United States. In 1994 the site was designated a National Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2009, the National Park Service named Fort Mose a precursor site on the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.
Rating: 4 1/2 stars
Review:
I really like this historical adventure book. It was fast paced yet had a complex and interesting story. The story set during the early to mid 1700s focused on the free (escaped) slaves who have found their way to Fort Mose where in exchange for their freedom they have sworn an oath to the Spanish King to help them fight the English. It also focuses on the mistreatment of the Indians from both the English and Spanish as well as war and the subject of the price of freedom.
In the story, a recently escaped slave Jem (who is around 14 years old) had to not only get used to life at the Fort but was also taking care of baby owl he found during one of his trips in the woods. Both Jem and the owl (whom he named Omen after learning that owls are considered to be omens) didn't seem to fit in at the Fort. Neither seemed to do anything right and mainly got in the way especially Jem who wanted to prove to the others that he wasn't a child. However, Phaedra the woman who had escaped with Jem and was taking care of him, wouldn't let him out of her sight which left him stuck doing chores and other tasks. He wanted to be like all the other men at the Fort and be a part of the militia.
This was a coming of age story for Jem because he had to learn a lot about this new life that he was living but also trying to forget the horrible life he escaped from. Aside from Jem, there were a lot of interesting characters throughout the story. The writing helped the reader to easily connect to the experiences of the characters. You were able to see what they were going through because even though the people at the Fort were no longer slaves they weren't necessary free because they were more or less being used by the Spanish as the first defense in the war against the English.
Although the characters may be fictional this story really took place in Florida during the 1700s. It's considered to be a precursor to the Underground Railroad which I found to be very interesting. I really think the author did a really good job of weaving historical facts with an exciting and adventurous story.
I think this book would be great for tweens and early younger adults who maybe looking for an interesting historical fiction. This is a smart and well written story that highlights a bit of little known history.
This turned out to be a very good story and I'm very glad I read it.
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