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All God's Children
In 1827, Duncan Lammons, a disgraced young man from Kentucky, sets out to join the American army in the province of Texas, hoping that here he may live – and love – as he pleases. That same year, Cecelia, a young slave in Virginia, runs away for the first time.
Soon infamous for her escape attempts, Cecelia drifts through the reality of slavery – until she encounters frontiersman Sam Fisk, who rescues her from a slave auction in New Orleans.
In spite of her mistrust, Cecelia senses an opportunity for freedom, and travels with Sam to Texas, where he has a homestead. In this new territory, where the law is an instrument for the cruel and the wealthy, they begin an unlikely life together, unaware that their fates are intertwined with those of Sam’s former army mates – some of whom harbor dangerous dreams of their own.
A novel about the remarkable people living on the edge of freedom and slavery, All God’s Children brings to life the paradoxes of the American frontier – a place of liberty and bondage, wild equality, and cruel injustice.
This novel will take its place among the great stories that recount the country’s fight for freedom – one that makes us want to keep on with the struggle.
Soon infamous for her escape attempts, Cecelia drifts through the reality of slavery – until she encounters frontiersman Sam Fisk, who rescues her from a slave auction in New Orleans.
In spite of her mistrust, Cecelia senses an opportunity for freedom, and travels with Sam to Texas, where he has a homestead. In this new territory, where the law is an instrument for the cruel and the wealthy, they begin an unlikely life together, unaware that their fates are intertwined with those of Sam’s former army mates – some of whom harbor dangerous dreams of their own.
A novel about the remarkable people living on the edge of freedom and slavery, All God’s Children brings to life the paradoxes of the American frontier – a place of liberty and bondage, wild equality, and cruel injustice.
This novel will take its place among the great stories that recount the country’s fight for freedom – one that makes us want to keep on with the struggle.
400 pages, Paperback
First published October 20, 2020
141 people are currently reading
908 people want to read
About the author
Aaron Gwyn
14 books80 followersAaron Gwyn was raised on a cattle ranch in rural Oklahoma. He is the author of a story collection, Dog on the Cross (finalist for the New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award), and two novels, The World Beneath (W.W. Norton), and Wynne’s War (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). His short stories and creative nonfiction have appeared in Esquire, McSweeney’s, Glimmer Train, The Missouri Review, Gettysburg Review, and New Stories from the South. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina where he is an associate professor of English at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
June 29, 2025
"It is a sickness in the world, I thought. A sickness to destroy beautiful things"
Hands up who has read a book, fell in love with it, then spent an age without a name trying to review it? Well that’s exactly happened to me after reading All God’s Children – A Novel of the American West. The first draught was nearly 9 pages long, the second considerably shorter - “this is fucking brilliant”. Neither particularly helpful.
The story has two narrators. Duncan Lammons is from Kentucky and the son of a Baptist minister. Having heard Sterling Robertson sell Texas as the new promised land, he leaves his home at the age of 18 seeking adventure. He is an unusual frontier man and it’s his otherness that makes him such a distinct character. He tells his story first person, while Cecelia’s is told third person. She is a slave from Virginia with a free spirit. She is only 15 when she attempts her first escape. The older she becomes the more escapes, the more lashing, the more determination to escape. But every time she ends up back at the slave market to be sold on.
The parallel narratives come together when Sam Fisk, a Texas ranger and college of Duncan ‘acquires’ Cecelia. Her life takes a very unexpected turn after that.
There are a whole load of fantastic characters knocking about – an unhinged Irishman who, to borrow a line from Townes Van Zandt, is “prone to easy aggravation”, a poetry reading Spaniard who is himself a former slave. Despite all these colourful characters, it’s really a book about Texas, it’s early years, and violence, theft and greed are never far from the surface. Texas Rangers form a large part of the narrative.
