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Come August, Come Freedom: The Bellows, the Gallows, and the Black General Gabriel
An 1800 insurrection planned by a literate slave known as "Prosser’s Gabriel" inspires a historical novel following one extraordinary man’s life. In a time of post-Revolutionary fervor in Richmond, Virginia, an imposing twenty-five-year-old slave named Gabriel, known for his courage and intellect, plotted a rebellion involving thousands of African- American freedom seekers armed with refashioned pitchforks and other implements of Gabriel’s blacksmith trade. The revolt would be thwarted by a confluence of fierce weather and human betrayal, but Gabriel retained his dignity to the end. History knows little of Gabriel’s early life. But here, author Gigi Amateau imagines a childhood shaped by a mother’s devotion, a father’s passion for liberation, and a friendship with a white master’s son who later proved cowardly and cruel. She gives vibrant life to Gabriel’s love for his wife-to-be, Nanny, a slave woman whose freedom he worked tirelessly, and futilely, to buy. Interwoven with original documents, this poignant, illuminating novel gives a personal face to a remarkable moment in history.
190 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2012
14 people are currently reading
556 people want to read
About the author
Gigi Amateau
10 books44 followersGigi Amateau was born in northeastern Mississippi and raised in Mechanicsville, Virginia, just outside of Richmond. Her first young adult novel, Claiming Georgia Tate (Candlewick Press, 2005), described as “a moving first offering” by School Library Journal, was selected as a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, Voice of Youth Advocates Review Editor’s Choice, and a Book Sense Summer Pick. It was also nominated for the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Children’s Book Award and the American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults list.
Among other upcoming titles, Chancey of the Maury River will be published by Candlewick Press in May 2008.
Among other upcoming titles, Chancey of the Maury River will be published by Candlewick Press in May 2008.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
March 21, 2019
Human slavery is just so abhorrent it makes these books difficult to read. But if we don't, we may forget these dark times and the generational impacts.
Here the author re-imagines the life of "General Gabirel" who was executed for attempting to stage a rebellion. An important story, but still a difficult one to read.
Here the author re-imagines the life of "General Gabirel" who was executed for attempting to stage a rebellion. An important story, but still a difficult one to read.
June 22, 2013
If you like historical fiction, then you should read Come August, Come Freedom, a story set in Richmond, Virginia in a time of post-Revolutionary fervor.
With expertise, a poetic writing style and extensive primary source documents, the author uses factual historical events to tell the story of a planned but unsuccessful freedom seekers' insurrection led by Gabriel, an imposing and literate 24 year old African-American slave. She reimagines his childhood and his private life and gives shape and life to a little known but important historical event in the history of the country.
The story gives the reader a new awareness of the ugly reality of slavery, where people were bought and sold, dehumanised, punished, had no self-determination and were regarded as property.
At the heart of the book is the love story of Nanny and Gabriel and their shared belief in the idea of freedom.
By walking a mile in the shoes of the main characters, this book would certainly give History and English students an insight into the times, as well as the nature of slavery and freedom fighting. A highly recommended read for historical fiction lovers.
With expertise, a poetic writing style and extensive primary source documents, the author uses factual historical events to tell the story of a planned but unsuccessful freedom seekers' insurrection led by Gabriel, an imposing and literate 24 year old African-American slave. She reimagines his childhood and his private life and gives shape and life to a little known but important historical event in the history of the country.
The story gives the reader a new awareness of the ugly reality of slavery, where people were bought and sold, dehumanised, punished, had no self-determination and were regarded as property.
At the heart of the book is the love story of Nanny and Gabriel and their shared belief in the idea of freedom.
By walking a mile in the shoes of the main characters, this book would certainly give History and English students an insight into the times, as well as the nature of slavery and freedom fighting. A highly recommended read for historical fiction lovers.
June 25, 2017
داستان تلخیه راجع به امید به آزادی و تلاش نافرجام یک برده برای فرار از جزیره Saint Domingue. داستان بر اساس حوادث واقعی در سال 1700 میلادی نوشته که به شرح زندگی یک برده در اون زمان می پردازه. نثر ساده ای داره و داستان سیر غیر خطی رو طی میکنه و متن هم سریع جلو میره.
