The Freedom Race by Lucinda Roy

The Freedom Race (The Dreambird Chronicles #1) by Lucinda Roy

Release: July 13th 2021
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Tor Books
Source: Jeanbooknerd Tours
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, TBD

The Freedom Race, Lucinda Roy’s explosive first foray into speculative fiction, is a poignant blend of control, resistance, and hope.

In the aftermath of a cataclysmic civil war known as the Sequel, there is hardening of ideological divisions among the states. In the Homestead Territories, an alliance of plantation inspired holdings, there is an import of Black labor from the Cradle, and Biracial Muleseeds are bred.

Raised in captivity on Planting 437, kitchen seed Jellybean Ji-ji Lottermule knows there is only one way to escape. She must enter the annual Freedom Race as a runner.

Ji-ji and her friends must exhume a survival story rooted in the collective memory of a kidnapped people and conjure the voices of the dead to light their way home.

About the Author:

Novelist and poet Lucinda Roy’s latest book deal is with Tor/Macmillan for her futuristic slave narrative series The Freedom Race. Also, her previous novels are Lady Moses, a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers Selection, and The Hotel Alleluia. Her poetry books are Wailing the Dead to Sleep, The Humming Birds, and Fabric Poems.

She also authored the memoir No Right to Remain Silent ,What We’ve Learned from the Tragedy at Virginia Tech. Furthermore, her awards include the Baxter Hathaway Prize for her long slave narrative poem “Needlework.” An Alumni Distinguished Professor in Creative Writing at Virginia Tech, she has been a guest on numerous TV and radio shows, including The CBS Evening News, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS’s Sunday Morning, Oprah, and NPR. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, the Guardian, USA Today, North American Review, American Poetry Review, and many other publications.

Moreover, she delivers keynotes and presentations around the country on creative writing, diversity, campus safety, and higher education. Currently, she is working on her speculative novel series, a book of artistic poems, and a series of oil paintings depicting the Middle Passage..

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The Freedom Race Review:

Firstly, this book is probably one of the very few that took me the longest time to finish because of its intricate details and world-building. The author creates the world and the characters in such detailed information that you take a step back to absorb it all. She gives creative names for the characters, builds unforgettable territories, and wrote a heart-wrenching yet hopeful story. Set in a dystopian world, the author takes us on a fascinating journey as a girl sets her heart on freedom.

Moreover, Jiji is fantastic, and I rooted for her in every step of her journey. She is one of those characters who I will never forget as one of my fictional favorites because of the hardships she suffers. There are so many memorable characters like Silapu, Afarra, and Tiro who compliment Jiji’s story. However, I have two favorite moments in the report. The first being her adventure and friendship with Lucky. Lucky is a beautiful character, and I loved their scenes together as they talk about their lives and deal with Chet and Zinc. My second favorite moments were when Jiji meets Man Cryday, who saves her from the mutants.

However, this book is not a short or easy book to read. There are moments of rape, murder, slavery that will hit you hard. Probably my only minor criticism of the story is that it is very long at times. The author adds many details to how Jiji thinks and reacts to various situations, which the author could have trimmed. Nevertheless, I admire the author for taking writing this novel and am curious to see if there will be a sequel.

Overall, “The Freedom Race” is a book I would recommend if you are in the mood for gripping dystopian adventure fantasy.