Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
288th out of 510 books
—
400 voters
The Loom
A slave is torn between the love she has and the life she doesn’t.
Lydia was a common slave with a common life until the day she entered a world no slave had gone before. Pale skin and deceit opened the door to wealth and a power she had only dreamed of. But what she didn’t count on was falling in love. What she didn’t realize was life was not always black or white.
Lydia was a common slave with a common life until the day she entered a world no slave had gone before. Pale skin and deceit opened the door to wealth and a power she had only dreamed of. But what she didn’t count on was falling in love. What she didn’t realize was life was not always black or white.
Paperback, 240 pages
Published
December 1st 2011
by GuidepostsBooks
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,166)
Have you ever read a book and took your time with it? I recently received a book by Shella Gillus called, The Loom. And believe me, take my time is exactly what I did with this. It is a book that deals with some interesting plots and I can't wait to tell you about it. It will change the way you think about some things.
This is a book that is somewhat different. I haven't read many from a black persons point of view. But I found it to be eye opening. It opens with a girl trying to escape to freedo...more
This is a book that is somewhat different. I haven't read many from a black persons point of view. But I found it to be eye opening. It opens with a girl trying to escape to freedo...more
I got this book from the library and began to read of a slave. A forward thinking slave who despite her misfortune of being owned and worked to the bone is forward thinking.
This is where it fell apart for me. A slave that believes whites were just as much slave. A mistress that convinces her slave to pass as white; a slave privileged enough to marry who turns her back on the husband she loves to end up with a white man that hates blacks.
So many themes and storylines. An oppressed person who feel...more
This is where it fell apart for me. A slave that believes whites were just as much slave. A mistress that convinces her slave to pass as white; a slave privileged enough to marry who turns her back on the husband she loves to end up with a white man that hates blacks.
So many themes and storylines. An oppressed person who feel...more
The Loom by Shella Gillus is a debut novel. I downloaded a free Kindle edition. The book cover is so compelling and looks like a story to draw you in. This was a book I was so anxiously waiting to read. As a lover of historical fiction, it’s a heart wrenching story of love and redemption set in the Pre-Civil War era. Lydia (aka Caroline) a slave in the pre-Antebellum south, is so light-skinned that she learns she can pass for white and in spite of being in love with John, a field hand. It was a...more
Lydia lives between two worlds. As a slave, she is part of those living on the plantation, owned by the Master. But she lives in the house with the family as a companion to their daughter, who is about Lydia's age.
She has a close relationship with her father and her grandmother, but she is also best friends with the Master's daughter, and Lydia's fair complexion doesn't make her African race obvious.
Her heritage is steeped in fear, death, hopelessness, and pain. Yet something stirs within her,...more
She has a close relationship with her father and her grandmother, but she is also best friends with the Master's daughter, and Lydia's fair complexion doesn't make her African race obvious.
Her heritage is steeped in fear, death, hopelessness, and pain. Yet something stirs within her,...more
All Lydia wanted was to be free. She was a 'white girl' but a slave.
Everyone thought she was white including the gentleman who saw her and was instantly drawn to her looks. Lizzy, her friend, wanted to see Jackson. She planned for them to go to dinner together, but Lydia was dressed as a white person. Lydia worked for Lizzy. The two girls went to dinner with Jackson and a friend of his.
Lizzie discovered Jackson was not attracked to her. She went after Andrew, Jackson's friend. They married.
When...more
Everyone thought she was white including the gentleman who saw her and was instantly drawn to her looks. Lizzy, her friend, wanted to see Jackson. She planned for them to go to dinner together, but Lydia was dressed as a white person. Lydia worked for Lizzy. The two girls went to dinner with Jackson and a friend of his.
Lizzie discovered Jackson was not attracked to her. She went after Andrew, Jackson's friend. They married.
