The Known World
by Edward P. Jones

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Book Reviews of The Known World

Book Review: A Stained Glass Assemblage
Summary: 3 Stars

Perhaps most noticeable at the beginning of the book is the style it is told in. This is not a linear narrative with a well-defined protagonist and a clear-cut set of problems. Instead, Jones jumps from character to character, backward and forward in time, sometimes with his focus on an individual, sometimes reading more like an academic treatise documenting historical occurrences - often doing so even within a single paragraph. Because of this style and the sheer number of characters that are introduced or casually mentioned (over a hundred of them), it is very difficult to get quickly engrossed in this work. Not until almost a hundred fifty pages in does a coherent picture emerge and the characters coalesce from names into being people.

But what does finally emerge is a picture of just how 'free' blacks could really be in that time. Though legally able to buy and sell others, the rights of this miniscule class of people did not extend to the full protection of the law - although as clearly shown here, it didn't extend to many others as well: the poor, the half-breeds, even women as a class. Entry into 'society' is clearly denied, even though some of them were well respected for their skills and general level-headedness. And they always had to carry their papers proving their freedom - in a world where only a few were literate, this is quite an irony as well as being degrading. Perhaps most disturbing was the incident of Augustus Townsend, who purchased his own freedom and then that of his wife and son, respected as one of the best furniture makers in the county, who is sold back into slavery not for any malfeasance on his part, but merely due to the malice of a 'slave patroller' - and the only action taken against the patroller is a 'talking to'.

Conditions of that time are shown almost as a sidelight to the story: the prevalence of diseases now unheard of, the very short life expectancy, working hours from before dawn to after dark, the casual attitude towards worker injuries - highlighted by the 'insurance' policy sold to the wife of Henry Townsend after his death.

The climax of this novel does not come as any surprise, as Jones has left multiple clues and forshadowings throughout the earlier portions of the work, but it is extremely depressing, pointing out in no uncertain terms just how inhumane all too many people are, and how little an individual can do to change his own circumstances.

Though clearly well-researched and with a powerful story at its heart, I found the style to be quite a detriment to the story's overall impact. Though the mosaic formed by this style does eventually become a large picture of that time and place, it necessarily means there is no tight focus, and difficulty in presenting any depth of character. This lessened my emotional involvement in the main characters, and their fates never quite got beyond 'an historical occurrence' to become 'a real event' - a pity, as with a more direct style I think this could have been a great book.

--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

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