New recruits straggled in every year: vagabond boys with a hankering for blood or men who’d exhausted the other meagre prospects our Republic had to offer and concluded it was either ride or starve. If these troops had one thing in common besides their gift for violence, it was the dire circumstances of their youths
Racism is at the front of early Texas, along with battles with Mexicans, Comanches, the Colt Pistol (a five-shot revolver) changes the face of the conflicts. The chapter about the Battle of Monterrey is scintillating.
Gwyn’s writing is glorious, it stops you in your tracks. I should also mention that this a real page tuner. Historical fiction does not get better than this. I can’t find fault in it. Some may argue that the ending was superfluous, but it didn’t bother me one little bit. I can’t remember the last time I was so awestruck by a novelist I’d never read before. Actually, I can, but I’m not telling you. If you like to read about Texas, then this is the book for you.
Hands up who has read a book, fell in love with it, then spent an age without a name trying to review it? Well that’s exactly happened to me after reading All God’s Children – A Novel of the American West. The first draught was nearly 9 pages long, the second considerably shorter - “this is fucking brilliant”. Neither particularly helpful.
The story has two narrators. Duncan Lammons is from Kentucky and the son of a Baptist minister. Having heard Sterling Robertson sell Texas as the new promised land, he leaves his home at the age of 18 seeking adventure. He is an unusual frontier man and it’s his otherness that makes him such a distinct character. He tells his story first person, while Cecelia’s is told third person. She is a slave from Virginia with a free spirit. She is only 15 when she attempts her first escape. The older she becomes the more escapes, the more lashing, the more determination to escape. But every time she ends up back at the slave market to be sold on.
The parallel narratives come together when Sam Fisk, a Texas ranger and college of Duncan ‘acquires’ Cecelia. Her life takes a very unexpected turn after that.
There are a whole load of fantastic characters knocking about – an unhinged Irishman who, to borrow a line from Townes Van Zandt, is “prone to easy aggravation”, a poetry reading Spaniard who is himself a former slave. Despite all these colourful characters, it’s really a book about Texas, it’s early years, and violence, theft and greed are never far from the surface. Texas Rangers form a large part of the narrative.
New recruits straggled in every year: vagabond boys with a hankering for blood or men who’d exhausted the other meagre prospects our Republic had to offer and concluded it was either ride or starve. If these troops had one thing in common besides their gift for violence, it was the dire circumstances of their youths
Racism is at the front of early Texas, along with battles with Mexicans, Comanches, the Colt Pistol (a five-shot revolver) changes the face of the conflicts. The chapter about the Battle of Monterrey is scintillating.
Gwyn’s writing is glorious, it stops you in your tracks. I should also mention that this a real page tuner. Historical fiction does not get better than this. I can’t find fault in it. Some may argue that the ending was superfluous, but it didn’t bother me one little bit. I can’t remember the last time I was so awestruck by a novelist I’d never read before. Actually, I can, but I’m not telling you. If you like to read about Texas, then this is the book for you.
October 26, 2025
You all know how it goes here on Goodreads. First I heard of this book was a review by Charles Dodd White, who gave it 10 stars. I ordered it because if White loves it that much, I sit up and listen. It went on my shelf to wait til I had time. Then my fried Dave read and reviewed it earlier this year, another 5 stars. I remembered I already had it and reminded myself I really needed to get to this one. Then my friend Megan read it on Dave's recommendation and it had another glowing, 5 star review. When any of these 3 people love a novel this much, I can't resist it, and fortunately I was between books at the time and picked it up immediately. To all 3 of you, thank you, thank you, thank you!
There are westerns, and then there is western literature, and this book belongs in the second category. With shades of Lonesome Dove because of the Texas Rangers, and shades of The Which Way Tree because of the unusual characters and the difficulties they face, this book is in a class of its own. Duncan Lammons is a Ranger with a unique problem that he must hide, Cecilia is a slave who has escaped 5 times since she was 15, and Sam Fisk is the tie that binds them all together. This is a page turner with enough action for those who need it, a three way love story that shows us the many sides of love and tenderness, and a brief history of the settling of the Texas frontier. It has everything you require in an enthralling saga, beautiful prose, and it's published by Europa Editions, which is usually an indication of excellence in itself.