When...more
This book grabs you from the prologue and keeps you hooked throughout. I was fascinated by Lydia's story--her strength, her intense will to be free at a time when it wasn't possible. Her courage is formittable, considering she chose to try to escape to freedom. As a house slave, she has risen above the status of most of her family, who are field slaves...including the man she marries.
As for John, he was amazing...so caring, so passionate. And the story of his great-grandmother working and savin...more
As for John, he was amazing...so caring, so passionate. And the story of his great-grandmother working and savin...more
Hmpf. This book sidelined me with religion, and I wasn't super-pleased about it. I wouldn't have minded if the story weren't completely contrived; I know there are stories about black slaves "passing" as whites pre-Civil War (and also later, but that's not what's going on in this book), and I don't doubt that it happened. But those people would have had to think much more carefully about what they were about than Gillus did for her characters, and instead of emphasizing the bravery of those peop...more
view all 4 comments
This book arrived in the mail as a surprise from the publisher. Although this is set in a time period I love to read about I had never heard of the book or the author and I'm happy to say I enjoyed it. The Loom is definitely not a romance but rather a story of a slave in the antebellum South trying to capture the one thing she wants the most--her freedom. Lydia (aka Caroline) is so light-skinned that she learns she can pass for white and in spite of being in love with a field hand at the Kelly p...more
Right now this my FAVORITE story! I'm trying desperately to convince my husband to read it. I fell in love with Lydia from the very beginning. At times, I hated her. I am fortunate enough to live in a rich society where slavery has long past. I have never put much thought into how hard survival was in that time period. It almost makes me ashamed to be white. My heart went out to the trials and struggles the slaves on the Kelly Farm went through on a daily basis. It has me feeling very humbled.
...more
...more
1 like · like · see review
I wish that my review could do justice to this powerful novel - rich with characters that will linger in my memory for a long time. To say this was well written does not do it justice. I read through it rather rapidly the first time, but once I read the “Author’s Notes” at the end I knew I must read it again slowly to savor the pictures painted with amazing skill. As I re-read, I studied the flow of words which revealed the characters with beauty and clarity. Some have written that the story is...more
Jul 20, 2012
Krystal Monique
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction
I downloaded this book for free on my Kindle. We all know it is either a hit or miss when it comes to free eBooks. I was pleasantly surprised with this book. It is set in the south pre-Civil War era and follows the story of Lydia who is a light skinned house slave who can pass as a white woman. There are other characters who Gillus also touches upon, often writing from their perspective.
The main point of the story is wanting something so bad that you overlook your life to see that what you yearn...more
The main point of the story is wanting something so bad that you overlook your life to see that what you yearn...more
Lydia is very aware of her fate, like every slave on the Maryland plantation in the pre-Civil War South, older slaves too worn out for anything else worked daily in the loom room, weaving and creating cloth for the plantation owner's family. Tucked away and forgotten by most of the others, Lydia listens to their dreams and words of wisdom.
Lydia is light skinned and can "pass" for white. She ran away once, and was recaptured. But the dream of freedom won't die; she attempts again, and discovers w...more
Lydia is light skinned and can "pass" for white. She ran away once, and was recaptured. But the dream of freedom won't die; she attempts again, and discovers w...more
It was a very good book. There were some aspects of the book that I just didn't see as being "real" - like the relationship between Lizzy and Lydia - Lydia is beautfiful and Lizzy doesn't have a jealous bone in her body? They are teenagers and Lizzy still "loves" Lydia the way she did when she was a girl. Other books, true and fictional, I've read the "Masters" children learn to let go and move upward and onward leaving their "friends" alone and in there place. But Lizzy actually encourages Lydi...more
Two words: excruciating read. I received it free on Kindle and desperately wanted to like it. I didnt. As I tell my students, "There's plenty of telling, not enough showing." Her sentences and imagery are falling all over themselves, desperately jockeying for attention. The story falls flat and the characters arent relatable.
A fantastic editor can make a difference.
As for me, I give up.
If you're interested in slave stories, there are more well-written stories from which to choose.