February 20, 2025
Ok fully aware that this book is probably meant for younger audiences and I would honestly recommend it to a middle or high schooler but I think this book could have been a lot better. It had a strong beginning and I liked the inclusion of primary sources, but it felt like the author got bored of the story halfway through. The actual rebellion was such a tiny part of the book and was told almost entirely through primary sources in a way that felt lazy. I was fully expecting to cry while reading this because I knew what would happen (not marking as spoilers because it’s history) but his death was barely given any weight.
Anyways, I would still recommend this book if you’re interested in Gabriel’s rebellion, and especially if you’re in central Va as you’ll recognize the places, but overall not my favorite
Anyways, I would still recommend this book if you’re interested in Gabriel’s rebellion, and especially if you’re in central Va as you’ll recognize the places, but overall not my favorite
October 8, 2012
In 1800, in Richmond, Virginia, a twenty-four-year-old literate slave known as Prosser’s Gabriel planned an insurrection involving thousands of African-Americans freedom seekers. The rebellion did not succeed – a mixture of bad weather and betrayal prevented the revolt from even starting – and Gabriel, as well as a few of his co-conspirators, was executed. Come August, Come Freedom was inspired by this moment in history and is a reimagining of Gabriel’s early life as well as his motivations based on historical evidence and the extensive trial documents available. Here, Gigi Amateau imagines his private life and intersperses the story with facsimiles of historical documents.
Her own motivation for writing this story is simple:
By immersing myself in the history and documents related to Gabriel, I eventually realized that if Gabriel’s story is to be lifted up as an essential American story, then we all must tell this story over and over again so that Gabriel’s story takes its place in our canon of defining moments. Many founding heroes, sheroes, and patriots have become part of America’s collective story. Tales of such people teach us something and exemplify the qualities we admire in our great citizens. Gabriel’s Rebellion reveals so much of the thinking of our leaders in the early days of America, the rampant liberty fever that was worldwide by 1800, and how enslaved people were engaged in the pursuit of freedom and the call to end to slavery long before the Civil War broke out. To me, Gabriel and Nan’s story ought to join our larger American story of freedom-loving patriots who lived and sacrificed for the cause of our liberty.
As such, Come August, Come Freedom succeeds and surpasses what it set out to do – Gabriel and his wife Nanny indeed come to life as heroic freedom fighters. It presents Gabriel as a man of his time, immersed in the ideas of freedom circulating both within America (in the aftermath of the Revolutionary War) and from abroad (in Haiti, black slaves had just fought for their freedom – and won). The book also presents an interesting context for this particular rebellion and how it could have possibly come to be in terms of its organising. At that particular point in time in Virginia, many slaves had a certain degree of mobility: slaves from different plantations were allowed to assemble every Sunday, slaves could be hired out (a way for owners to make some extra money, but also afforded the slaves to save money for themselves and possibly buy their own eventual freedom). Also, some slaves were literate. These different opportunities meant that slaves, like Gabriel, could meet and plan, organizing their rebellion. After the failed uprising, however, Virginia passed new laws that forbade those ‘freedoms’ to prevent future rebellions.
It is known that Gabriel, the historical figure and protagonist of this book, was literate and that he was also a skilled blacksmith. Amateau posits the idea that he would have trained in the city of Richmond where he would have come to hear revolutionary ideas that would fuel his dream of freedom with hope.
Beyond the research behind the book, there is the beautiful, almost poetic writing and the realistic depiction of characters. The book’s opening immediately sets the tone, beginning on a Sunday morning as Gabriel’s ma (one of the few invented characters in the text, as we know nothing about his mother) prepares to nurse her own child after spending the whole week first feeding her master’s son Henry, Gabriel’s milk brother:
She stretched out long in the grass and nursed her six-month-old son
without interruption. After a while, Gabriel opened his walnut eyes, and Ma gave him her other breast. On some Sundays, he got his fair share. Ma stroked Gabriel’s troubled brow.
“Eat all you like, child. Take what’s yours.”
Although this is a thoroughly invented scene that employs the author’s poetic license, the core idea of awareness about the utterly ugly reality of slavery, conveyed in this scene, is one that pervades the entire book; it is a reality that we can imagine informed Gabriel’s real life. It is perfectly, horrifically, conceivable that Gabriel’s experiences growing up on the plantation where his family and friends lived and suffered, where he witnessed families being torn apart with the sale of a son or wife to a different estate, also made a huge impact. There is no “good, benevolent master” here, on the account that there is no such a thing as a “good” owner of slaves. There is no happy slave either – although there are those slaves who, hopeless, have accepted their lot in life.
