The Kingdom on the Waves: Octavian Nothing, Vol. 2 (by M.T. Anderson)

This sequel to the National Book Award-winning The Pox Party finds Octavian escaping with Dr. Trefusis, with the two making their way into beseiged Boston in 1775. After a stay there filled with privation, illness, and some fleeting moments of happiness, they head south to Virginia to join Gov. Dunmore, who has promised freedom to any slaves who join his army to fight against the rebels. But Dunmore is incompetent -- and only interested in freedom if it helps him win.

That this is a brilliant historical novel there can be no doubt. Complex narrative structure and sophisticated, often lyrical, language are employed to bring to life an almost forgotten part of the American Revolution from an equally forgotten point of view -- that of the slaves, whom both sides attempted to use, and neither side considered human.

Through nearly 600 pages of misery, illness, violence, and witty philosophical discourse, Octavian's hope for the betterment of humanity remains, in spite of his almost uniformly horrific experiences. This is a dense book, and the literary style will make it a challenge for many teens. Keep a dictionary at their elbows.