From first han...more
A fantastic editor can make a difference.
As for me, I give up.
If you're interested in slave stories, there are more well-written stories from which to choose.
From first han...more
I enjoy historical fiction and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Lydia is a black slave girl that has this strong desire (putting it mildly) to be free. She is light skinned and can pass for white when dressed in the proper clothing. Her white friend gives her the opportunity to taste freedom causing her to be even more sure of her desire to be free.
The book gives you an insight to the lives the black slaves lived in this country. And it is disturbing to say the least. The book definitely kept my...more
The book gives you an insight to the lives the black slaves lived in this country. And it is disturbing to say the least. The book definitely kept my...more
Lydia is a light colored house slave on a plantation in the south, Pre-Civil War. She hates being owned, and tries to escape, only to be caught and beaten badly, almost dying. She falls in love with John who is a field hand at the plantation. But even being in love, she still wants to escape slavery. When she sees her father beaten to death, she figures out how to escape, by pretending to be white. Soon she is in another town, being treated well by the friend of her former owner's daughter. He a...more
This was a story of slave (Lydia) who skin was so light, she could pass for white. She was so pale she could have passed as her mistresses sister. Which she did, against her will, since she was a slave. She was ashamed of her light skin and her green eyes. Angry that she didn't look like her family, at least the only family that would accept her.
She fell in love with a fellow slave, fell in love with his ability to purchase their freedom. When it seemed as it would not happen, she ran. Ended up...more
She fell in love with a fellow slave, fell in love with his ability to purchase their freedom. When it seemed as it would not happen, she ran. Ended up...more
Being a fiber artist, I was attracted to the title of this book on the new releases shelf at the library.
The loom or weaving part of the book seemed forced and not really necessary to the story. The plot about a slave woman who passes for white is interesting but the circumstance- that she was able to live undetected in a white man's home not quite believable. Also, her willingness to leave her slave husband behind- not quite believable.
So, while the setting and the treatment of slaves seem au...more
The loom or weaving part of the book seemed forced and not really necessary to the story. The plot about a slave woman who passes for white is interesting but the circumstance- that she was able to live undetected in a white man's home not quite believable. Also, her willingness to leave her slave husband behind- not quite believable.
So, while the setting and the treatment of slaves seem au...more
This book started off a little slow for me. I have had it for a few months in my Kindle and when I first started reading it, it just did not draw me in immediately, and with the busy life I lead I had to wait until I had the time and patience to really focus on what I was reading. However, once I really began to read the book, the characters came to life in my mind. The storyline was full and imagery and hidden insinuations that you had to catch. It allowed my mind to play this movie in my head...more
This book was....sad. It was heartbreaking, and somehow still beautiful.
Shella Gillus crafts a tale that draws you in and holds you captive. Much like the individuals in the Loom Room, she weaves together words that take your breath away. Her descriptions are simple, yet so powerful, I found myself highlighting half of the book.
A story of a young slave girl, and how she finds love, and longs for freedom, "The Loom" is truely a story of how even those individuals who are 'free' are still bound...more
Shella Gillus crafts a tale that draws you in and holds you captive. Much like the individuals in the Loom Room, she weaves together words that take your breath away. Her descriptions are simple, yet so powerful, I found myself highlighting half of the book.
