Intriguing read. Really enjoyed it.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for my review.

An important story, as a fictionalised account of the life of Charles Ignatius Sancho - born a slave and one of the UK's leading black abolitionists, who rubbed shoulders with many famous greats of the regency era including David Garrick and Dr Johnson.

It is an extraordinary life and a wonderful story, told in the style of a series of diary entries - with added commentaries directed to Sancho's son, and a couple of letters between Sancho and his wife. It is very much written in "a regency style" - which isn't exactly my cup of tea. I personally find it a bit of a drag in places - for me the style ends up taking away from the pacing. However, those who like their regency in regency style with a bit of regency on the top, will probably not have the same issues that I did.

Yr9+ - be aware, content warnings for racism and discussion of rape.

“This is an imaginative telling of the life of a Black man who breathed London’s air two hundred years before I walked its streets. …This is the tale of a lucky African orphan, who despite being born in abject slavery, rose to become a leading light of the early abolitionist movement.” - from opening Authors Note.

My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group U.K. Dialogue Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho’ by Paterson Joseph.

For over twenty years British actor Paterson Joseph has been researching the life of Charles Ignatius Sancho, an 18th Century Black Briton, who was involved in the abolitionist movement. In 2015 he wrote and starred in a solo play ‘Sancho: An Act of Remembrance’.

This is Joseph’s debut novel and as stated in the quote above is a fictional account of Sancho’s life. It is told in the form of a diary and letters that Sancho is revisiting and revising in 1775 following the birth of his son, Billy, with the intention of his receiving them when he has grown to manhood.

Sancho writes: “Much of the following comes from my diary entries over the years – I will record my retrospective interjections – these may be useful in aiding my Billy to navigate the story of your father’s life thus far.”

I found it an amazing work of literary historical fiction. I will admit that I had not heard of Charles Ignatius Sancho before this novel. I also felt that Paterson Joseph did well in portraying Georgian London in a manner that felt very authentic. Such attention to period detail, including the formality of society and language, is something that I look for in historical fiction as it allows for a greater sense of engagement.

I complemented my reading of an advance review copy with its unabridged audiobook edition narrated by the author. I found his reading very powerful.

Highly recommended.

This first book from author Paterson Joseph (better known as the extremely successful film and TV actor) performs an “act of fiction” on the life of the real historical figure Charles Ignatius Sancho, who lived from 1729 to 1780: the result is this imaginative retelling that “adds to the growing canon of Black historical fiction”, a Dickensian, Sternian-style adventure that first seeks to entertain, but that is built on years of research and hard facts about the true, pre-Windrush origins of Black British history. Born on a slave ship and orphaned shortly after his birth, young Charles is taken from a Caribbean plantation and sent to England, where he is to live with his owner’s three ‘maiden aunts’ as a fashionable addition to their household, acquiring the nickname ‘Sancho’ and discovering a talent for theatrical performances. He craves education but is denied it by the aunts, kept as an illiterate pet: his close friendship with housemaid Tilly enables him to explore more of London and stretch his wings, with the hope of one day truly taking flight. The first section of the book is a brilliant fever dream of whirling images and richly rendered short adventures: it’s not a stretch to imagine the tale filmed by Baz Luhrman, all jump cuts and sharp scene changes as young Charles tests the limits of his ‘freedom’ exploring the intoxicating worlds on offer in the capital while also avoiding the terrifying slave catcher Jonathan Sill. Charles mixes with the great and good of high society London from his uncertain position - not a slave, yet not free - and quickly becomes a curiosity to other Black Londoners, isolated from those who’d otherwise provide support and community. A later section of the book settles into epistolary letters between Charles and his new beloved, supporting each other and growing closer while sharing truly nightmarish tales of everyday life on a Caribbean plantation in the late 1700s. This book will inevitably make a superb drama for stage or screen, and will leave you curious to learn more about the real man who so inspired Joseph’s imagination: thought-provoking, enjoyable and hugely humbling all in the same pages.

*A big thank-you to Paterson Joseph, Little, Brown Book, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
A fictionalized account of fortunes and misfortunes of Sancho, born a slave, whose ups and downs are presented by himself in a form of a diary designed to be read by his little son.
Beautifully written novel, in the best literary tradition of the 17th and 18th centuries, with emphasis on syntax and glossary telling a tale of a man who in the middle of the 18th century manages to achieve what seemed unattainable then by an African man. He considers himself to be lucky as his destiny is to meet good people of great importance who treat him as a human being and provide Sancho with an array of opportunitites. His stamina and the urge to stand up after each stumble is admirable.
Sancho was a real person, who is famous for being the first Black man ever to vote in Great Britain.
I loved the style of the novel, and the descriptions of Black Georgian world and the awakening of the abolitionism.

