Unsworth's tale of obsession is built around a desperate man's gamble to restore his fortune through the voyage of a slave-ship, and carries forward the mission of a son to avenge his father's death. Unfortunately, the son's motivations never seem to make much sense, and there are long portions, particularly in the early chapters, where things drag almost unbearably. The shipboard sections are vividly written, but the overall story somewhat of a downer.
An interesting story about obsession, a slave ship where the whites are treated nearly as bad as the blacks. A chance at freedom. So depressing!