So much

A wonderful follow to the first book that weaves together the perspectives of those within and of the revolution. A tapestry of bitter sweet truths that observes the interconnection of us all.

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Loved It

Beautiful written story. Beautifully narrated. Second in the series. Can’t wait to start the next.

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Mustard seed

I had read the first book, Yellow crocus, and this follow on book didn't disappoint.
A real page turner

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Following on the lives of Maddie and Lisbeth

The pace of the book is steady, slow but heartfelt and skillful. It's complex in emotions, context and societal issues but paced so it is easier to digest.

I love that the book follows on from the first, with the lives of Maddie and Lisbeth. We see in equal proportions the issues and tumult post civil war USA in the Southern and bordering states from Lisbeth's white privileged perspective and Maddie's perspective as a newly 'freed' black woman (in the southern states).

A lot is explored. The women in this book are the heroes. Their strength, stamina and courage is really exposed in the in the face of the lack of support and status in society. Despite this they try to protect their children, find their estranged family and rescue those that are wrongfully detained. They are put in unimaginably traumatic situations, but they rise and continue. The racial issues for both black women, men and children in the post civil war south are explored. The author does a good job of bringing multiple issues to the front and allowing us to really feel the emotions and traumatic side effects of racial injustices in an evocative way through the characters we grow to love, and the plot. It touches your heart.

I think one of the main things this book makes us think about is what did it really mean to be a free black individual soon after the civil war? There was no real support to reunite families divided by enslavement. There was no institutionalised educational nor socioeconomic support for the freed in the southern states after the war. In many cases the structure of master and slave in the lives of the newly freed continued because of the lack of support, and many continued to be trapped.

This audiobook was a beautiful sad and uplifting listen, which I recommend. Again Bahni Turpin does a beautiful job of bringing the emotions and characters to life.

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another great read

I really do love the narrator of this book, she really does bring the book to life.

I read the first book Yellow Crocus in 2 days, which is really good for me, I can usually only finish a book in such a short time if it really captures my attention and the first book certainly did, I was gutted when I've got to the end, only to see there was a second book, I immediately bought it and started it straight away. like the first book, it did not disappoint!

if you are looking to try a different genre of book, I would highly recommend this book and yellow crocus, I doubt you will be disappointed!

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Wonderful sequel to Yellow crocus

This beautiful book follows on beautifully from Yellow cocus. You could read it as a stand alone book but personally I think it’s best read in order.

The characters are full rich and powerfully embodied, even the ones you don’t like.
This book picks up in the post slavery and abolition times, but things haven’t changed much down south. Elizabeth and Matthew have a new life in Ohio, but circumstances have her visiting her family and they and their friends are still as despicable as ever.

Bahni Turpin reads this with her gentle and soft accent, personally I do not like an American accent, however Bahni pours herself into your ears for a rich enjoyable listen.

Thank you and I highly recommend.

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Enjoyed this book especially the performance

I bought this book because I enjoyed the performance of Bahni Turpin on Yellow Crocus. Enjoyed this book. A story of coincidences which shed a light on the post slavery world of the South. How the North failed the Southern blacks by not enjoining their full freedoms. How the inability of the former slave owners to accept the new reality set the stage for Jim Crow South. Stories of the displaced African Americans in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War are few. This help us to understand how black families fought to be reunified. We see the cost of war on both sides. See the genesis of the prison industrial complex that criminalise black men without cause with false accusations. How somethings have not changed even in the 21st century. We come to understand how slavery has define modern day USA even in 2021

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1 person found this helpful

Great follow on from the Yellow Crocus

Where does Mustard Seed rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Very high on the list.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mattie. A strong woman against all odds.

Which character – as performed by Bahni Turpin – was your favourite?

Jordan - an eye opener for her and me also.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Definitely yes but it took me two.

Any additional comments?

After reading (not listening) to the Yellow Crocus was delighted to see there was a sequel. It didn't disappoint. Informative, heartbreaking storyline and part of history hopefully never repeated.

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Highly recommended!

An excellent book with an excellent narrator. This is my third book by this author and I've enjoyed them all. Not knowing much about this time in American History, being British, these books have educated me through their powerful storylines. I was drawn into the characters lives and felt their anguish and pain. I was horrified at all the suffering the slaves endured, even the children, but the one thing that shone through the story was the strength of their faith in God. I would definitely recommend reading this for all the suffering the slaves endured hope shone through.

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Lovely book and narration

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The second book by this author. Really well written and the narration was perfect.

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