Please join Charles, Dave, Megan and me and experience this for yourself. I guarantee you'll be joining this Aaron Gwyn 5 star fan club. Not to mention having Duncan, Sam and Cecilia to add to your list of unforgettable literary characters.
There are westerns, and then there is western literature, and this book belongs in the second category. With shades of Lonesome Dove because of the Texas Rangers, and shades of The Which Way Tree because of the unusual characters and the difficulties they face, this book is in a class of its own. Duncan Lammons is a Ranger with a unique problem that he must hide, Cecilia is a slave who has escaped 5 times since she was 15, and Sam Fisk is the tie that binds them all together. This is a page turner with enough action for those who need it, a three way love story that shows us the many sides of love and tenderness, and a brief history of the settling of the Texas frontier. It has everything you require in an enthralling saga, beautiful prose, and it's published by Europa Editions, which is usually an indication of excellence in itself.
Please join Charles, Dave, Megan and me and experience this for yourself. I guarantee you'll be joining this Aaron Gwyn 5 star fan club. Not to mention having Duncan, Sam and Cecilia to add to your list of unforgettable literary characters.
October 21, 2025
For various reasons I have struggled to review my books in recent weeks but I could not pass by without heaping praise on ‘All God’s Children’ as its one of the finest novels that I have read in a very long time.
Gwyn manages to balance superb prose with characters that are fully formed, and an immersive plot, rich in historical detail that keeps the story moving forward a pace. Chapters alternate between the two central protagonists; Texas Ranger, Duncan Lammons and Cecelia, a runaway slave who from the age of 15, keeps escaping on her quest to gain her freedom. I will not repeat the storyline here, but must just add, that her rescuer, former ranger, Sam Fisk with his blond hair and blue eyes has become my new literary crush! Sam must be one of the most good natured souls I have come across and his love and devotion towards Cecilia is truly heartwarming.
This was a very intense and gritty read at times. Gwyn uses the shifting narratives to portray the very best and worst of human nature. However, I would go through the heartache all over again for the pleasure of spending time with Cecilia and Duncan, both dealing with their own demons and yet both remarkable and courageous in their own ways.
I will end my review by acknowledging that having read very few books of the American West, my opinion that this book is a masterpiece of its kind, holds very little sway - so instead, I will direct you to my mate Davey’s (Dave Marsland) wonderful review that piqued my interest in the first instance. But for all of my GR friends that love this genre, I can only encourage you to go out and meet Cecilia, Duncan, Sam and the rest of this motley band of characters for yourself, as this is a rare gem of a book not to be missed!
Gwyn manages to balance superb prose with characters that are fully formed, and an immersive plot, rich in historical detail that keeps the story moving forward a pace. Chapters alternate between the two central protagonists; Texas Ranger, Duncan Lammons and Cecelia, a runaway slave who from the age of 15, keeps escaping on her quest to gain her freedom. I will not repeat the storyline here, but must just add, that her rescuer, former ranger, Sam Fisk with his blond hair and blue eyes has become my new literary crush! Sam must be one of the most good natured souls I have come across and his love and devotion towards Cecilia is truly heartwarming.
This was a very intense and gritty read at times. Gwyn uses the shifting narratives to portray the very best and worst of human nature. However, I would go through the heartache all over again for the pleasure of spending time with Cecilia and Duncan, both dealing with their own demons and yet both remarkable and courageous in their own ways.
I will end my review by acknowledging that having read very few books of the American West, my opinion that this book is a masterpiece of its kind, holds very little sway - so instead, I will direct you to my mate Davey’s (Dave Marsland) wonderful review that piqued my interest in the first instance. But for all of my GR friends that love this genre, I can only encourage you to go out and meet Cecilia, Duncan, Sam and the rest of this motley band of characters for yourself, as this is a rare gem of a book not to be missed!
