Sweetsmoke Audiobook

" Sweetsmoke by David Fuller follows Cassius, a Virginia slave during the Civil War, on his quest to right a terrible wrong. Emoline had taken care of Cassius and nursed him back to health physically and emotionally after a devastating event in his life. Now Emoline has been murdered and Cassius is determined to avenge her death. We meet the master and his family through the eyes of Cassius; we feel his triumph and his pain as Fuller takes us along on his quest. David Fuller brings the slave quarters to life through the characters he introduces us to in his book. The book is an enjoyable and engrossing read that takes place during a devastating time in United States history. "

" Nicely written book about a slave on a Virginia tobacco plantation during the Civil War who sets off to avenge the death of the free black woman who nursed him back to health and taught him to read. It's a story that could be told in a series of manipulative cliches, but is instead given enough space and just the right touch. "

" I really loved this book. It is set during the Civil War and tells the story of Cassius a slave in Virginia. This book is a murder mystery with the most unlikely of detectives!! The writing is poetic and descriptive. I felt drawn the the characters and wanted to know more. "

" With an abundance of excellent books about the Civil War south and slavery there is no need to read Sweetsmoke. David Fuller's book is part murder mystery, part description of plantation life, and part war novel. Unfortunately because it tries to to fulfill so many roles it fulfills none of them well. By the time the murder mystery was finally solved, I had become distracted by so many other plot lines that I no longer cared who the murderer was. Additionally, with the exception of the main character, the slave Cassius, the characters were undeveloped and uninteresting. For instance, I never could figure out the allure of Emoline, the former slave murdered in the early chapters of the book. I also found it completely unrealistic that Cassius, a previously uneducated man, could learn to read and write so well in such a short period of time. Because much of the plot hinges on this development, I had a hard time appreciating and believing most of the story. The one positive aspect of this book is that it presented the complex relationship between slaves and owners without resorting to stereotypes. Still, this one positive does not compensate for the books many other flaws. "

" I really enjoyed this book, but I don't feel as though it warranted anymore than 3 stars. it was well written and the characters were very engaging but it just didn't have a lot of fluidity to it. "

" I've been reading a lot of Civil War era historical fiction recently, and Sweetsmoke was great. I liked it almost as much as Song Yet Sung. "

" I can't get enough of historical fiction! I really enjoyed this book. Civil War era from the point of view of a slave. "

" Good, the main character was well described, as was living as a slave was also descriptive. Enjoyed the book, especially the last half, as a mystery was revealed during Civil War battles loomed all around. "

" Captivating.... A good read! "

" interesting period book... "

" Beautifully wrtitten "

" A wonderful story of slavery and thoughts of freedom from a slave in the South. "

" Excellent book with deep characters and beautiful scenes - Best that I have read for awhile "

" I listened to this one while commuting it was great. "

" Fuller's harrowing tale about one slave's quest for justice is truly outstanding. While the overall story deserves five stars, I had some issues with the writing at times, which is not surprising in a debut novel. I highly recommend this powerful and captivating story! "

" This novel is a different look at slave life before the Civil War. The main character is male, as is the author. I found this an interesting perspective. "

" Civil War story about slaves ontobacco plantation. Great writing, gripping story. "

" I wasn't sure what to expect, but I really liked this book! The story was well-told, there was a good amount of detail in descriptions, and I really sympathized with the main character despite his flaws. "