Yonder by Jabari Asim is a powerful and enlightening novel that is a good fit for readers who appreciate historical fiction that explores the complexities of love, hope, and resilience in the face of slavery and racism, and are looking for a deeply emotional and reflective reading experience.

I couldn't get through this title. It ended up not being for me, but I hope it finds a hope with other readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I have to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read the novel. My opinion seems to be the odd one out, I know I read the same book based on the description. Sadly, I found nothing in the book noteworthy for a glowing review. I was expecting it to be more of a historical fiction, but my impression of the story is more fantasy and mythical.

Yonder is a wonder. This is the first book I read in 2022, and it has stuck with me as one of the most powerfully written novels that I have read this year. Yonder is hard to. categorize. It’s historial fiction, but it reads like a fable, due to excellently-executed elements of magical realism that are woven through the text. The humanity of the characters is central to this narrative, Asim’s bold choices in defining his characters in a way that centers this humanity is awe-inspiring, dignifying, and provacative (in the best way).

Yonder provides a glimpse into the lives of the Stolen slaves of Placid Hall plantation. William, Cato, Margaret, Pandora, and Little Zander cope with the harsh and inhumane realities of enslavement in their own ways. Ransom, a traveling black preacher, gives support and hope to his Stolen flock. When meaningful relationships are forged among the Stolen, the desire to escape into the Yonder becomes overpowering even with the risks that it brings.

This work is a beautifully written and captivating novel with compelling characters that I won’t soon forget. It presents a gripping story of strength and perseverance in the face of the ugliness and power of the white Thieves who control their lives. The Stolen characters risk it all for the freedom to form and maintain long-term connections of family, love, and friendship that are taken for granted by those who have never faced such oppression. Their journey to escape the bonds of slavery is powerful and emotive.

Jabari Asim is a master storyteller. His writing is so evocative and engrossing that the pages almost turn themselves. It’s a joy to have discovered such a gifted author and I’ll be reading more from Mr. Asim.

This book isn’t your typical book about the era of slavery. While it isn’t an easy book to read because of the graphic details, it enlightens the reader from the slaves’ perspectives. “We called them Thieves; they called themselves God’s Children. We called ourselves Stolen; they called us niggas.” The book has the heartbreak of loss, love, survival, abuse and the Underground Railroad. Each chapter is written from a different slave’s perspective. They each have their own story to tell – suffering.

Yonder had several different perspectives. Some are distance and some are location. “Nobody needs a map to know that there’s nothing over yonder but more blood.” Regardless, the reader will be absorbed in the story. This book is for the reader who wants to feel the life of a slave and escape through the Underground Railroad. Be prepared – it is “raw feelings.”

Thank you to Netgalley and the book’s publisher, Simon & Schuster, for an advanced reader’s copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A striking novel that merges the best things from The Water Dancer and The Prophets. It explores love and kinship in all of its forms.

Get ready to hold your breath through this whole novel, as it will grip your heart and throat with each turn of the page. The book is drawing comparisons to The Prophets, which I also loved, but what The Prophets does in layers of denser text, Yonder does in its spareness and expanse. Yonder moves between narrators as a group of enslaved people calling themselves The Stolen. Each character provides such a rich insight to the experience of movement away from the south. Each voice is a whole world. Magical realist element throughout add a nod to traditional rituals of African cultures.

A unique and well-written book, told from the viewpoint of slaves, Yonder is at times heartbreaking, upsetting and also touching and sweet. I found it to be a well told story that was believable (however shocking) as a story of that time period. It never ceases to be amazing that human beings were treated poorly and were seen only as property. The love between slaves and the spirit within them is what made the novel more memorable for me. It's not an easy read, but is definitely worth one's time.

This book is about a group of slaves on the Placid Hall plantation, owned by Cannonball Greene and his wife known as Screech Owl. There are some touching depictions of love and loyalty among the slaves, but there is nothing really new here. The slaves are called Stolen People and their owners are called Thieves, there is a Chariot instead of the Underground Railroad and there was a little magical realism in the way ancestors were introduced. However, these changes didn’t do anything to cast a new light on a story that has been told many times. The Thieves and the Stolen People behave exactly like they do in every other book about slavery. The changes just felt like a way to avoid having to be historically accurate. Maybe if you haven’t read anything else about slavery you might find this more moving than I did. The writing was ok and I might read more by this author, depending upon the subject, so I am rounding my rating up. 3.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Yonder is a beautiful story of an ugly period of time in our history. Jabari Asim’s writing is a warm embrace of hope and believing. If you’ve ever wanted to read Roots by Alex Haley this is an excellent stepping stone. I enjoyed each of the characters and their growth and development through the difficult challenges of having their lives stolen.

Yonder by Jabari Asim is character-driven historical fiction centering the experiences of enslaved people.