Such an interesting work of historical fiction based on a real person. A really important piece of work, detailing Sancho's life, and the struggles he faced, caused simply because he was black. The events outline his life and how he came to be the first black person to receive the vote.

I really enjoyed reading this, it's a story that should be more widely known.

Born into slavery, Charles Ignatius is named for a Catholic priest and given the extra name Sancho by his mistresses. However when the engaging boy turns into a man, he is of less use to his owners and he escapes into Georgian London. Patronised by a wealthy member of the nobility, Sancho finds it hard to survive on the streets, evading slave-catchers and criminals. By middle-age though, he is the toast of London, happily married and with a family.
This is a fictionalised autobiography of a real character from 18th Century London and is written in the style of a novel of the time. It is generally very well done, the verbosity in places is authentic, and it smacks of honesty.

This is a biographical fiction about the life of Charles Ignatius Sancho who was a Black man living in London the latter half of the 18th century.

As a late teen I devoured Boswell's The Life of Samuel Johnson (I was strange I know!) and he is mentioned a few times in this novel, which felt like seeing an old friend in the pages of a book!

The novel is a collection of diary entries in chronological order but we also read Sancho's current musings as he is addressing his youngest son Billy, who we presume is about to read his father's secret diaries. We read of Sancho's being taken in by a Duke and educated as he stays with three women who abuse him terribly despite wishing to appear to be helpful in doing their Christian duty. This idea of a 'white saviour' is explored early on, and people that genuinely wish for Sancho's success are few. He meets Anne, his future wife and we read of her tales of returning to Barbados and the treatment of a young Black girl Ata. Again the racism of the time, the belief in a white man over a little Black girl, is horrifying. But there is hope for Sancho as he fights for his vote at the end of the novel, as he supports those that wish to abolish the slave trade and though he struggles with his health, he fathers several children.

The real strength of the novel was Charles Ignatius Sancho's voice which I thought was written beautifully. I really believed I was reading his diary and though Joseph is at pains to explain that the novel may not be completely historically accurate, I felt that the writing itself feels very much a part of its time. A wonderful insight into a man in history, which I enjoyed very much.

I was familiar with Charles Ignatius Sancho before reading this book. I had seen some of his writings in "Black Voices of England" (a previous Netgalley book) and he is spoken about in "Black and British" by David Olusunga. This book suggests how it came about that he could read, write and play music, was the first known black person to vote in England and is known for a correspondence with among others the author Laurence Sterne and yet was born a slave. The vast majority of whom would have had no expectation of being able to achieve all this and more..

There appears to be a different way of writing historical fiction developing - the author chooses a figure from history and links the facts with a fictionalized account of their life. It is very effective. The reader does need to consider what is known fact and what is supposition in the same way as a viewer needs to make this distinction in some dramatized documentaries.

This book should become very important in helping us to understand that black people have played an important role in Britain for a very long time, their role did not start with the Windrush generation, that was one of many migrations, all as important as each other. .

The characters in the book were well drawn, the descriptions included plenty of menace, jeopardy and with a love for life and achievement . It is written as if Sancho is looking back on his life which is nearing the end and uses genuine diary entries from his writings. In all an accomplished work.

I love historical fiction especially that which fills a gap in my knowledge and this certainly did. The story of the life of Charles Ignatius Sancho reputedly the first black man in the UK to have the vote. This book was full of wonderful historical detail and Sancho certainly had a life of highs and lows. Told via his diaries and letters to and from his wife Anne it is presented as a record of his life for his son. This book had a slightly Dickensian feel to its language which I loved and this made it feel all the more authentic. I would certainly recommend. Many thanks to net galley the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this wonderful novel in return for an honest review.

I love the way this book has taken a real person, in Charles Ignatius Sancho, the first Black Briton to cast his vote, and written all the motivation and detailed circumstance around it to great effect. Georgian London comes to life with Sancho encountering many famous characters of the time and finding his own way to live life within the confines of the time. Some great descriptions and although there were some parts that strayed into polemic, mostly the story and the characters carried it through.

I found this absolutely fascinating, but was also saddened at how hard life was for Sancho, simply because he was black. An insight into what it was like to be treated as a 'pet' and then discarded. Very well written but I did find he went on a bit at times.

