Copper Sun is a work of historical fiction chronicling one girl’s journey from her African village through the stark realities of slavery. Fifteen year old Amari lives an idyllic life – she loves the handsome, hardworking boy she is supposed to marry; adores her little brother; and works hard to learn the ways of her tribe. All of that changes when white strangers attack. She soon finds herself in chains, forced to walk for days toward the coast. Anyone with even the basest knowledge of history can guess the general plot that follows but Draper manages to make Amari’s story heart-wrenching, suspenseful and endearing.
An interesting twist is that once purchased by the highest bidder, Amari meets Polly, a white indentured servant who belongs to the same farmer. The author gives Polly her own narrative and begins alternating sections of the book between the girls. This technique forces readers to acknowledge just how significant race was during this era. While Polly endures many of the same abuses Amari does, her skin color does indeed influence her treatment and outlook on life. Eventually the girls escape together which presents an entirely new set of obstacles but I’ll leave those for readers to discover.
The above description is a pretty tame version of the book. The truth of the matter is Draper does not sugar coat the atrocities that were slavery. Her description of the conditions slaves were forced to endure on the boats to America actually made me physically ill. The acts of violence and emotional abuse she reveals made me put down the book and walk away on more than one occasion. That said, I really think this book is appropriate for teenagers. The graphic descriptions are never gratuitous; they are tempered with moments of tenderness and even humor. I usually don’t like YA historical fiction as if often feels like the author is trying to force the lessons of the past down readers’ unwilling throats. Draper’s lesson is an easy if bitter pill to swallow.
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