Helpful Score: 1
This is the story of Henry Shackleford, a young slave boy who is "freed" by abolitionist John Brown and through no fault of his own becomes a member of Brown's army. But because Henry is a small, slightly built boy who was wearing only a potato sack, Brown thinks Henry is a girl and takes to calling him little Onion. What follows is a story that is both hilarious and sorrowful. McBride can turn your emotions on a dime and shows us that even revered historical figures come with warts and human frailties. Five stars for this book and I can't recommend it highly enough. Terrific historical novel.
