Although I must admit The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox is a descent novel, I am not able to say I enjoyed the book. When I first started reading this book I found it tremendously dramatic and so I thought that maybe it would be tremendously entertaining. But, the marvelous plot turned into series of irrational events.
The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox is the journey of 13-year-old Jessie Bullier who gets kidnapped by seamen. Jessie is forced to play the five for African slaves so that they will maintain healthy while they dance. Jessie and the slaves are aboard The Moonlight, a ship that is transporting the slaves to Spain where they will be sold. It is not long until The Moonlight reaches its final destination, but the mission fails to be completed when the ship is caught in a storm and sinks. Almost everyone drowns in the shark filled waters of Cuba, the only two survivors are Jessie and Ras. Ras is an African boy who was going to be sold as a slave. The young boys fight for their lives as they swim their way to shore, once at land the children meet an old man, Daniel. Daniel shelters and feeds the boys for a short period of time; during this short period of time the boys develop a friendship. But, the bonding is ceased when Ras takes off on a journey Daniel calls necessary. Later on, Daniel sends Jessie off to New Orleans, Jessie´s home. The person that arrives to New Orleans is not the same, old, childish Jessie, but a young man.
To me, the ending was sweet and sour. I found that the friendship between the two children was incredible considering they were from two completely opposite races. How after all that racism Ras received from a white, Ras trusted a white to save his life.
“Nose,” said Ras as he touched my nose. I smiled then. He placed a finger against my front teeth. (pg.163)
This is my favorite part of the book because it is a reflection of their friendship, and to me their relationship was an incredible detail to add to the story, it reminds me of the saying, “good always beats evil!”
But yet, I found so many lose string and unanswered questions were left at the end. For example, what happened to Ras after his journey? Did he become a slave?
One thing I absolutely hate is when almost everybody aboard drowns, mostly because my favorite character’s existence is ceased there. Purvis, my favorite character, I love because he is like every other seaman on the outside, tough and mean. But really, he cares about Jessie. He gives Jessie hope and comfort, play cat´s cradle and communicates with the kid, also he plays with the African children. I think I really like this character because, again, he shows that there is always good in the world.
Also about the ship-sinking scene, it was so not what I expected. I was waiting for the slaves to commit mutiny and gain freedom, for the seamen to be sorry for their sins; I think that would be a much more exciting solution. But to me, the solution is just too boring and depressing, I mean, the solution is death. It just happened way too fast.
As for the chain of events in the middle, they are alright and acceptable but they aren´t anything breath taking.
Is it understandable why I say the chain of even are unreasonable? Yes, I believe that it is realistic that a ship can sink and so the passengers will lose their lives. But I find it unrealistic that two children will not drown, have the luck to be sheltered because of good will and yet make it back to their home town safely.
The Slave Dancer is named like so to represent the way Jessie was feeling, slave as in forced to and miserable, and dancer as in music. All together, forced to create music miserably.
Overall I would not recommend this book to anyone, it isn´t a book that drives the reader to the edge of their seat, and to me that is what a good book should do!
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