The story here is both beautiful and heartbreaking. This is a book for children and I appreciated that it doesn’t shy away from the brutality and the truth of slavery at all. One of the most impacting scenes is Nan’s memories of the humiliating moment when she was up for sale in Richmond, dehumanised and treated like a broodmare.
In terms of the actual writing and plotting of the book, Come August, Come Freedom is a bit vacillating and episodic – perhaps due to the lack of factual information. It takes several liberties when it comes to exploring the possible internal motivations for Gabriel’s rebellions and with his personal life, and spends little time on the actual organisation of the upraising. That said, I understand the choice to reflect the man rather than the leader.
A huge part of the book depicts Gabriel’s love for his wife Nanny, and this is a beautiful love story. An even greater part of the book depicts their shared love for the idea of freedom. And that’s the most beautiful thing of all.
Her own motivation for writing this story is simple:
By immersing myself in the history and documents related to Gabriel, I eventually realized that if Gabriel’s story is to be lifted up as an essential American story, then we all must tell this story over and over again so that Gabriel’s story takes its place in our canon of defining moments. Many founding heroes, sheroes, and patriots have become part of America’s collective story. Tales of such people teach us something and exemplify the qualities we admire in our great citizens. Gabriel’s Rebellion reveals so much of the thinking of our leaders in the early days of America, the rampant liberty fever that was worldwide by 1800, and how enslaved people were engaged in the pursuit of freedom and the call to end to slavery long before the Civil War broke out. To me, Gabriel and Nan’s story ought to join our larger American story of freedom-loving patriots who lived and sacrificed for the cause of our liberty.
As such, Come August, Come Freedom succeeds and surpasses what it set out to do – Gabriel and his wife Nanny indeed come to life as heroic freedom fighters. It presents Gabriel as a man of his time, immersed in the ideas of freedom circulating both within America (in the aftermath of the Revolutionary War) and from abroad (in Haiti, black slaves had just fought for their freedom – and won). The book also presents an interesting context for this particular rebellion and how it could have possibly come to be in terms of its organising. At that particular point in time in Virginia, many slaves had a certain degree of mobility: slaves from different plantations were allowed to assemble every Sunday, slaves could be hired out (a way for owners to make some extra money, but also afforded the slaves to save money for themselves and possibly buy their own eventual freedom). Also, some slaves were literate. These different opportunities meant that slaves, like Gabriel, could meet and plan, organizing their rebellion. After the failed uprising, however, Virginia passed new laws that forbade those ‘freedoms’ to prevent future rebellions.
It is known that Gabriel, the historical figure and protagonist of this book, was literate and that he was also a skilled blacksmith. Amateau posits the idea that he would have trained in the city of Richmond where he would have come to hear revolutionary ideas that would fuel his dream of freedom with hope.
Beyond the research behind the book, there is the beautiful, almost poetic writing and the realistic depiction of characters. The book’s opening immediately sets the tone, beginning on a Sunday morning as Gabriel’s ma (one of the few invented characters in the text, as we know nothing about his mother) prepares to nurse her own child after spending the whole week first feeding her master’s son Henry, Gabriel’s milk brother:
She stretched out long in the grass and nursed her six-month-old son
without interruption. After a while, Gabriel opened his walnut eyes, and Ma gave him her other breast. On some Sundays, he got his fair share. Ma stroked Gabriel’s troubled brow.
“Eat all you like, child. Take what’s yours.”
Although this is a thoroughly invented scene that employs the author’s poetic license, the core idea of awareness about the utterly ugly reality of slavery, conveyed in this scene, is one that pervades the entire book; it is a reality that we can imagine informed Gabriel’s real life. It is perfectly, horrifically, conceivable that Gabriel’s experiences growing up on the plantation where his family and friends lived and suffered, where he witnessed families being torn apart with the sale of a son or wife to a different estate, also made a huge impact. There is no “good, benevolent master” here, on the account that there is no such a thing as a “good” owner of slaves. There is no happy slave either – although there are those slaves who, hopeless, have accepted their lot in life.
The story here is both beautiful and heartbreaking. This is a book for children and I appreciated that it doesn’t shy away from the brutality and the truth of slavery at all. One of the most impacting scenes is Nan’s memories of the humiliating moment when she was up for sale in Richmond, dehumanised and treated like a broodmare.