November 14, 2020
In 1827, Duncan Lammons sets off from his home in Butler County, Kentucky, to stake out a new life in Texas, “It He befriends another young man named Noah along the way, and after a few years the two decide to join the Texian Army to fight for the territory’s independence. Meanwhile, an enslaved black woman named Cecelia is sold several times to different cruel masters, eventually ending up in Louisiana, where she’s stolen from the man who bought her and freed by Samuel Fisk, who fought alongside Duncan in Texas. Well written and fast flowing this is an enjoyable historical novel.
June 15, 2021
A great novel. I was expecting it to be good, but this is immediately one of my all-time favorites. The range and accomplishment is impressive. Aside from its literary merits, it's also a compulsive page-turner. Ten stars.
June 7, 2023
This is a powerful book. Aaron Gwyn shows his ability to transform words into reality, but reveals it subtly. He allows his reader to experience the feelings of his characters through the telling of his story. To accomplish this, he writes with words that compel feelings in addition to images. He also subtly changes the tone and substance of his words to fit the nature and growth of his characters. The story spans 35 years and both the dialogue and the narrative seem to gradually mature as the characters grow older. Every other chapter alternates between the focus of the two main characters and within these changes, the perspective changes as well between first and third person, but it all works. All of this feeds the story and Gwyn’s desired effect: emotional realism. It’s not common to come across a writer with such talent.
The story spans the history of early Texas from its pre-independence, through statehood and ending around the beginning of the Civil War. It’s historical fiction as opposed to a Western novel. There are no larger-than-life scenes intended to inspire thoughts of adventure. On the contrary, every element of this book is about experiencing the emotional elements of life as they were during that time and place, as it actually happened.
Gwyn shows slavery in a light that is matter-of-fact on the part of slavers and horrific on the part of the slaves. Gwyn also brings to light the consequences of ostracization; the loneliness and the self-destructive pursuits of a homosexual man during a time when homosexuality was an absolute abomination. And finally, Gwyn highlights the nature of people who love every aspect of life that surrounds them. These people have a child-like naivete about the evil that lives in others and hate is beyond their comprehension.
This was Gwyn’s third novel, and I now have the other two on my virtual shelf. They convey a sense of satisfaction in knowing that Gwyn can deliver reality in words.
The story spans the history of early Texas from its pre-independence, through statehood and ending around the beginning of the Civil War. It’s historical fiction as opposed to a Western novel. There are no larger-than-life scenes intended to inspire thoughts of adventure. On the contrary, every element of this book is about experiencing the emotional elements of life as they were during that time and place, as it actually happened.
Gwyn shows slavery in a light that is matter-of-fact on the part of slavers and horrific on the part of the slaves. Gwyn also brings to light the consequences of ostracization; the loneliness and the self-destructive pursuits of a homosexual man during a time when homosexuality was an absolute abomination. And finally, Gwyn highlights the nature of people who love every aspect of life that surrounds them. These people have a child-like naivete about the evil that lives in others and hate is beyond their comprehension.
This was Gwyn’s third novel, and I now have the other two on my virtual shelf. They convey a sense of satisfaction in knowing that Gwyn can deliver reality in words.
December 16, 2020
I’d planned to skim a chapter or two to see if my brother-in-law might like it...ended up tearing through this well-written and well-plotted Western from Europa Editions. The characters were interesting and went a ways beyond stereotypes, and the setting—Texas in the 1820’s through 1850’s—was one I didn’t know a lot about. Altogether an enjoyable read that I appreciated for resisting the urge to ascribe 21st-century attitudes to 19th-century characters.
December 19, 2020
This book was so beautifully written and should be made into a movie. I put off reading the last couple of chapters as a way to hold on to the characters a bit longer. I would love to see a sequel and find out what Robert's new adventures look like.
March 19, 2023
This was a finely crafted novel, I was totally mesmerized. First it’s a top notch page turner. Second, the characters are finely drawn and do not quite fit the mold of your typical western adventure. Misfits all, they wind their way through the violence of a new country and through our scarred history. The writing is exquisite. It could not have had a better title.
