Augustus Cain faces a past he wants to forget, a present without prospect or fortune, and an uncertain future marred by the loss of his most prized...
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Dec 09, 2008
Ashley
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Soul Catcher is a phenomenal book about slave catcher named Cain who is hired to catch a runaway slave named Rosetta. The novel takes place in the mid 1800s before the Civil War, in a time when slavery was still alive and the racism against black people in the South was strong and violent. Eberly is a slaveowner and plantation farm owner who is DESPERATE to have Rosetta, a young slave who runs away while pregnant with Eberly's child! Eberly is a cruel man who will stop at nothing to get her b
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Nov 22, 2008
David
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Set in antebellum America, this novel gives a penetrating look at the pursuit of runaway slaves by bounty hunters, the slave owners who funded them, the abolitionists who opposed them, and the deep emotions evoked by slavery.
Augustus Cain is one of the best hunters, or "soul catchers" as they are called by the blacks and northerners. He wants to quit the business and go west to California, but after losing his prize horse in a gambling debt, he is obligated to pursue one mo More...
Augustus Cain is one of the best hunters, or "soul catchers" as they are called by the blacks and northerners. He wants to quit the business and go west to California, but after losing his prize horse in a gambling debt, he is obligated to pursue one mo More...
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Jan 03, 2008
Wrighty
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Another book I may not have choosen if it was a book club selection but I'm so glad I did. Told during the Cvil War era this story tells about the life of a man who catches run away slaves, a legal practice then. Turbulent times in every way and brutally honest about the treatment of slaves. Heartbreaking to know that the generalization is true although this man's story is fiction.
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Dec 13, 2008
Nigel
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After a dodgy opening few chapters that read like a tedious Western, this book opens out a sweeping storyline that makes a riveting read as well as giving an insight into the conlicted and conflicting views of the two sides as they slip inexorably towards the American Civil War. The prospect of a slave-catching, gambling, drinking, laudanum addicted anti-hero may not immediately appeal, but Michael White writes him as a nuanced character, with a colourful backstory, capable of soul searching and
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Feb 07, 2012
Molly
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This novel is set in the 1850s right before the Civil War. The main character, Augustus Cain, is a well known slave catcher in the south. He is often referred to as a "soul catcher" be causes he tracks down runaway sllaves in the north and forces them back into slavery. He receives a job to track down a female slave named Rosetta from a rich planter named Eberly. After catching the slave, Cain surprisingly begins to fall in love with her. He is faced with the decision of whether o
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May 30, 2011
Elizabeth
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A classic chase/adventure story of a man on a mission and his prey, with the hunter wrestling with his conscience. Perhaps the conscience-wrestling got a bit tedious for me, or we are reassured a few too many times what a good man the hero Cain is despite the fact that he is tracking down a runaway slave, Rosetta, in freedom in the North to return her to her (call central-casting) sadistic owner. A host of adventures and interesting minor characters await them on the journey home, which I won'
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Apr 06, 2009
Stan
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Frankly, I was disappointed that it didn't have the supernatural sort of undertones that I expected from reading the description. I'm a sucker for that kind of stuff.
What I found interesting is that one can gain a feel for the mentality of the southerner and how slavery could be acceptable...how one could come to appreciate Cain,the main character in the book. He never really seemed like a villain even though he was a soul catcher(or slave catcher).
By the end of the book More...
What I found interesting is that one can gain a feel for the mentality of the southerner and how slavery could be acceptable...how one could come to appreciate Cain,the main character in the book. He never really seemed like a villain even though he was a soul catcher(or slave catcher).
By the end of the book More...
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Feb 16, 2011
Trudy
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This story is pre-Civil War. Men who chase runaway slaves are called soul catchers. What type of men are these??? Several different kinds of men portrayed in this book---those that you might imagine and then Cain. He tries to justify his acts of returning slaves. Sometimes difficult to read--story of slaves and relationships to masters, each other and those returning them. Really about mans inhumanity to man---how did we do it??? So much conflict---wars, inner turmoil, and just plain old
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Nov 18, 2011
Kristal
rated it: 
This book is set just before the Civil War and is about a guy who is contracted out to track and return runaway slaves. The idea has a lot of potential, but the author blew it, in my opinion.