Here, they refer to themselves as Stolen and their owners as Thieves -- a thread throughout the book is the power of language. For instance, the Stolen are whispered over after their births, given seven words chosen especially for them from seven elders. They're to recite their seven once in the morning and again at night, to imbue them with strength.

The first two-thirds of the book has a minimal plot, largely showing day-to-day life on one plantation. Perspective switches between several characters; it felt like William was the star of the novel, though Cato, Margaret, Ransom, and Pandora also share their viewpoints. The last third is faster paced as the setting and plot change.

I loved the title and the different uses of "yonder" in the text. The writing often is beautiful, while Asim doesn't shy away from describing the cruelties white people inflicted. Amid their horrific realties, the Stolen continually were there for each other, showing love and giving love.

Lyrically written emotional moving novel of slaves who consider themselves stolen.Found their thoughts feelings gut wrenching.This is a book that will stay with me and I wil be recommending.#netgalley #s&s

Yonder is described as The Water Dancer meets The Prophets. I haven't gotten to either of these books (they're my priority reads for 2022!), so I can't speak to how accurate the blurb is. Evaluating Yonder on its own, the beautiful, lyrical prose stands out and I can tell this will be an award-winning book because of the writing style and overall message.

While the storyline about escaping from slavery is not new, Yonder is an important book that I encourage all readers to pick up. What I appreciate most about Yonder is how the book demonstrates the importance of language, i.e., language can simultaneously empower and disempower people. The pacing may be slow at times, but it's well worth it!

Man… I really enjoyed this. I am inclined to go with 5 stars but lemme think about it because I get real EMOTIONAL about a five star review.
I love that this was vivid without being gory. Loved this author’s use of language and the story clipped along at a good pace.
I have not yet read The Prophets, but it’s def on the ‘PUT IT IN YOUR FACE’ list. I did not finish Water Dancer but now I can imagine what Coates’ vision for that book was. I loved “the 7”, the idea of the Swing Low, the change of the name from Master to Thief, from Enslaved to Stolen and the ribbon of the love story that flows throughout.
If I think about it longer I could go all day.
Can’t wait to discuss this and glean insight from others on this work. Hope it launches well.

Wow. I’m going to be thinking about this book for a long time. The writing is breathtaking and does not hesitate in describing the horror and inhumane conditions the Stolen (slaves) endured from the Thieves. Every word felt intentional and needed. I loved some of the characters in the book while I feared others. This is writing at its best and I highly recommend. Take your time with this deceptively-short book. It’s full and deep and I hope you give it the time and pace and attention it deserves. Heartfelt thanks to Simon and Schuster for the advanced copy.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Very heavy, difficult to read and even wrap your head around. Overall, I really liked the story but had a hard time connecting to a few parts that felt very mystical and fantasy-like, dumped in the middle of a very historically-based, real, raw story.

At times difficult to read, this is an important and beautiful novel about the power of love. The enslaved people of Placid Hall, who refer to themselves as the Stolen, tell most of the story of people dying to cope with the whims and abuse of the Thieves. The Stolen have their own rituals- the whispering of seven words to each newborn most importantly-and language which sustain them but there is always the threat of violence and separation hanging over their heads. Freedom is a concept that hovers. And then there's a shocking event that forces change. It's a slim novel that might appear to be a quick read but it demands more careful attention. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Gorgeous language and a thought provoking plot make this an excellent read for fans of literary fiction.

Jabari Asim's Yonder is the story of five Stolen escaping from the plantation of the Thief who claims to own them. Putting it in language we hear more often, it's the story of a group of runaway slaves fleeing their master. See what difference the language makes?

The story Yonder relates, narrated by multiple Stolen, is deeply engaging. What I want to focus on, however, is the power of language that runs throughout the novel. It's not just the Stolen/Thief labels. Cannonball Greene, owner of the plantation, has convinced himself he is engaged in a scientific study of the soulless beings his god has seen fit to bless him with, coining new terms for their various forms of inferiority. The Stolen, each given seven words at birth from seven different Stolen, recite those words at the beginning and end of each day and at times of crisis. They don't tell themselves they come from Africa—in their wording they come from Strength. And when—if—they reach Yonder (Canada) they will rename themselves.

Changing the language with which a story is told, as Asim does, can make that story new, can make that story truer, can flip the perspective through which that story is experienced by readers. I'm still searching for my own language to discuss Yonder, but this is the point I'm currently at. When I find better words, I'll come back to revise.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

William, Cato, Pandora and Margaret are four slaves, or "Stolen" who have suffered at the hands of multiple masters, or "Thieves". They spend their lives just trying to survive, hoping for a place away from their slave lives where they can be free to raise their children and watch them grow up instead of watching them get sold to other Thieves. Immersive and sensitive, the reader will be right there with them.