Review: Never Caught, the Story of Ona Judge: George and Martha Washington's Courageous Slave Who Dared to Run Away; Young Readers Edition

Never Caught, the Story of Ona Judge: George and Martha Washington's Courageous Slave Who Dared to Run Away; Young Readers Edition by Erica Armstrong Dunbar
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am currently in the middle of this book and I am finding it interesting and compelling, but I am finding some of the writing a bit over the top. In the attempt to be completely factual, the author all too often (for me) writes that Ona "would have" seen this; "would have" done that. This kind of speculation is probably necessary, but after a while, it seems a bit condescending to the reader. Like saying: Reader, take note, any smart person could tell this was important, so pay attention, this is important.
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Finished now. I am thinking now that this style of writing is more: "Reader, remember, I am making a lot of this up, but we know that Ona was brave and smart, so we can assume that these things would be true. I just want to remind you over and over again that I am making a lot of this up from as many sources as I could find."

The book is enlightening, especially about the white privilege of the upper classes. George and Martha's attitudes, especially, are illuminating. I am a little bit sad, though, that I didn't feel as emotionally close to Ona herself. I am wondering now, if that is because I am white and have never been enslaved or because the speculation mentioned above in the discussion of style conveys a certain distance. Rather than "Ona felt", we read (over and over) "Ona would have felt".

Still, I recommend the book. It is readable and accessible for young teens.

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