The Underground Railroad

by Colson Whitehead
The Underground Railroad cover
Good Books rating 4.05
Historical Fiction
Technical:
  • ID: 739
  • Added: 2025-09-19
  • Updated: 2025-09-20
  • ISBN: 9780385537049
  • Publisher: Anchor
  • Published: 2016-08-02
  • Formats: 37
  • Reviews: 4
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Paperback • £10.99
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Format • £35.14

The Underground Railroad is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that reimagines the historical Underground Railroad as a literal network of tracks and tunnels. Cora, a young slave on a Georgia plantation, embarks on a perilous journey to freedom with the help of Caesar, a fellow slave. Their escape leads them through various states, each revealing different facets of the brutal realities of slavery and the unfulfilled promises of freedom. The novel is not only a harrowing adventure but also a profound meditation on the history of America, from the abduction of Africans to the present day. Colson Whitehead's masterful storytelling weaves together historical facts with speculative fiction, creating a powerful and unforgettable narrative. The book has been widely acclaimed, winning numerous awards and being adapted into an acclaimed Prime Video series.

Reviews
Righter of Words · 2019-09-28
devastating 4.00

The book is described as a brilliant yet devastating glimpse into America's dark past, with strong themes and well-developed characters.

They found the book to be a brilliant but devastating exploration of America's dark past. The reviewer appreciated the subtle yet strong themes and the well-developed characters, which made the story deeply impactful. The book's portrayal of the horrors of slavery is both powerful and haunting, leaving a lasting impression on the reader. The reviewer also noted the book's ability to balance historical accuracy with a compelling narrative.

Quick quotes

    This book is a brilliant but devastating glimpse into America's dark past.

    The characters are great and the themes subtle but strong.

    The book's portrayal of the horrors of slavery is both powerful and haunting.

The Book Habit · 2019-03-08
powerful 3.50

The novel is a demanding read that confronts the realities of slavery without sugarcoating the horrors, making it a powerful and thought-provoking experience.

The reviewer describes the book as a demanding read, which is expected given its unflinching portrayal of slavery's realities. They appreciate the novel's refusal to pacify the horrors of the past, making it a powerful and thought-provoking experience. The reviewer finds the narrative to be both challenging and enlightening, highlighting the author's courage in tackling such a difficult subject matter.

Quick quotes

    The Underground Railroad is a demanding read, as one would expect of any novel that denies pacified descriptions of slavery's realities.

    The novel's unflinching portrayal of slavery's horrors is both powerful and thought-provoking.

    The narrative is challenging and enlightening, highlighting the author's courage.

The Guardian · 2016-10-09
brilliant 4.50

The book is praised for its extraordinary prose and thrilling narrative, while also delivering uncomfortable home truths about slavery. The genre-bending approach is highlighted as a standout feature.

This reviewer was captivated by the book's thrilling and genre-bending tale of escape from slavery. They appreciated the extraordinary prose and the way the book delivers uncomfortable home truths about the harsh realities of slavery. The reviewer found the narrative to be both luminous and furious, making it a powerful and memorable read. The blend of historical fiction with elements of magical realism is seen as a bold and inventive choice that enhances the story's impact.

Quick quotes

    This thrilling, genre-bending tale of escape from slavery in the American deep south contains extraordinary prose and uncomfortable home truths.

    Luminous, furious, wildly inventive.

    Whitehead’s imaginative approach breathes new life into the history of slavery and resistance.

The New York Times · 2016-08-05
daring 4.20

The book is praised for its careful construction and stunning daring, with a dense and substantial narrative that explores the underground railroad in a unique way.

They were impressed by the book's careful construction and stunning daring, finding it both dense and substantial. The reviewer appreciated the unique twist on the underground railroad, with actual, working trains, which added a layer of intrigue to the story. The book's exploration of America's history is seen as both expected and unexpected, making it a compelling read. The reviewer also noted the book's ability to convey the horrors of slavery in a crisp and mundane manner, which makes the story all the more impactful.

Quick quotes

    Like its predecessors, it is carefully built and stunningly daring; it is also, both in expected and unexpected ways, dense, substantial and ...

    The horrors of slave life are conveyed in the most crisp, mundane, and blunted of ways.

    This one actually is underground, and it has actual, working trains.

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