In terms of the actual writing and plotting of the book, Come August, Come Freedom is a bit vacillating and episodic – perhaps due to the lack of factual information. It takes several liberties when it comes to exploring the possible internal motivations for Gabriel’s rebellions and with his personal life, and spends little time on the actual organisation of the upraising. That said, I understand the choice to reflect the man rather than the leader.
A huge part of the book depicts Gabriel’s love for his wife Nanny, and this is a beautiful love story. An even greater part of the book depicts their shared love for the idea of freedom. And that’s the most beautiful thing of all.
October 11, 2023
This YA historic fiction focuses on an important but flawed insurrection, directed. The writing is crisp, the organization compelling.Amateau makes good use of rich sources and projects Gabriel as a young idealist with high ambitions for his quest and his community. His story is worthy of the effort.
FYI Gigi Amateau authored this and other historic YA novels before turning her sights to writing a dissertation. She is currently a gerontology professor.
FYI Gigi Amateau authored this and other historic YA novels before turning her sights to writing a dissertation. She is currently a gerontology professor.
February 7, 2013
This beautiful but tragic story is based on actual events relating to the slave Gabriel, who had the temerity, in 18th Century Virginia, to dream of freedom.
The author imagines Gabriel’s interior life, based on what is known about his actual circumstances. Born into slavery on a tobacco plantation in 1776, Gabriel was taught to read and write. As he grew up and acquired the skills of a blacksmith, he was also hired out to Richmond to bring in more money for his master. There he interacted with free blacks and white laborers and heard not only the ideas of freedom and equality touted by the American Revolution, but of the successful uprising in Saint Domingue led by black slaves that culminated in the end of slavery there. Why, he asked, couldn’t that happen in America?
He recruited others, and worked on obtaining weapons. Their rebellion was scheduled to start August 30, 1800. Not only did a torrential rain intervene, but two slaves confessed the plan to their masters. Many of the conspirators were caught, some were executed, and some were exiled to other states. A rare few were pardoned. Gabriel of course was not among them, and was hanged on October 10.
Ms. Amateau tries to recreate not only Gabriel’s thoughts during his life, but the reactions of his mother and later his wife, Nanny, to the exceptional man that Gabriel grew up to be. Nanny, as courageous as her husband, also participated in the planning for the rebellion. The author includes reproductions, interspersed throughout the text, of documents from the time relating to Gabriel’s rebellion, capture, sentencing, and execution.
Evaluation: The plotline of this book and of Gabriel’s true story were only bearable for me because, unlike a movie or television production, there are no visuals of violence, and no actual faces I could attach to those who would perpetuate slavery (with the notable exception of James Monroe, then Governor of Virginia). It is meant to be a book you can bear, and yet – it is hard. The prose is lovely, and explicit evils of slavery are kept to a minimum, but the pain and awfulness of slavery cannot be hidden. Nor should it be! It is a real enough story, and should be told; should be borne. Research notes are appended to the text.
While this book is being marketed as Middle Grade, I didn’t see any reason why it could not also or alternatively be labeled Young Adult or Adult.
Highly recommended!
Note: On August 30, 2007 Governor Tim Kane informally pardoned Gabriel, saying that his motivation had been "his devotion to the ideals of the American revolution — it was worth risking death to secure liberty."
The author imagines Gabriel’s interior life, based on what is known about his actual circumstances. Born into slavery on a tobacco plantation in 1776, Gabriel was taught to read and write. As he grew up and acquired the skills of a blacksmith, he was also hired out to Richmond to bring in more money for his master. There he interacted with free blacks and white laborers and heard not only the ideas of freedom and equality touted by the American Revolution, but of the successful uprising in Saint Domingue led by black slaves that culminated in the end of slavery there. Why, he asked, couldn’t that happen in America?
He recruited others, and worked on obtaining weapons. Their rebellion was scheduled to start August 30, 1800. Not only did a torrential rain intervene, but two slaves confessed the plan to their masters. Many of the conspirators were caught, some were executed, and some were exiled to other states. A rare few were pardoned. Gabriel of course was not among them, and was hanged on October 10.
Ms. Amateau tries to recreate not only Gabriel’s thoughts during his life, but the reactions of his mother and later his wife, Nanny, to the exceptional man that Gabriel grew up to be. Nanny, as courageous as her husband, also participated in the planning for the rebellion. The author includes reproductions, interspersed throughout the text, of documents from the time relating to Gabriel’s rebellion, capture, sentencing, and execution.