“It was Robert who salved this wound and kept my feelings from festering into resentment. I’d had no experience with children. I must’ve thought of them like a crop you tended. I hadn’t the least notion that they tended you as well. The affection of a child can mend the raveled hem of your soul. They are such genuine creatures; there is no feigning or fakery with them, nothing counterfeit.”
“It was Robert who salved this wound and kept my feelings from festering into resentment. I’d had no experience with children. I must’ve thought of them like a crop you tended. I hadn’t the least notion that they tended you as well. The affection of a child can mend the raveled hem of your soul. They are such genuine creatures; there is no feigning or fakery with them, nothing counterfeit.”
February 16, 2021
That was a bit rough. Good story though.
September 15, 2020
All God’s Children tracks two narratives from the 1827 up to the Civil War. Duncan is a young man from Kentucky, whose gay inclinations puts him at odds with his preacher father and his community. He seeks to find himself another life and joins up with the newly formed army to defend the new frontier of Texas. Cecilia is enslaved on a Virginia plantation. She becomes a “favorite” of the childless mistress who teaches her to read. Here she gains access to books that stiffen her resolve to run away for a new life of freedom.
Duncan experiences the fellowship and terrors of war, fighting Indians and Mexicans. Cecilia makes harrowing escapes and learns much of what her book knowledge did not teach her. Their unifying force is Sam. He was a heroic fellow soldier who sparked a deep-seated, but unrequited love with Duncan. He was also the source of Cecilia’s rescue, although she was deeply suspicious of him.
The first half of the book describes the separate journeys of Duncan and Cecilia. These are two people from very different backgrounds but both aiming for some kind of family, freedom from their pasts and hope for stability if not serenity. In the second half of the book, the outside world threatens and rends their worlds apart. While the first part of the book builds upon Texas history and settlement, in a more “traditional” way….the second half explores what lies beneath.
This is a story not to be missed for those seeking historical fiction that is alive with complex characters, heartbreak, action and, maybe acceptance and redemption. Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this book to review.
Duncan experiences the fellowship and terrors of war, fighting Indians and Mexicans. Cecilia makes harrowing escapes and learns much of what her book knowledge did not teach her. Their unifying force is Sam. He was a heroic fellow soldier who sparked a deep-seated, but unrequited love with Duncan. He was also the source of Cecilia’s rescue, although she was deeply suspicious of him.
The first half of the book describes the separate journeys of Duncan and Cecilia. These are two people from very different backgrounds but both aiming for some kind of family, freedom from their pasts and hope for stability if not serenity. In the second half of the book, the outside world threatens and rends their worlds apart. While the first part of the book builds upon Texas history and settlement, in a more “traditional” way….the second half explores what lies beneath.
This is a story not to be missed for those seeking historical fiction that is alive with complex characters, heartbreak, action and, maybe acceptance and redemption. Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this book to review.
September 24, 2020
I loved this book. It is beautifully written and a sensitive description of a period i was unfamiliar with. It is the story of Texas' struggle to become independent and subsequently part of America. There are many battles which are very effectively conveyed, but the most wondrous element of the book are the relationships between the characters. Duncan is the first person narrator and is a complex and interesting man, struggling with his own identity as a gay man living in a homophobic world. Cecilia is an ex slave, herself struggling to understand how to love in a world that values her as property. Sam is the man that both Cecilia and Duncan love and is a luminous presence in the book. What both Cecilia and Duncan find is the strength to earn a life that is worth living, and it is a meaningful journey for us to share with them.
November 1, 2020
Brokeback Mountain. Now with extra miscegenation.
April 21, 2024
An interesting novel that does a great job of showcasing life on the western frontier as simultaneously a romantic endeavor, tragic hardship, and, ultimately, something that could never last.
