Jude and Diana, Sharon RobartJohnson
Jude and Diana, Sharon RobartJohnson
List: $21.99 | Sale: $15.39
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Jude and Diana

Author: Sharon Robart-Johnson

Narrator: Shelley Hamilton

Unabridged: 11 hr 34 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: ECW Press

Published: 05/15/2022


Synopsis

The only mention of Jude in Nova Scotia’s official history relates to her death: a slave-owning family was brought to trial for her murder in 1801. They were acquitted despite overwhelming evidence that they were guilty. Sharon Robart-Johnson pays tribute to such archival glimpses of enslaved people by re-creating the fullness of sisters Jude and Diana’s survival, emphasizing their joys alongside their hardship. She stories their movements through the U.S. to Nova Scotia, Canada, with the arrival of the United Empire Loyalists in 1783. As a child, Jude is sold away and then, by a lucky turn of fate, reunited with her fiercely loving family. Jude’s experiences harden her into a rebel who resists injustice without heeding consequences, and after her death, Diana is left alone to deal with racist and sexual violence. Through Robart-Johnson’s research, we experience nineteenth-century Nova Scotia, when political debates about abolishing slavery were just beginning to emerge. Through Robart-Johnson’s creativity, we enter the historical fiction of Jude and Diana and their strong familial bonds, each character developed with nuance and care. While chronicling the cruelty they endured, Robart-Johnson’s storytelling powerfully honours their humour, strength, and shining dignity.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Vanessa on August 13, 2021

Beautifully written book. It is an important story to read even though sometimes it can be difficult as it deals with a history that most Canadians do not know or don’t want to admit existed.......more

Goodreads review by Colleen on January 14, 2022

A heart wrenching read about the brutality and hate Jude , her sister Diane and mother / father endured from white families . Although Jude’s recount of her short but harsh life comprised most of book she did manage to make you laugh at times with her snide and sarcastic remarks . The cruelty , ineq......more

Goodreads review by Terry on August 28, 2021

A must read for everyone. Heartbreaking and joyful too at times. Even “here” in Canada this happened. We still have a long way to go.......more

Goodreads review by Karen on December 11, 2023

Highly recommend this fictional account of two slaves’ life and death in Nova Scotia in 1800. The audio book was particularly compelling, to hear the tales in their voices.......more

Goodreads review by Yvonne on October 24, 2021

This book has been meticulously researched to breathe life into the tragic lives of sisters Jude and Diana. The suffering and inhumanity inflicted on them and their family is heartbreaking.......more