The first 115 pages were miserable -- populated by six characters that I didn't like at all and had a hard time caring about. I skimmed some of it, then layed it down for nine months until I decided to grit my teeth and finish it off before the year was out. Luckily, in chapter 7, there's finall More...
The first 115 pages were miserable -- populated by six characters that I didn't like at all and had a hard time caring about. I skimmed some of it, then layed it down for nine months until I decided to grit my teeth and finish it off before the year was out. Luckily, in chapter 7, there's finall More...
Jan 15, 2012
Miles
rated it:
Soul Catcher is a solid adventure tale set sometime between 1855 and 1859, following the changing fortunes and heart of a slave hunter. I enjoyed reading it for pleasure, and as a part of my study of the craft of writing historical fiction. If the theme interests you, it's worth your time to read.
That said, I have two problems with the book. The first concerns the figure of John Brown himself, whose life is sufficiently well known to make it impossible to imagine a time in which he More...
That said, I have two problems with the book. The first concerns the figure of John Brown himself, whose life is sufficiently well known to make it impossible to imagine a time in which he More...
Oct 05, 2008
Will
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Mar 08, 2009
Jaime
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I love a good Civil-War-era/1800s-in-the-U.S. historical fiction novel. And this *was* a good one. Cain is a man who’s more than a little bit lost. He’s basically sleep-walking through life, drunk on either whiskey, laudanum, or both, and gambling for money to live. Except he’s not always a great gambler, and now he’s gotten himself into a debt he can’t run away from. When the man he owes money to wants him to use his tracking skills to bring home his runaway slave, Rosetta, Cain doesn’t reall
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Oct 02, 2007
Mateo
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Michael White's Soul Catcher starts out with a big liability: It's not Cold Mountain. Soul Catcher--the term refers to men who caught runaway slaves--covers much of the same ground, though: a wounded soldier traversing the Civil War-era South, facing demons both external and internal. That's a tough comparison, because Cold Mountain was a tour de force; still, once the comparisons are left behind, Soul Catcher is a pretty decent read. White has a fine eye for landscape--grouse exploding in
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Jan 01, 2011
Laura
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"Soul catcher" is a nice way of putting "fugitive slave catcher" - although I'm not sure why people who own slaves would think their property has a soul. Anyway, Cain (yep, he's marked) is the first son of a smallish farmer, slated to marry a beautiful belle but he chooses instead to go fight in Mexico, where he's wounded. He's now estranged from his family and catches souls for a living. He also has a tidy little laudanum addiction, he drinks, and gambles badly.
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Mar 11, 2009
Melvago
rated it:
A novel about a chapter in our history about the pursuit of runaway slaves by bounty hunters in pre-Civil War America. The first quarter was slow and redundant but by the last 3rd, I couldn't put the book down. I cam to love the bounty hunter Cain, even with all his foibles and who wouldn't love Rosetta. The writing seemed to get better towards the end. It is amazing what horrible things we did to African American people during that pre-Civil war America and after.
Nov 30, 2010
Kerry
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I read this book for a class of mine in college. I really didn't know what to think of the book when i frist started seeing as it was a class reading book for our fiction writing workshop. By the end of the read I found it to be interesting telling of pre-civil war america that had me capativated until the very end.
One of the cooler side notes is that I did get to meet the author the book for the end of the class seeing as the author was engaed to our teacher lol
One of the cooler side notes is that I did get to meet the author the book for the end of the class seeing as the author was engaed to our teacher lol
May 04, 2011
Mary
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This book is not entirely unpredictable, but I still enjoyed every minute of it. It put several new spins on the typical slavery novel, starting with the fact that it takes place right before the start of the Civil War, as well as introducing the character of the sympathetic slave catcher who the reader can't help but cheer for. I learned more than I have from most other historical works of fiction, and I definitely fell in love with both of the main characters. I didn't want it to end!
