Reviewed by Edna (Amazon Reader) September 16, 2019 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Reviewed by Lisa (Amazon Reader) September 23, 2019 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
The novel starts off in Afrika, 1789. The life of Mo’destee Vert (Harriet Tubman’s grandma). She was ripped out of her land, her life, and brutally abused, taken to Maryland and sold into slavery. This was an eye-opening look into her life and the background of Harriet’s legacy. Although a work of fiction, the author showed much research in her writing. This book only scrapes the surface of the depths of abuse and mistreatment of the slaves. I enjoy reading about Harriet Tubman but never have read anything about her family. She suffered much and had a mission to become free and to free others.
Reviewed By Teresa Syms for Readers’ Favorite April 20, 2018 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
As a teenager in 1789, Mo’destee Vert was in love and happy with her upcoming role in her home village of Senegambia. A brilliant girl, gifted in so many ways, Mo’destee looked forward to her upcoming marriage to Jabari. Then the white men came, destroying the happy village and Mo’destee’s way of life. After the grueling voyage to Maryland, she becomes the property of plantation owner, Robert Banks. Banks is a cruel and heartless master and Mo’destee is subjected to his brutal ways, and his daughter Ethel’s unique ideas, as she sees Mo’destee as a playmate and friend.
The Trials & Tribulations of Modesty Greene, by DW Plato, shares the lives of Mo’destee and her descendants as they struggle with the horrors of slavery. After three generations of slavery, Araminta Ross, aka Harriet Tubman, fully grasps her relationship with God and begins the fight for freedom as she takes up her pivotal role in the Underground Railroad.
A gripping novel that plunges the reader into the slave trade of 1789. In the Trials & Tribulations of Modesty Greene, DW Plato draws a graphic picture of the horrific lives of Mo’destee and her family, as each generation fights against the degradation of being owned by cruel plantation owners. A well written and graphic novel that brings to life the horrors of slavery, yet clearly displays the depth of the human spirit and keeps the reader turning pages as you cheer on the protagonist. As each new character is introduced in the story, the reader feels the burden of being born into slavery, the pain and suffering with each strike of the whip as it tears into their flesh, but also the joy, love and hope of freedom each generation represents. Character creation is exceptional, bringing to life the defiant Mo’destee Vert, who stood proud in her faith and never lost sight of her dream of freedom. Well written and well done on a topic that has plagued mankind for centuries! An eye-opening book that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Lori Maddox (Amazon Reader) April 25, 2018 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
I had never thought about Harriet Tubman’s ancestors much. This book really made me think about how the people who were captured and sold as slaves lived before. The author takes you back with a heartbreaking story of this family who were happy and living a wonderful life. The title character was ripped away and her entir future destroyed in one horrifying moment.
We follow her descendants through the generations of slavery. Family members are never safe. They don’t have any control over who will get to stay and who will be sold. Will they be beaten or killed? Will today be the day a young girl will be raped by her owner?
There are hundreds of books about Harriet Tubman. This is the only one that I’ve found that goes into her past. It shows what life as a slave was like.
This is history that is not taught in schools. It is a fiction, but, well researched and it feels close to reality to me.
I love this book. DW Plato is an amazing author who treats this subject with the respect it deserves. This is a must read for any student of history as well as anyone who is interested in what made Harriet Tubman into the hero she was.
Heather Hess (Goodreads Reader) May 19, 2018 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
A good story is supposed to make you feel every kind of emotion,right? One of my favorite things about D.W. Plato’s writing is that she doesn’t sugar coat things. Her stories are open and honest, filled with so much feeling. Not always soft and warm, but definitely something worthwhile. Trials & Tribulations of Modesty Greene took me through so many emotions!
Contentment, peace, happiness, fear, heartache, anger, shame, courage, strength, empowerment….all were part of this amazing story. I’m a huge fan of anyone who can turn adversity and strife into victory and accomplishment. Mo’destee Vert and her descendants are the best kind of heroes.
Reviewed By Kayti Nika Raet for Readers’ Favorite (2018) ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The Trials and Tribulations of Modesty Greene by D.W. Plato is a historical novel set in late 18th century West Africa and spans the Atlantic during the Middle Passage all the way until the mid 19th century. A fictional account highlighting the life of Mo’destee Vert, as a happy young child up until the moment she gets kidnapped and brought to America in the slave trade, the story follows her life and the life of her descendants, one of whom is Harriet Tubman. Plato dramatizes their quest for freedom in a world that sees their skin as being less than human, showcasing the heart and strength of each woman as they pursue their dreams, despite the hardships in their way.
Filled with many twists and turns and visceral descriptions, the story Plato crafts is a riveting account of a grim era. The Trials and Tribulations of Modesty Greene made for a decent read. Plato does well in really getting into the souls of the women and the harrowing emotions they feel as they’re subjected to the institution of slavery. Bringing up an account of Harriet Tubman’s ancestors provides a new aspect that we don’t often read about and makes for a unique tale. Plato even manages to straddle the racist attitudes of the time period with our more modern sensibilities, holding it up as both a window and a mirror to a time not so long ago. The Trials and Tribulations of Modesty Greene by D.W. Plato is a good read for fans of historical fiction.