Evaluation: The plotline of this book and of Gabriel’s true story were only bearable for me because, unlike a movie or television production, there are no visuals of violence, and no actual faces I could attach to those who would perpetuate slavery (with the notable exception of James Monroe, then Governor of Virginia). It is meant to be a book you can bear, and yet – it is hard. The prose is lovely, and explicit evils of slavery are kept to a minimum, but the pain and awfulness of slavery cannot be hidden. Nor should it be! It is a real enough story, and should be told; should be borne. Research notes are appended to the text.
While this book is being marketed as Middle Grade, I didn’t see any reason why it could not also or alternatively be labeled Young Adult or Adult.
Highly recommended!
Note: On August 30, 2007 Governor Tim Kane informally pardoned Gabriel, saying that his motivation had been "his devotion to the ideals of the American revolution — it was worth risking death to secure liberty."
January 12, 2013
Author: Gigi Amateau
Published By: Candlewick Press
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Book Blog For: GMTA
Rating: 4
Review:
"Come August, Come Freedom: The Bellows, The Gallows, and The Black General Gabriel was really some read for me. As I continued my read I wondered if I could make it through it and I did. This author did a wonderful job with this storyline. I will say she did a great job with all the characters that really added much to "Come August, Come Freedom. I felt that this was a well done dialog of a fictional account of this conspiracy of a slave know as Gabriel Posser. This slave was born in 1776 in Virginia...later to be hung in late October 1800. It was not a happy novel for me but I did make it through
because this author did a good job in bringing it to the reader mainly to be know by a few historians and some folklorists. Yes, I have even heard of this person and even the song 'Posser Gabriel'. Now
this read is not for everyone...so be aware of that in choosing the title. Do your research.
I believe the author did a OK job with this story and if you are in for a read that may not have a happy ending but I am sure it may have happened. History like this have played this way for some of us.
Published By: Candlewick Press
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Book Blog For: GMTA
Rating: 4
Review:
"Come August, Come Freedom: The Bellows, The Gallows, and The Black General Gabriel was really some read for me. As I continued my read I wondered if I could make it through it and I did. This author did a wonderful job with this storyline. I will say she did a great job with all the characters that really added much to "Come August, Come Freedom. I felt that this was a well done dialog of a fictional account of this conspiracy of a slave know as Gabriel Posser. This slave was born in 1776 in Virginia...later to be hung in late October 1800. It was not a happy novel for me but I did make it through
because this author did a good job in bringing it to the reader mainly to be know by a few historians and some folklorists. Yes, I have even heard of this person and even the song 'Posser Gabriel'. Now
this read is not for everyone...so be aware of that in choosing the title. Do your research.
I believe the author did a OK job with this story and if you are in for a read that may not have a happy ending but I am sure it may have happened. History like this have played this way for some of us.
July 12, 2013
I loved this book! I found myself completely immersed in the time period of Revolutionary War America and completely drawn in by all the characters and by the charismatic Gabriel in particular. In a book that could be in danger of instructing us what to think, Gigi Amateau wisely and beautifully lets Gabriel's story reveal itself via her characters. COME AUGUST, COME FREEDOM is a compelling read and a gripping story about an important moment in American and Virginian history. In addition -- it's a beautiful book that effectively incorporates historical documents. This is how history should be taught!
December 24, 2012
I love this book for so many reasons: I've always been interested in the revolutionary time period, and the author does a masterful job of slipping you right down in that place in history. The characters really come alive; I fell in love with Gabriel, and loved that he was a well educated slave with fire in his belly. Highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical books that take you far back in time but drive right to the heart, since the heart is timeless.
July 3, 2020
I can imagine this being passed down through time to become a legend or bedtime story, then the research is done and it becomes real. Gigi Amateau has done more than a little research as well as added details to bring this real life historical event back to life. An excellent story and history lesson about one particular slave family in the late 1700’s America that is extremely well narrated by JD Jackson, I will remember his voice. Written for teens but a read that will be good for anyone.
May 17, 2013
A wonderful book about a significant and almost legendary event in American history. Amateau takes legend back into truth and shows us the people at the heart of one of the most significant slave uprisings ever. And she brings the era to life in a way I've seen no other writer do.