November 19, 2020
I wanted to love this. There were some bits that were stunningly good, and I really appreciated the very small amount of sexual violence. But partway through, I started to realize how Cecelia seemed to struggle more than was reasonable and to make mistakes that weren't logical for her character to make. And then Duncan had nice a closing chapter rounding out his story and we heard nothing more from Cecelia, and I was very glad I was done with the book. The ending is fine, but not especially satisfying, and I don't feel like our characters were able to capitalize on the growth they experienced throughout the novel. I was hopeful about recommending this to folks, but I'm not sure that I can.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2021
One of the best books I’ve read in a long while.
September 29, 2021
This is a powerfully honest novel about the founding of Texas, taking place between 1827 and 1861, and the appalling hatred, racism, and violence towards slaves, Indians, and anybody who didn’t think like the Evil White Men who formed this country. The protagonists both fled their homes for a better life: Duncan fled his Kentucky home and parents after his father discovered him having sexual relations with another man and Cecilia, a Virginia slave who fled to find her freedom. Thorough research of the era and times, along with strong character development, make this a book I highly highly recommend.
April 1, 2023
The right mix of character-driven story set in the 1800s, weaving historical fiction in with a narrative of the human condition, and nice, tight McCarthy-esque violence. Cecelia and Duncan are two sides of the same coin: soft and caring yet hard and dangerous, seeking comfort and safety yet utterly restless. That the story alternates between the two even when their stories become intertwined shows a strong consistency in characterization and plotting. If you're in the mood for a modern-day lovechild of Faulkner and McCarthy, read this.
March 16, 2021
A western, mainly about Texas in the 1820s through 1840s. The protagonists are a runaway female slave and a Texas Ranger veteran, escaping his past due to his gay proclivities.
The book is told in alternating narratives of the two main characters. It is well-written and researched, and presents an historical fiction that is one I was not familiar with.
The book is told in alternating narratives of the two main characters. It is well-written and researched, and presents an historical fiction that is one I was not familiar with.
December 10, 2020
A solid 4.5. Highly recommended especially for readers who enjoyed TRUE GRIT and/or COLD MOUNTAIN.
August 16, 2024
This story of the Texas revolution, war with Mexico, and Texas Rangers is riveting with a carefully crafted plot and interesting twists. I enjoyed every minute of it except the ending. It almost seemed as if the author got tired of his own story and just decided to move on. This great saga deserved a better conclusion.
October 27, 2020
Once again Europa publishes another thought provoking book. I truly look forward to everything they publish each month because I know it will be something that will open my mind and have me enter a new world. All God's Children is one of those books. It's a story about people searching for something other than the life they are living. The three main characters are Duncan, Celia and Sam. Gwyn beautifully tells their story and you literally feel them come alive on the page. There were times when I had to put the book because I was so moved by the story. I hope this book finds many readers because it just such a special book and I promise you that you have read nothing like it. Read it!
October 25, 2024
Very strong medicine but rings true
Intense, gritty, hard. Not a comfortable book to curl up with. But credible. It might accurately describe life as a ranger in early Texas. And life as a runaway slave in that same fierce time and place.
Intense, gritty, hard. Not a comfortable book to curl up with. But credible. It might accurately describe life as a ranger in early Texas. And life as a runaway slave in that same fierce time and place.
Want to read
August 7, 2020PW Starred: "Gwyn (Wynne’s War) unleashes a powerful, decades-spanning novel of Texas’s violent birth in the mid-19th century. Duncan Lammons, 20, a gay son of a preacher, travels from Kentucky to the frontier in 1827, hoping he can somehow purify himself of what he calls his “unnatural hunger.” Duncan joins the Texian army’s fight for independence in 1835, and during the course of his service develops feelings for fellow soldier Sam Fisk. A parallel narrative follows Cecelia, a literate and resourceful young enslaved woman who repeatedly escapes and gets caught by her Virginia master throughout her teens, until she is resold farther South to pick cotton. Her fortunes change when Sam rescues her from a Louisiana auction block and takes her back to Texas, where he settles on a parcel of land in central Texas. They eventually become lovers, and Cecilia bears a son. Now a retired Ranger and Mexican War veteran in 1846, Duncan settles down nearby, but tension brews between him and Cecelia over the way Duncan looks at Sam. When Sam’s land claim is contested over objections to Sam living with a Black woman, Duncan tries to save them from danger. Whether it’s Cecelia struggling to pick enough cotton to avoid a whipping while enslaved or Duncan taking part in the siege of Monterrey, Gwyn creates an overwhelmingly visceral and emotionally rich narrative amid Texas’s complex path to statehood, making readers care deeply about the characters’ fates. This is a masterpiece of western fiction in the tradition of Cormac McCarthy and James Carlos Blake. (Oct.)"
