Burn Down Master's House

Information

Sept 2026

Burn Down Master’s House is a historical fiction novel depicting the courageous resistance of enslaved people against oppression. It is a meticulously researched novel that dramatizes the lives of enslaved individuals who dared to resist the brutality of slavery in the American South. Set primarily at the Virginia plantation Magnolia Row, the story follows Luke, a perceptive and intelligent young man, and Henri, a defiant and strong-spirited individual, as they navigate unimaginable cruelty and seek freedom. Their acts of rebellion, both subtle and overt, spark a broader narrative of resistance that connects multiple characters and generations. The novel explores resistance in its many forms, from legal challenges and strategic defiance to violent uprisings. It emphasizes the psychological and moral complexities of living under slavery, including the internalization of oppression, the pursuit of justice, and the reclamation of humanity. Love, kinship, and literacy are portrayed as radical tools of survival and empowerment, highlighting how enslaved people used knowledge and relationships to resist systemic dehumanization.