Name: Taking Liberty
Rating: 3.333333333333333 (3 reviews)
ISBN: 9780689851872

Ann Rinaldi

After serving Martha Washington loyally for twenty years, Oney Judge realizes that she is just a slave and must decide if she will run away to find true freedom.

The Story of Oney Judge, George Washington's Runaway Slave

Taking Liberty

Based on an extraordinary true story, this young adult novel follows of one young enslaved woman’s struggle to take what is rightfully hers. When I was four and my daddy left, I cried, but I understood. He had become part of the Gone. Oney Judge is a slave. But on the plantation of Mount Vernon, the beautiful home of George and Martha Washington, she is not called a slave. She is referred to as a servant, and a house servant at that—a position of influence and respect. When she rises to the position of personal servant to Martha Washington, her status among the household staff—black or white—is second to none. She is Lady Washington’s closest confidante and for all intents and purposes, a member of the family…or so she thinks. Slowly, Oney’s perception of her life with the Washingtons begins to crack as she realizes the truth: No matter what it’s called, it’s still slavery and she’s still enslaved. Oney must make a choice. Does she stay where she is, comfortable, with this family that has loved her and nourished her and owned her since the day she was born? Or does she take her liberty—her life—into her own hands, and like her father, become one of the Gone?

Jeni Enjaian

This book was a welcome change after several slightly weird Donna Jo Napoli books. That being said, on its own, this is a pretty decent book. My overall opinion is that it is average, thus the three star review. (I really wish we could give half star ratings. There's a big difference, to me at least, between a truly average book like this one and a book that is slightly better than average but not deserving of a four star rating. Moving on...)
Here are some of the things that off-set the decent, well put together narrative, and thus influenced me towards giving the book a mediocre review. First, Oney's voice did not really mature throughout the book even though her character aged from approximately 4 years old to approximately 20 years old. This is also an issue for me. Oney's approximate age is never given so the lack of maturity in the voice leads to confusion about a basic fact about the main character. Second, Rinaldi's approach to the events of the Revolutionary War and Early National Era felt cliché. Even though Oney Judge was a real person, the pampered, high-yellow, naive house slave has been done too much. 
That being said, it's a decent book and I while I wouldn't recommend it, I wouldn't recommend against it.

Taking Liberty The Story of Oney Judge, George Washington's Runaway Slave

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