A story of a young slave girl, and how she finds love, and longs for freedom, "The Loom" is truely a story of how even those individuals who are 'free' are still bound...more
I finished reading The Loom last night and can not stop thinking about it! Mrs. Gillus is an incredibly gifted writer and I can't wait to read more books by her. From the first sentence she had me and took me on an incredible journey as Lydia. I learned things I didn't know and felt so deeply for each of the characters I was introduced to! My heart raced, it danced, it wept, and it sung a song that I can't get out of my head. Her words were so vivid, I felt like I was there. I really didn't want...more
It's an O-KAY book. Reveling a story about discontentment, a desire to find freedom at any cost for a character (Lydia) who much like any of us, fails to realize that she already possessed the very thing she is striving for. The Loom gots it's name from room where old slaves had to work on the loom weaving cloth, sleeping, eating, never leaving and dying there. You'll find a beautiful love story that last through trouble. Even thought is only 233 pages it was a little hard to follow at first, bu...more
I liked this book. I loved the characters and the setting. I thought it was slowin parts and as I got to the end couldnt imagine how it could end in 10 more pages. I liked the ending but wanted more of a closing, not just a brief epilolgue. SInce this is Shella Gillus's firs book I hope her next works have better editng. All in all t was a good book worth reading and I did find myself going for "One more chapter...OK..ONe mire chapter" when I should have been sleeping. :) The book DID NOT match...more
This book, for me, fell short of a true historical view. It may be because I preceded it with Somebody Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill. This story was entertaining but the historical accuracy was not very believable. That some issue of mixed coupling would have been motivated some to try and "pass" is a sad reality, especially during the sin of slavery and the injustice of perceived inequality based on the times in this country. The story, notwithstanding the overall historical believability fact...more
I understand this was Ms. Gillus' first book. Congratulations on a job well done. Ms Gillus portrays the life of African American slaves with dignity, poignancy and painful sensitivity. While this is a love story, it is also the tale of how deep the roots of family and community can grow, but it is also the story of the strong desire inherent in all of us for freedom, justice and liberty. Ms. Gillus recounts with accuracy, the life of the African American in the pre-Civil War times.
Beautiful sto...more
Beautiful sto...more
A fair skinned slave, Lydia, finds herself living a life of anguish and turmoil, the life that all slaves found. While in bondage, she dreamed of freedom constantly. She was never able to let go of this dream, especially after witnessing some of the atrocities inherent to the life of a slave girl. Death, rape, sickness, and misery were her constant companions. Then came John. Love joined the list of her companions but wasn't enough to rid her of the desire to be free.
This author penned a remark...more
This author penned a remark...more
Usually, I'm a sucker for stories about triumph over slavery. Usually, I can get into a good well-written historical romance. But this was not usually. I could NOT feel this book. I'm not sure what the problem was, but the whole time I was reading it, it just did not feel real to me. I could be reading about someone getting beaten and yet the way it was written, it didn't even phase me...and usually that's something that really gets my blood boiling. The story was okay, but just flat.
Set in the South while slavery still reigned, this historical fiction tells the life of a mixed race slave woman as she fights for freedom. The loom is where elderly or pregnant slaves went when they could no longer work the fields. There, they spun homemade cloth. Biblical analogies are throughout the text. The end seemed to be hurried and lacked some of the flow that make a good book. The section on healing was far-fetched, but it does not take from an overall good rating.
I'll admit off the bat that this is probably not a particularly accurate depiction of slavery. The book follows the narrator, an African slave whose skin is light enough to pass as a white woman. All she wants is to be free and so she leaves everything she knows and tries to pass as a white woman. She comes to discover that being free in body might not be the same as being truly free. An interesting picture of slavery not often portrayed in fiction.
This book made me remember anew how much blood is on my hands s a white person in the US. How my comfort comes at the cost so much human suffering and still does. Slavery is sin we all pay for and the root of the resentment we collectively feel about blacks. Their presence is a constant reminder of our collective guilt.
This story is beautifully written and compelling. It's well worth reading and though it broke my heart in places, I'm glad I read it.
This story is beautifully written and compelling. It's well worth reading and though it broke my heart in places, I'm glad I read it.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Shella Gillus fell in love with the arts as a child. By age ten, she wrote her first chapter book, a three-act play and performed in several theatrical shows. During her teenage years, she penned and performed in plays for her local church and organized a series of summer self-esteem workshops for underprivileged youth in South Tucson.
Shella earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the Univ...more
More about Shella Gillus...
Shella earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the Univ...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
