Red River

Lalita Tademy
Time Warner Book Group (2007)
ISBN 9780446578981
Reviewed by Beverly Pechin for Reader Views (12/06)

Narrated through the eyes of 100 year old Polly, the truth be told of the infamous "Colfax Riot," of Colfax, Louisiana in 1873. What truly should be called the Colfax Slayings is relived in the pages of this epic novel.

Beginning with the lives of those involved, you meet the many characters well before the days when they are driven to attempt to save their own lives. A young Polly meets her husband to be as she walks towards her own freedom from slavery, taking on his motherless sons as her own and finding a love that grew so deep it moves your heart. Their friends and fellow dwellers in the parts that surround them become well known to you for their devout faith and even more so their courage to stand for what they believe should be theirs.

Touching on the history of our country and the times between the abolishment of slavery and the beginning of their freedom as fellow citizens, we see the hardships encountered by the black man as he attempts to vote and have a say in politics. Men like Israel, a weekend preacher who approaches life like a lamb as opposed to a lion, find themselves up against something far harder and meaner than anything they have faced before; the hatred of the white man as the black man is freed.

The journey taken is one of such dramatic proportions that you will find yourself truly immersed in the book from start to finish. You read on, amazed at the results and yet feeling pride for those who survive and continue on to carry their name with them in pride. As you prepare for battle with the rest of the men, black and white in the beginning, defending their rights as new citizens you realize how hard it was for these people to trudge the new paths they took. Braising ahead on uncharted territories, they literally are forced to fight to the death to prove their worth. While many families suffer great losses, all those left to carry on the names and memories of those they lost do so with great pride. Accomplishing feats never thought possible, including a school for the black children. While many lives were lost during the fight, none were lost in vain.
This is not a story of simple black versus white in a time when slavery was fought for and against. This is a story of the families involved, of the lives lost, and of the lives strengthened that helped to create a whole new world for those once treated like animals. Touching, dramatic and simply one of the best tales of it's time period, I cannot imagine opening the first page and not realizing the depth of the story you are about to become a part of.  “Red River” is simply wonderful. Well written and sprinkled with actual historical photos to bring a touch of reality to the historical fiction you are reading. You truly become a part of history as it unwinds and, hopefully, will continue to live it in your heart well after you close the final chapter.

“Red River” would be a wonderful gift to your older children, your local library or local school as this book not only shares a touch of history but a true dramatization of the spirit of mankind. We can only hope that Ms. Tademy continues to present books of such high work and honor to readers of the world. She is truly a name to look for in the future!

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