August 8, 2018
Enter into the world of black slaves and their free spirits, which were yet trapped in the white men's cruelty. This story was a fantastic view into the world of corruption and greed of the historic black slaves markets. Gabriel was named after the angel of the Bible who announced things to come. He was raised in a hut with his family and was to be the man to continue his fathers fight for freedom, which he achieved, to a degree. After being sold into a black smiths shop and taken under the wing of biggest man he had ever seen, Jacob, a friend of his lost father, Gabriel learns the black smith trade and is soon recognised throughout the free world, as an expert in the trade. As he grows and hones his skills at the hammer, he dreams of freedom and plans how he's going to get there. As a black man who can read, he becomes a powerful force, driven by his love for his 'to-be' wife Nan and the unashamed wild spirit that will never be conquered.
He puts his life on the line and makes his dash for freedom, raising an army to join him into a better future.
I listened to the audiobook version, which was so well narrated by J. D. Jackson's authentic voice that is resonated into me as if I was there myself.
A thoroughly enjoyable story, although the end was not what I had expected...
He puts his life on the line and makes his dash for freedom, raising an army to join him into a better future.
I listened to the audiobook version, which was so well narrated by J. D. Jackson's authentic voice that is resonated into me as if I was there myself.
A thoroughly enjoyable story, although the end was not what I had expected...
November 28, 2016
I enjoyed reading this story about freedom, betrayal, and love. Gigi Amateau did a wonderful job articulating the harsh reality of slavery for men, women, and the children. Her words made you vividly imagine the whippings, the grueling plantation work, and the complete disregard for slave's lives.
I enjoyed how the author explored the gift and the curse of being a literate slave. To be able to read and comprehend the world only makes one conscious of what is fundamentally wrong with it. Gabriel knew that slavery was wrong, and that all men should be created equal. However, knowing this and not being able to change it. Well, this is why I say it also a curse to be literate.
I particularly enjoyed his devotion to his mother, and his love for his wife. My heart broke in the last chapter, only to be slowly pieced back together by the time I got to the last period.
I enjoyed how the author explored the gift and the curse of being a literate slave. To be able to read and comprehend the world only makes one conscious of what is fundamentally wrong with it. Gabriel knew that slavery was wrong, and that all men should be created equal. However, knowing this and not being able to change it. Well, this is why I say it also a curse to be literate.
I particularly enjoyed his devotion to his mother, and his love for his wife. My heart broke in the last chapter, only to be slowly pieced back together by the time I got to the last period.
September 24, 2021
Poetic, well-researched and engaging, Amateau tells the story of slave Prosser's Gabriel and his ultimately unsuccessful political activism with an intriguing blend of news clippings, journals and prose.
I came across this title while reading "Stamped (For Kids)" by Kendi & Reynolds, and my local library had to borrow the book from three states over to get a copy for me. That is disappointing. This man's story deserves to be told along with other freedom-fighters and this particular story should be on every library shelf.
Recommended for ages 12-17 / middle- and high-school libraries and fans of historical fiction. It obviously addresses difficult issues, ones that must become part of our national conversation and curriculum if racial healing is to occur. This very well could be the book to start and continue the conversation in book clubs and classrooms.
I came across this title while reading "Stamped (For Kids)" by Kendi & Reynolds, and my local library had to borrow the book from three states over to get a copy for me. That is disappointing. This man's story deserves to be told along with other freedom-fighters and this particular story should be on every library shelf.
Recommended for ages 12-17 / middle- and high-school libraries and fans of historical fiction. It obviously addresses difficult issues, ones that must become part of our national conversation and curriculum if racial healing is to occur. This very well could be the book to start and continue the conversation in book clubs and classrooms.
April 17, 2025
Come August, Come Freedom by Gigi Amateau follows a young African American slave who works as a blacksmith and plans to rebel against slavery and escape with many others. I thought this was a really good book that shows younger people like me a good representation of what slavery was really like back then and how brutal, violent, and horrible it was. I also liked that the book used very good sources throughout the book like real documents that are related to Gabriel and his rebellion. The only thing I didn't like about this book is that the ending with Gabriel's death just seemed like a weird way to end it. I get that it is historic, but it just seemed like a strange way to end it off. I would recommend this to someone in a younger audience who is looking to learn more about slavery or just read some history, because this would be a great book for them.
July 4, 2018
Despite the sadness of the story, I really enjoyed getting to know about this slice of American history. I spoiled it by looking for information about Gabriel to confirm the story. It's all true, although little is known about his life prior to the uprising.
Now I want to read more about Toussaint Louverture!
