On the third night, they set off, hoping their masters will be distracted by Christmas celebrations. Some are eager, perhaps foolishly so imagining a paradise of ease and freedom, others are more circumspect, many are weak and infirm. Emile has three days to persuade the hospital slaves to return to Martinique. These two cross the sea, finding their way to the Fort Royal hospital where they are greeted by many that remember them including Emile’s beloved Céleste.

Emile does everything he can to prevent his younger brother from accompanying him on what he thinks of as a foolish and dangerous mission but Lucien is determined to show he’s just as smart and brave as the brother he quietly idolises but constantly mocks. Emile was once a slave on Grenada before he was sold on leaving his brother – more than ten years his junior – with the friars who took him to Martinique. In December 1765, the war between France and Britain recently over, Father Cléophas has hatched a plan to rescue his friary’s finances, employing a mixed-race slave to help execute his scheme. Based loosely on true events, Sugar Money tells the story of an attempt to bring a group of slaves back from Grenada to Martinique, restoring them from British to French hands. I’ve yet to read the first two, leapfrogging over to Harris’ novel having waited eight years since the wonderful Gillespie and I.

First came Colson Whitehead’s Man Booker shortlisted The Underground Railroad followed by Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing and now Jane Harris’ Sugar Money, all exploring the history of slavery. But the style of narration really spoiled the experience for me - the Caribbean accent was lovely but there was not enough expression in the voice for me.There seems to be something of a trend in fiction at the moment, although perhaps three novels are too few to be called that. Overall, I enjoyed the story, despite it being a bit slow-going at times. The means by which they can prove ownership of the contested slaves ? An ownership document which may or may not be genuine. Their payment? The possibility of finding a long-lost love. Two brothers are given a seemingly impossible task by the religious community that enslaves them - to sail from Martinique to Grenada and rescue over forty slaves (that the Church believes they own) then sail back again to Martinique. The plot covered a variety of themes- the cruelty and horror of slavery the competition between nations for profit from sugar cane the perfidy and hypocrisy of the Church in relation to slavery and the money they made from it plus betrayal and how risky it was for any slave even to contemplate escape, let alone actually help fellow slaves to accompany you during an escape attempt. This novel is based, I believe, on a true story and it certainly was an interesting storyline.

Sugar Money by Jane Harris