September 15, 2020
This book is told through two narratives, Duncan who is from Kentucky and Cecelia a black woman who is a slave in Virginia. Duncan has ‘unnatural’ inclinations, meaning he is gay at a time when being so could be fatal. After a series of sexual encounters with other men, his reputation begins to precede him and he moves to Texas. He eventually joins the Texas Rangers to fight for Texas sovereignty; something he finds distracts him from his inclinations. Until he meets Sam, who also joins the Rangers and to whom Duncan finds himself hopelessly attracted to. Meanwhile, Cecelia has attempted to run away a number of times, each time she is caught, after she is caught the first couple of times, she is sold, eventually ending up on a cotton plantation where she stays for a number of years. Sam is given an assignment that sends him to New Orleans where he encounters Cecelia being sold at auction, he intervenes and essentially steals her from the man who had purchased her. They travel back to Texas and setup home on a parcel of land. Duncan has continued fighting with the Rangers until he hears that Sam has returned and decides to confide his feelings to him. There is a lot of violence in the book, though with all the war fighting that would be expected and I did not find any of it to be gratuitous. I found the book a little slow at times, particularly in the middle, but I was curious as to how it would end and the pages turned easily. The ending was both sad and satisfying. Thanks to Netgalley and the author for the ARC.
January 6, 2021
I am so glad to have come across this book simply by exploring the publisher's website. I do feel like 5 stars should be reserved for books that are perfect, of which there are few or none, but I decided to round up in this case. I think this book deserves to reach a larger audience.
Without spoiling anything, each chapter is an alternating viewpoint - one of Duncan Lammons, a young man who leaves his home state of Kentucky in start of a new life and the other of Cecelia, a young enslaved woman whose repeated attempts at escape lead her down increasingly harrowing and tragic paths. Interestingly, Duncan's chapters are told in the first person and Cecelia's in the third person and this approach really worked for this story.
The two characters' stories converge about mid-way, with a third main character being the link between them. There was one point in the middle where I thought the book was starting to drag slightly but that didn't last long. The last third of the book was really amazing and the ending was just about perfect - so rare that a book has an ending as satisfying as this one.
The setting of 1840s Texas was interesting, too as the book was like a big history lesson. Again, without spoiling anything, the book ends with the civil war looming and it was illuminating to read about what such a turbulent time might have felt like to those living in it - similar emotions that we might be feeling today, to varying degrees of extent.
Lastly, in the right hands, this book could be adapted into a really riveting film - would love to see an attempt at that.
Without spoiling anything, each chapter is an alternating viewpoint - one of Duncan Lammons, a young man who leaves his home state of Kentucky in start of a new life and the other of Cecelia, a young enslaved woman whose repeated attempts at escape lead her down increasingly harrowing and tragic paths. Interestingly, Duncan's chapters are told in the first person and Cecelia's in the third person and this approach really worked for this story.
The two characters' stories converge about mid-way, with a third main character being the link between them. There was one point in the middle where I thought the book was starting to drag slightly but that didn't last long. The last third of the book was really amazing and the ending was just about perfect - so rare that a book has an ending as satisfying as this one.
The setting of 1840s Texas was interesting, too as the book was like a big history lesson. Again, without spoiling anything, the book ends with the civil war looming and it was illuminating to read about what such a turbulent time might have felt like to those living in it - similar emotions that we might be feeling today, to varying degrees of extent.
Lastly, in the right hands, this book could be adapted into a really riveting film - would love to see an attempt at that.
