In The Upper Country

"Will you barter with me? A tale for a tale?"

In this fascinating debut Lensinda is called to tell the story of an older escaped slave who has just killed a slave catcher at her home in 1845 Canada, but instead of a straight interview, the pair begin an exchange of tales that weave their personal stories together. There’s a touch of magic to the origin stories and harsh reality woven through making this an engaging read. The ties to the Great Lakes region are another interesting draw. Fans of Ta-Nahisi Coates or  Esi Edugyan take note.