Synopsis:
Wild things run loose at the border. They know that the caravan is coming. Their reach is disturbingly effective, and they have a fierce appetite. The sentinels are patient and can be quite disarming.
From the outskirts of Boston, in 1800, London Oxford’s family climbed aboard a sleigh that was bound for the promised land. They, as part of the Wrights’ caravan, travelled north in the dead of winter. London joined four other young families. Nineteen children were twelve years or younger. Dozens of young, single men, armed with axes, followed on foot. London, who wasn’t always free, was risking everything for a chance at a better life.
Moving through the frigid cold and the blinding white made the adults tired and numb. They felt like they were already asleep. That might be why no-one noticed the drag marks in the snow, or why so few questioned the disappearances. The little ones were left to run recklessly and unfettered. London felt like that—until that something woke him up.
Favorite Lines:
“…in the end nature does not belong to us, we belong to it.”
“The blood-red eyes of the loon were captivated by shadowed wisps lit by the sunset’s tangerine glare.”
My Opinion:
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.
Swallowing the Muskellunge is one of those books that sneaks up on you. It starts slow and earthy, and before you know it, you’re knee-deep in a story that feels both intimate and unsettling. Lawrence P. O’Brien mixes real history with small, quiet moments of fear, love, and survival.
The story centers on London Oxford and his family, a free Black family in Massachusetts in the late 1700s, trying to hold on to what little freedom and dignity they have while serving the Wrights — a white family planning to move north into what’s now Canada. It’s not a loud book. Instead, it builds through the weight of ordinary things — cooking, chores, travel, exhaustion — all the things that make up a hard life that still manages to have small joys in it.
What I liked most is how real it feels. The writing doesn’t rush. It gives you time to see the world as London sees it: every sound in the woods, every small act of cruelty, every moment of kindness. There’s a scene where he takes his young son, Abner, on a wagon trip that starts as a simple errand and turns into something terrifying. It’s written so quietly that when the danger comes, it feels almost too real.
The book doesn’t romanticize anything. It shows how freedom wasn’t clean or complete — how even “free” people still lived in the shadow of being owned, watched, or taken. But it also shows a family trying to love each other in the middle of that, and that’s what makes it stay with you.
This is a slower read, but it’s worth it. If you like stories that feel like they could’ve really happened — something between historical fiction and family saga — you’ll probably appreciate this one.
Summary:
Overall, this book is about ordinary people trying to make choices that might finally give their children a better life. O’Brien writes with a calm, observant tone that makes even the hardest moments feel deeply human. It’s a good fit for readers who like historical fiction that feels honest, emotional, and quietly powerful — the kind of story that stays with you after the last page. Happy reading!
Check out Swallowing the Muskellunge here!