Property
Property by Valerie Martin is a reprint edition published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group on April 13, 2004. This novel, set in 1828 on a Louisiana sugar plantation, offers a nuanced exploration of the complexities of slave ownership and its impact on personal identity. The narrative centers on Manon Gaudet, a woman grappling with her own bitterness and self-absorption, as she navigates her tumultuous relationship with her husband and his slave, Sarah.
Readers will find a psychological and historical examination of the dynamics between Manon and Sarah, highlighting themes of obsession and power against the backdrop of an impending slave rebellion. The writing is noted for its clarity and precision, providing a stark portrayal of the characters’ inner lives and the societal structures that shape them. With 208 pages, this edition invites readers to reflect on the historical context and its relevance to contemporary discussions surrounding race and power.
Official synopsis Publisher
WINNER OF THE ORANGE PRIZE • Set in 1828 on a Louisiana sugar plantation, this novel from the bestselling author of Mary Reilly presents a “fresh, unsentimental look at what slave-owning does to (and for) one’s interior life…. The writing—so prised and clean limbed—is a marvel” (Toni Morrison, Nobel Prize-winning author of Beloved).
Manon Gaudet, pretty, bitterly intelligent, and monstrously self-absorbed, seethes under the dominion of her boorish husband. In particular his relationship with her slave Sarah, who is both his victim and his mistress.
Exploring the permutations of Manon’s own obsession with Sarah against the backdrop of an impending slave rebellion, Property unfolds with the speed and menace of heat lightning, casting a startling light from the past upon the assumptions we still make about the powerful and powerful.
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