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Title: The horrors of slavery
Review: In her sensitive tale, Mrs Fox tells the story of a young boy of thirteen, Jessie Bollier. He's growing up in New Orleans at the time when slavery is still flourishing in the United States and he is often to be seen playing his flute in the "Vieux Carré".Jessie is kidnapped by two men and brought on board "The Moonlight", a slaver which is about to sail to Africa. The trade is called "Black Gold" by Captain Cawthorne, an illegal venture making him no better than a pirate. He tells Jessie that he was kidnapped to work with the Blacks as a slave dancer on the vessel, playing his pipe, "because it keeps them happy since it is hard to make a profit out of a sick nigger". As the long voyage begins, Jessie is about to discover the atrocious business of slavery.The originality of Mrs Fox's novel is that the events are seen and experienced by a thirteen year old boy. His naveté is funny and touching in many situations and lightens the tone of this otherwise sombre tale.
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