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How Far We've Come

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About this listen

 A groundbreaking and critically-acclaimed debut novel of friendship and freedom that crosses continents and centuries, in a timeslip story exploring the legacy of slavery, selected as The Times Children's Book of the Week.

Sometime, me love to dream that me is a human, a proper one, like them white folks is.

Enslaved on a plantation in Barbados, Obah dreams of freedom. As talk of rebellion bubbles up around her in the Big House, she imagines escape. Meeting a strange boy who’s not quite of this world, she decides to put her trust in him. But Jacob is from the twenty-first century. Desperate to give Obah a better life, he takes her back with him. At first it seems like dreams really do come true – until the cracks begin to show and Obah sees that freedom comes at an unimaginable cost . . .

Hopeful and devastating, this powerful novel about equality, how far we’ve come, and how far we still have to go, introduces an extraordinary new literary voice.

Praise for How Far We've Come:

‘A powerful exploration of racism, solidarity, friendship, freedom and hope’ Laura Bates

‘One of the most impressive young adult debuts of the year. This gripping novel takes a nuanced look at the legacy of slavery, injustice and inequality in today's world’ Observer

‘Both hopeful and heartbreaking, this gripping book turns a searchlight on the changing faces of injustice through time’ Guardian

‘A brilliant idea and a powerful debut’ The Times, Children’s Book of the Week

‘A seriously impressive debut. Read it now’ Irish Times

‘A powerful, ambitious, unforgettable read about freedom, rebellion, love and hope’ Liz Hyder

‘A gut punch of a debut, this book is both vital reading and a call to arms’ Laura Wood

‘Compassionate, brave, authentic, educational. Everyone should read it’ Abiola Bello©2023 Joyce Efia Harmer. All rights reserved. (P)2022 Simon & Schuster UK. All rights reserved. Difficult Situations Family & Relationships Friendship Historical Fiction Literature & Fiction Racism & Discrimination Discrimination Dream

Critic reviews

'A powerful debut' The Times
All stars
Most relevant
I have just finished listening to this book and I’ve been blown away by it. It is so beautifully written and read. It has opened my mind to what it may have been like to live as a slave. It has caused me to question the way we treat other people and animals and how power imbalances cause sadness and repression and should be always kept in check. This book grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go and I already miss Abu now it is finished. The book reminded me a little of Philip Pullman’s Northern lights but grittier, more real and better. It will make a long lasting impression on my life.

Wonderfully written and read

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Interesting concept rather spoiled by it's simplicity, but good for teenagers or those who want to question how black lives matter NOW is so important because there is a past where they really did not. Easy read that flits between eras but is never silly.

Have we left the plantations in the past?

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