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Look to the Hills: The Diary of Lozette Moreau, a French Slave Girl by Patricia C. McKissack
hannahelise06's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
badgers's review
adventurous
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
musiquedevie's review against another edition
4.0
Patricia McKissack writes a wonderful, detailed story of Lozette Moreau and her journey from France to Fort Niagara. The characters were wonderfully written and the scenes were detailed, putting you right in the heart of the story. I always enjoy Ms. McKissack's work and this novel was no exception.
emmylux7's review against another edition
3.0
rating: 3.5/5
these stories are so quick to get through but always pack a punch. my love for this series will never die.
these stories are so quick to get through but always pack a punch. my love for this series will never die.
peytonktracy's review
4.0
I was really excited to read McKissack’s third book in the Dear America series because I was so impressed by A Picture of Freedom and I remember liking Color Me Dark when I was younger (reread to come!). But while this one didn’t feel as strong to me in terms of narrative storytelling, it did cover a rather chaotic and diverse group of people and histories that I feel often get glossed over in textbooks and I really appreciated the semi-chaotic patchwork feel to this book in the end.
The book starts out with a driving motivation - for Zettie’s mistress to find her brother in North America - but that plot rapidly gets tossed to the back burner in lieu of introducing us to a multitude of characters who really lived or are inspired by historic figures who existed in the “frontier” world of the Great Lakes in the mid-18th century. Trappers from all over Europe, the attitudes of the British, French, and Native Americans towards each other and the people who fluidly moved between, soldiers, civilians, nobility, and folks who had previously been some or multiple, all feature in this book which felt a little showcase-y at the expense of a cohesive plot.
However, McKissack’s skill at gracefully exploring black identity in American history is absolutely present here. She introduces a handful of Africans who help our narrator explore her ancestry and identity as a black woman, even gently exploring her privilege as a companion compared to other enslaved and formerly enslaved people she meets in her travels. In particular, I enjoyed that what hinged at the center of the story was Zettie’s relationship with her owner, Ree, who loved her deeply and would do anything to protect and care for her, without realizing how dehumanizing and hurtful the structure she took for granted was to her best friend, no matter how many times Zettie pushed back and tried to explain to her how she felt and how wrong it was. Zettie’s journey to learn about who she is and what she wants - her freedom - is really at the core of this book and makes it easy to forgive the otherwise disjointed nature.
The book starts out with a driving motivation - for Zettie’s mistress to find her brother in North America - but that plot rapidly gets tossed to the back burner in lieu of introducing us to a multitude of characters who really lived or are inspired by historic figures who existed in the “frontier” world of the Great Lakes in the mid-18th century. Trappers from all over Europe, the attitudes of the British, French, and Native Americans towards each other and the people who fluidly moved between, soldiers, civilians, nobility, and folks who had previously been some or multiple, all feature in this book which felt a little showcase-y at the expense of a cohesive plot.
However, McKissack’s skill at gracefully exploring black identity in American history is absolutely present here. She introduces a handful of Africans who help our narrator explore her ancestry and identity as a black woman, even gently exploring her privilege as a companion compared to other enslaved and formerly enslaved people she meets in her travels. In particular, I enjoyed that what hinged at the center of the story was Zettie’s relationship with her owner, Ree, who loved her deeply and would do anything to protect and care for her, without realizing how dehumanizing and hurtful the structure she took for granted was to her best friend, no matter how many times Zettie pushed back and tried to explain to her how she felt and how wrong it was. Zettie’s journey to learn about who she is and what she wants - her freedom - is really at the core of this book and makes it easy to forgive the otherwise disjointed nature.
allbookedup4's review
3.0
I learned a great deal about life as a slave in another country as well as the area formerly known as New France, but presently called Canada.
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