Reviews

Iola Leroy by Frances E.W. Harper

terrahome's review against another edition

3.0

Another one I would love to give 2.5 stars, but oh well. This book is not bad persay, but it suffers from not really being much of a novel stylistically. This is really more a post-emancipation manifesto. It explores ideas of racial uplift, which as in the case with most racial uplift politics of the era have aged poorly is some ways and okay in others. Generally, I'd say the novel is an important historical artifact, but as a novel it's not particularly enjoyable. The story is told to the reader, sometimes multiple times, through really long dialogue sequences. Description of setting whomst? All I know is pages upon pages of back and forth conversations about politics. Again, not condemning the important anti-slavery and anti-racist messages of the book, but don't go into this one expecting a gripping story.

italian_herbs's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

hottiereads's review against another edition

Don't have the patience to finish it

scrow1022's review against another edition

4.0

Enjoyable and fascinating, the 19thC Black American view. Uneven a bit as a story once past the halfway point, but I've been reading Carby's "Reconstructing Womanhood: The Emergence of the Afro-American Woman Novelist", and have a better understanding of what Harper's goals were with this book (not just story-telling). Dismaying in the portrayal of Africa as uncivilized, but full of humor, poignancy, and marvelously pointed observations.

_alwaysrealokay's review against another edition

3.0

This was a really good book. The writing was very poetic and it was very sentimental. Passing narratives can be annoying, sometimes, but this was very enjoyable. I felt like I was sent back in the future and witness the journey of Iola and Henry. I really really like this book. I've got to reread it again and enjoy it outside of school setting

lindenblatt's review against another edition

informative inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

belovedsnail's review

challenging emotional inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Five stars for being such an important book. One of the first novels published by an African American woman, this uses sentimental tropes to refute any idea that slavery is beneficial, refuse to accept white supremacy and point towards a model of Black community.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Rape and Violence

mollyolearyy's review against another edition

3.0

I read this book for my 19th Century African American Literature class at Pitt. I recent;y found out that Iola Leroy was one of the first novels written by a black women, published in the pre reconstruction era. It was an interesting book, but i found it a bit confusing at times, especially during the jumps points.

geneticginger's review against another edition

4.0

This was one of the first novels written by a Black woman since it was published in 1892. In this book we follow the story of Iola Leroy who at the beginning of the book is a young, white girl, but comes to find out that her father had hidden the fact that her mother was a slave. Iola is thrown into slavery herself and after slavery we see Iola choose to identify as a Black woman and invest in her community because she believes that's where she can do the most good.

This book has a cast of characters both Black and white and we see different characters wrestle with race and other characters also choose to identify with the Black community when they could have identified as white by looks. There's a lot of discussion around the Christian faith and the hypocrisy of many in that day regarding their negative view of Black people.

Throughout the book, Iola's faith in God is on full display and it's powerful to see her trust even when she's thrown into slavery and also to see her combine her faith with a passion and heart for justice and for the Black race to be considered as equal.

madiswanreads's review against another edition

challenging reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes