Angela Banks novel The Fruits of Atterley, portrays the perils of slavery and how it affected a family. The Rileys owners of Atterley Plantations are predominate political and social figures in their community, however when the love their son has for one of the slaves is exposed, it set off events that could ruin their lifestyle and reputation.

I found this novel interesting from beginning to end. This author gives us a portrayal of slavery that you often do not get from history books. Even though the characters used in this novel are fictional, she uses past history and actual letters pertained from the historical societies to bring these characters to life. This novel raises questions and makes you think about how these characters especially slaves lived through those trying times of slavery.

Review by: Jen Murphy
A SistaGirl Book Club reviewer