Mar 03, 2010
Peggy
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New England writer, Michael White set this novel in the years prior to the American Civil War. The main character is a soul catcher, in other words, he hunts down escaped slaves. The book is reminiscent of Cold Mountain in that it is a journey. However, I didn't enjoy Cold Mountain. In fact, I thought that book would never end. Soul Catcher is also the story of redemption, that of the hunter and also of the beautiful young slave whom he hunts.
Nov 16, 2010
Kerry
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Whoever compared this novel to Cold Mountain needs a reality check. This author only wishes he could write in that league. His prose is repetitive and stilted, vocabulary limited, his characters never rise above the stereotypical and mundane. He does not credit his reader with much ability to read between the lines either, but then there's really nothing to read in to the story. I've read Part 1, and that's all he gets of me.
Jun 04, 2009
Richard
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A Soul Catcher is a slave catcher and it's set in pre civil war south about a beautiful slave girl who runs away. She's captured by the slave catcher and he and fellow slave catchers take her on the long journey back to captivity, or try to. I loved this book. It was the first Historic Fiction I've ever gotten all the way through. That's because it's a real page turner I couldn't wait to find out whats gonna happen next. I highly recommend Soul Catcher.
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Feb 16, 2011
Emery
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This book was rather slow moving but over time developed deeply. The era is pre civil war and the protagonist is a "Soul catcher," a man employed to track runaway slaves and retreive them back to their "lawful"owners. He doesn't like his job, but sees himself as providing a service in accordance with the law. Although his conscience tugs, he prefers not to dwell on the deeper moral issues until he meets the likes of Rosetta.
I enjoyed this book, and digested it ve More...
I enjoyed this book, and digested it ve More...
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Nov 05, 2009
tish
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I learned a lot of interesting facts about pre-civil war history while reading this novel. The story is fast paced and full of action but at the heart of the story is the relationship between a conflicted slave catcher and a intriguing runaway slave. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in this era of American history.
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Nov 30, 2008
Anne
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Great historical novel! Unforgetable characters, believable picture of American in the 1800's, just prior to the Civil War, and wonderful writing make this one of my favorites this year. This story is about a man who tracks people who don't want to be found, in this case a runaway slave named Rosetta. I highly recommend this book!
Mar 17, 2009
Susan
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I loved this book and couldn't put it down. Found it on the Books To Go shelf at my local library. A wonderful historical fiction that takes place just before the Civil War. It was very descriptive and I felt like I was astride my own horse, riding along with Cain and Rosetta and that "varmint" Preacher.
Dec 07, 2008
Jennifer
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An interesting love story and an account of how a slave catcher came to question his role in the institution of slaver. This is a very different account of slavery than anything I've ever read, written through the eyes of a man who came to despise his role in catching the "souls" who ran for freedom.
Oct 06, 2010
Amy
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Fascinating look at the adventure of a man who hunts runaway slaves (for a profit) and returns them to their masters, pre Civil war. Not surprisingly, the subject matter is somewhat difficult to read at times (along with one character who was quite vulgar), but still compelling and worth reading.
Feb 19, 2012
Frances
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I read this for our library's book club and although the subject matter was disturbing, it seemed honestly portrayed. About 3/4 of the way through I was denouncing it for being predictable, but its ending did not disappoint. Extremely well written and definitely a "good read."
Sep 20, 2011
Peter
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Really good read about a time, just pre-civil war, we don't learn too much about and the personal conflicts people faced dealing with the issue of slavery.
I enjoyed the book very much although the ending fell a bit flat even though it was probably the way it had to end.
I enjoyed the book very much although the ending fell a bit flat even though it was probably the way it had to end.
May 30, 2011
Molly
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I agree that it was a slow start. After page 100 - I got really into it. Couldn't stop reading all day. The story was awesome and I loved the how well developed the characters were. I was incredibly vested in Cain by the end and slowly came to truly care about him. Best book about slavery that I've read in a while.
Jan 10, 2009
Kathleen
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It took me a little while to get into this book, but it is well written and well researched. Soul catcher was the name given to the people who tracked down runaway slaves. It is a brutal story, but probably right on target as to what happened during that period.
