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A review by emileereadsbooks
The Conductors by Nicole Glover
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
3.25
Thank you Libro.fm, HMH Books and Blackstone Publishing for the gifted book.
I am a big fan of Civil War and Reconstruction Era novels, so I was immediately drawn to this one when I heard about it. And although it leans more fantastical than I normally prefer, I enjoyed it while still not completely understanding the magic or how it works. I liked how it wove together the realities of slavery and post Civil War with this magical world. Hetty and her husband are both former enslaved people who were conductors of the underground railroad. Now they live in Philadelphia and have become de facto detectives when they find one of their friends who is a part of Philadelphia's elite society murdered. They have to use their brains, their magic, and their community to figure out what is going on.
I will say that it did take me about 30% of the book before I became really invested in the story. You can tell that the author had a lot she wanted to say through this book, and at times it felt a bit heavy on explanation rather than heavy on plot. That being said, there is a sequel to this one coming and I most likely will check it out to see if that pacing improves.
I am a big fan of Civil War and Reconstruction Era novels, so I was immediately drawn to this one when I heard about it. And although it leans more fantastical than I normally prefer, I enjoyed it while still not completely understanding the magic or how it works. I liked how it wove together the realities of slavery and post Civil War with this magical world. Hetty and her husband are both former enslaved people who were conductors of the underground railroad. Now they live in Philadelphia and have become de facto detectives when they find one of their friends who is a part of Philadelphia's elite society murdered. They have to use their brains, their magic, and their community to figure out what is going on.
I will say that it did take me about 30% of the book before I became really invested in the story. You can tell that the author had a lot she wanted to say through this book, and at times it felt a bit heavy on explanation rather than heavy on plot. That being said, there is a sequel to this one coming and I most likely will check it out to see if that pacing improves.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Slavery, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Medical content