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Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Pompey Hollow Road by Julie Oleszek is a poignant literary novel set on a tobacco plantation in the 1800s, exploring the unlikely friendship between privileged seven-year-old Charlotte Worthington and Simone, a young slave girl. Despite warnings from Simone’s older sister, Rachel, Charlotte’s kindness gradually breaks through Simone’s cautious heart. As the girls grow up, tensions rise with the arrival of Tilby Smith, another slave, whose bond with Simone introduces dangerous secrets. Forced to confront her family’s complicity in slavery, Charlotte faces a heartbreaking choice between loyalty to her family or standing by her best friend.
Author Julie Oleszek tackles difficult themes of privilege, friendship, and slavery with grace and sensitivity, offering readers a deeply layered narrative that challenges perceptions under the surface of a great drama. The relationship between Charlotte and Simone is tender and engaging. Charlotte’s journey from naïveté to her moral awakening is particularly compelling, making her growth both believable and heartbreaking with close narrative detail in every emotional discovery. The 1800s plantation setting comes to life through rich descriptions and accurate historical detail, and it’s clear to see that the author has a real passion for the period. The portrayal of both the oppressive environment and the tough nature of those who had to live through it gives the story authenticity and shows readers where each character’s attitude has come from. Overall, for an emotionally powerful drama with a lot to think about after reading, I highly recommend Pompey Hollow Road to historical fiction fans.