Even though it doesn't say anywhere (or at least the audio book didn't) that this story was sourced from actual documents, the novel lays out the ending parts (trials) as if court documents were consulted. That helps validate the story for people that are not familiar.
I really enjoyed the narrator as well. He brought a humanity to it that would not have been captured from reading.
Now I want to read more about Toussaint Louverture!
Even though it doesn't say anywhere (or at least the audio book didn't) that this story was sourced from actual documents, the novel lays out the ending parts (trials) as if court documents were consulted. That helps validate the story for people that are not familiar.
I really enjoyed the narrator as well. He brought a humanity to it that would not have been captured from reading.
June 19, 2018
I read this while on book hangover (had just completed the impactful DEVIL's HIGHWAY), so perhaps have rated it low because I enjoyed the other so much. Also, had read HAMILTON earlier this summer.
Starts like a nice story, slavery in Richmond. Relationships etc. Then, moves to some events that lead to the Black Slavery Rebellion in 1800. (http://www.ushistory.org/us/20f.asp) Amateau follows the events that actually happened nicely, adding a bit of story and spice here at there. Nice YA book, but I was hoping for just a bit more since I have just read such well-written pieces.
I'd still recommend this, nice piece on slavery, revolution, rights etc.
Starts like a nice story, slavery in Richmond. Relationships etc. Then, moves to some events that lead to the Black Slavery Rebellion in 1800. (http://www.ushistory.org/us/20f.asp) Amateau follows the events that actually happened nicely, adding a bit of story and spice here at there. Nice YA book, but I was hoping for just a bit more since I have just read such well-written pieces.
I'd still recommend this, nice piece on slavery, revolution, rights etc.
February 27, 2019
A telling of the planned slave rebellion in Viriginia in 1800 for the young adult market, Amateau's book is propelled by a vigorous energy as sure as the rhythm of the title character's hammer and anvil. A welcome tonic to many stories featuring slavery as a beat down people under the thumb constantly until beneficial white people come along to save them, Come August portrays characters as strong as their actions and as committed to freedom as the recent American Revolutionists claimed to be. Gabriel should be as well known as Nat Turner, John Brown, and other revolutionists who fought the real battle that needed to be fought.
April 26, 2019
Highlighting a story worth reading
I picked this book up to start learning more about the Richmond area where I live. After leaving for a number of years I had returned with a greater interest in the history of the area inspired by seeing the many roadside markers that tell the stories in a brief way. I dined at Hanover Tavern, worked for a time in a building next to the Capitol, and generally had my interest piqued. When I saw the book about Gabriel’s “Business”, it seemed a good place to start. That turned out to be true — it has inspired me to read more like it and to appreciate the real struggles of those who came before us. A very good read, and I learned a lot.
I picked this book up to start learning more about the Richmond area where I live. After leaving for a number of years I had returned with a greater interest in the history of the area inspired by seeing the many roadside markers that tell the stories in a brief way. I dined at Hanover Tavern, worked for a time in a building next to the Capitol, and generally had my interest piqued. When I saw the book about Gabriel’s “Business”, it seemed a good place to start. That turned out to be true — it has inspired me to read more like it and to appreciate the real struggles of those who came before us. A very good read, and I learned a lot.
January 18, 2026
3.75 stars - an intriguing story about a part of american history that is often looked over. i loved getting to read this for the first time since i was 14 (summer reading for school) and actually enjoying learning about an important rebellion that happened in my hometown. some parts felt rushed and some felt like they dragged on for forever, so the pacing wasn’t consistent, but it was very easy to follow. it does feel a little off that a white woman is writing about the african american slave experience from the perspective of the slaves themselves, but it is definitely an important story to tell!
June 23, 2017
I really admire both the historical accuracy and both I and people in my book club really loved the FAQ and explanations of which were true events and which were fictional. Gigi Amateau uses beautiful concepts in the plot & phrases things beautifully. The only issue I had while reading is knowing the antagonist dies in the end, but not knowing how hard it would be to read about. It gave me anxiety. Then at the end I was like really?! He doesn't even get to try? It is anticlimactic. So that's a tough thing for the author to get around. But it's a really nicely written book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2018
I am not one for historical fiction, so I wasn't sure how long I'd last once I began this book. Surprisingly, I was sucked in after the first few chapters or so.
Amateau draws readers in of all nationalities, of all colors, and all different backgrounds by describing Gabriel's story by creating personal experiences. The reader does not witness these events, it's more like living through it all with the characters.