October 31, 2024
Very well written historical fiction, which takes place in the mid 1800s up to the start of the civil war. A young man sets out to start a life on the frontier beyond U.S. borders in the Texas territories. His life as a Texas Ranger through wars and battles as he struggles with his identity and fit in the world is paralleled by the struggles of Cecelia, a young woman who escapes from slavery and also ends up in Texas. Each of them have dual identities in a way, as who they each are does not fit with the realities of the 19th c western world. Very honest and raw writing that gets to the heart of each character. The only thing that threw me off was the last few chapters, which just jumped too far in the future of their lives, I guess to close the story. It felt a bit abrupt as the rest of the book has so much depth. 3.5 stars for the story, <2 for the last few chapters. Could have used a better ending, regardless of it being happy or of misery. The ending ruined how much i had enjoyed the book until then.
October 11, 2020
For me this book never felt like it was trying to say anything new. It felt like this book was just trying to re-do themes that have already been covered in much better books. I never found myself becoming fully invested in most of the characters, as their development ended up falling flat for me. The one exception is Cecelia, who is the only fully developed character in the whole novel. This book could have been so much stronger if it just focused on her.
The plot points in this novel ended up feeling so weak and undeveloped, and it was hard to believe that someone would pine so hard and for so long for someone they only had the most bare of interactions with. This all just limps along to an ending that felt like the author didn't know how he wanted his story to end.
This book had so much promise, but never ended up working for me. And I felt so cheated by the author's LGBT story choices.
The plot points in this novel ended up feeling so weak and undeveloped, and it was hard to believe that someone would pine so hard and for so long for someone they only had the most bare of interactions with. This all just limps along to an ending that felt like the author didn't know how he wanted his story to end.
This book had so much promise, but never ended up working for me. And I felt so cheated by the author's LGBT story choices.
March 7, 2021
All God’s Children by Aaron Gwyn follows Duncan Lammons and Cecelia as they each escape from their lives and journey to find a new and better future.
Duncan Lammons, a gay Texas Ranger during a time when when that can be life threatening, and Cecelia, a slave on the run, are both aiming for Texas – a land of freedom and independence.
The two begin their journey in the same year, 1827, and are connected through love, pain, and an unwillingness to have their freedom taken from them once again.
I may not have grown up on a ranch, but Cowboy runs through my blood. I felt it pulsing through me as I devoured every word of this novel. It’s a blend of Western and wild and passion and violence in a beautiful and subtle way that will catch you off guard.
Read my full review at the Disappear Here Book Blog: https://disappearherebookblog.com/202...
Duncan Lammons, a gay Texas Ranger during a time when when that can be life threatening, and Cecelia, a slave on the run, are both aiming for Texas – a land of freedom and independence.
The two begin their journey in the same year, 1827, and are connected through love, pain, and an unwillingness to have their freedom taken from them once again.
I may not have grown up on a ranch, but Cowboy runs through my blood. I felt it pulsing through me as I devoured every word of this novel. It’s a blend of Western and wild and passion and violence in a beautiful and subtle way that will catch you off guard.
Read my full review at the Disappear Here Book Blog: https://disappearherebookblog.com/202...
August 4, 2021
Recommended to me by my local small book store (Downbound Books, Cincinnati) owner. I had never heard of it and I was rather surprised how much I enjoyed it and how quickly I read it (I can sometimes be a slow reader and sometimes juggling several books, magazines, etc.). Great writing and plot development - a page turner. The only slight criticism I might have which did not really take away from the enjoyment of it is that it was sometimes difficult to completely buy the relationship between Sam, the white, loner frontiersman and Cecilia, the former slave. And although there were certainly white people in the south who thought slavery was wrong, sometimes I thought this book was an example of an author's taking more progressive, contemporary viewpoints and values and projecting them on characters from the past, making feel a bit too hopeful and maybe not authentic...but then again maybe that is wrong of me. Doesn't take away that I thought it was a really well written book.
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