I think the fact that I like most about this novel is the chronological structure. Readers are able to grow up with Gabriel, seeing where he came from and how he became the courageous leader and freedom-seeker that he does. There is a romantic quality incorporated as well, which makes the story of fighting for freedom even more intriguing because their loved ones are at risk (which represents the true events accurately!).
Any lovers of historical fiction or stories of fighting for basic rights should read this!
Amateau draws readers in of all nationalities, of all colors, and all different backgrounds by describing Gabriel's story by creating personal experiences. The reader does not witness these events, it's more like living through it all with the characters.
I think the fact that I like most about this novel is the chronological structure. Readers are able to grow up with Gabriel, seeing where he came from and how he became the courageous leader and freedom-seeker that he does. There is a romantic quality incorporated as well, which makes the story of fighting for freedom even more intriguing because their loved ones are at risk (which represents the true events accurately!).
Any lovers of historical fiction or stories of fighting for basic rights should read this!
July 11, 2018
I wish I had known when I was listening to this book that Gabriel was a real historical figure. Although most of this story if a fictional imagining of what his early life may have been. I listened to this book on audio and found myself having a hard time paying attention and had to keep rewinding. As with all historical fiction, I enjoyed learning about what life was like... in this case in the late 1700s in the life of a slave. This may have been a book that would have been better to read as there wasn't enough tension to keep my mind from drifting.
October 2, 2018
In all the history classes I took in public school and college, the only slave revolt I ever heard of was Nat Turner’s, and it was given barely a passing nod. I had never heard of Prosser’s Gabriel or the price he paid for his dream of liberty. I listened to the audiobook of this title, and it spoke to me more than any book I ever read about slavery ( and they are many). The narrator made Gabriel and his time come alive for me with all it’s brutality and injustice. This title is highly recommended.
October 22, 2019
Overall, I wasn’t a big fan of this book.
The introduction was really interesting and well-paced. But the latter half of the novel felt rushed. As a result, the ending didn’t have the emotional resonance that I had hoped for.
However, it was interesting to read about a historical figure during the post-revolutionary era whom I had not heard of. I definitely liked how the author wove in primary source material to help tell the story of Gabriel.
Historically speaking, this is a very interesting read. But narratively speaking, it fell flat for me.
2/5
The introduction was really interesting and well-paced. But the latter half of the novel felt rushed. As a result, the ending didn’t have the emotional resonance that I had hoped for.
However, it was interesting to read about a historical figure during the post-revolutionary era whom I had not heard of. I definitely liked how the author wove in primary source material to help tell the story of Gabriel.
Historically speaking, this is a very interesting read. But narratively speaking, it fell flat for me.
2/5
July 3, 2018
Audiobook Sync free audiobooks for their 2018 YA summer program week 8.
This was a short novel about a true black slave rebellion that took place in 1800 Richmond, Virginia. Gabriel was a literate slave with the charisma to bring together freedoms fighters for a revolt. Thwarted by terrible weather and betrayal, the revolt didn't go off as planned, but here Amateau imagines for us more of Gabriel's life, thus bring this history to life.
This was a short novel about a true black slave rebellion that took place in 1800 Richmond, Virginia. Gabriel was a literate slave with the charisma to bring together freedoms fighters for a revolt. Thwarted by terrible weather and betrayal, the revolt didn't go off as planned, but here Amateau imagines for us more of Gabriel's life, thus bring this history to life.
August 21, 2018
I would recommend this book to others. It's a. Piece placed in a slavery time period. It was an interesting story, it had the feel of a historical fiction. It seems that this could have been an event that would happen. It is somewhat of a sad story, yet also an uplifting story to see the fight for the American dream regardless of color. It's not a very fun time to read about because the disgusting people that existed they could treat other humans as property. But a well done story.
June 30, 2018
I somehow kept expecting this to go deeper. Instead, it was exactly what the summary blurb promised without much more depth or feeling. It seems like an interesting historical point, but the humanity and feeling that should come in historical fiction never really surfaced for me. The whole book felt like an introduction, and I was surprised when it ended without the development I expected.
August 17, 2018
This book exemplifies why I so love historical fiction. As per usual, I've just learned about a real person/historical event only because I chose to read a fictionalized account about said history. Thanks to Ms. Amateau for telling us about the courage of the brave young visionary, Gabriel. Sadly, this is yet another facet of US history was skipped over during my public education.
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