This isn't my normal read but the cover and the description intrigued me so I requested it and was delighted to be accepted. The writing is beautiful and draws you in from the first page. I loved the fact that this was based on a real person! The passion for this period of time was evident as the level of detail and the way he brought this world to life was impressive. The story was gripping, at times heart-breaking and I would not hesitate to read another book by this man!

This novel tells the story of the incredible life of historical figure Charles Ignatius Sancho. Rescued from slavery as a baby, Sancho is always questioning his rights and freedom, never sure where he stands in society. In the form of a diary, the book details Sancho’s beginnings under the charge of a rich but cruel family, before his luck changes when he receives patronage from the Duke of Montagu. Montagu educates Sancho and introduces him into the circles of the elite, changing his life forever.

From running from slave catchers to voting for the abolition of slavery, Sancho’s story sees him go against the odds to progress within society to influence change for future generations.

From being on stage, to being painted by Gainsborough and serving royalty, Sancho lives an eventful life as he adapts to provide for his increasing family. The author says in his opening note that he has performed fiction, though I think it would have been interesting to explore the details as Sancho develops to survive as a black man in pre-abolition Britain. Overall, I found the book quite imbalanced. Letters to his future wife dominate a large proportion of the narrative at the cost of details of Sancho’s later life. Unfortunately, after the couple’s union, the details of Sancho‘s tale seemed rather rushed.

I would recommend this book for lovers of historical fiction and those interested in black British history as it was a fascinating read. I enjoyed it but just felt the end was rushed and opportunities to explore the later stages of Sancho’s life was missed.

The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho tells the story of a remarkable man. A man born on a slave ship, who, through extraordinary circumstances managed to, among other things, become the first black man to vote in Britain. The book is a fictionalised version of the account of the real Sancho and is written through a series of diary entries addressed to his son and letters between himself and his wife.

We learn he is brought over to London as a young child by his master and left in the care of three sisters who treat him as their pet. Through these women he becomes acquainted with the Duke of Montagu who teaches him to read and gives him an education. He manages to escape his captors but then experiences what it is to be alone, penniless and black in London.

The description of London at this time and the hardships and struggles Sancho endures is so well described by Joseph. He finds himself trapped between two worlds as he is educated and well spoken; too posh for the working class but too dark skinned to be a part of the elite. His voice throughout is hopeful however, and he is always trying to better himself and see the good in people.

I found Sancho’s story utterly fascinating and was amazed at how he managed to survive all he endured. It’s unbelievable that for such an important figure he is so little known. I would have liked there to be more about the later stages of his life and less focus on the letters between Charles and Anne. As interesting as they were they didn’t really add anything to Charles’ story. The writing is a little tough going at times and doesn’t flow as well as it could do. I’m glad I read it as I now would like to go and find out more about Sancho, but as a piece of fiction it didn’t quite hit the mark.

This may be Paterson Joseph’s first novel but he has writing form, including a solo play about Charles Ignatius Sancho which he also performed; the recent Radio Four drama Severus is excellent.
I read this straight off the back of William Boyd’s The Romantic and the two have a lot in common, both being fictionalised stories of real, if little known, people. And both subjects rub shoulders with famous names, here including David Garrick, hinting at Joseph’s thespian talents. It also helped that I had just visited Greenwich, where Charles spent his boyhood, so it was easy to imagine the places he mentions. I took to the writing style straight away which made it fun to read.
As the title suggests, the book is mainly diary entries. It’s more interesting than that might sound, though, as it has the middle-aged Charles’s notes added in, addressed to his newborn son. It provides the perfect combination of contemporary events and reminiscences with the benefit of hindsight. Charles had a fascinating life and his story is well worth telling. It’s an added bonus that Paterson Joseph has done it with such panache. I think I might have to indulge in the audiobook too.

This was a journey from heartbreaking truths to a hopeful ending. This touched heavily on what it meant to be a free black man/woman in 18th century London and the atrocities of slavery internationally.

The first half focused solely on Sancho’s upbringing and the privilege he got despite the cruelties as well, compared to many black people in London. After half way, there’s a real shift as we learn of the atrocities that happen to slaves internationally which ends up sparking Sancho. I really enjoyed the focus on the vulnerability of black women and girls through a strong black woman. Anne is incredible which she is credited for even though the story is about Charles, it’s clear how her support greatly helped him. The snippets of Charles actual diary entries and letters were very interesting.

The novel as a whole gave me a lot of food for thought which is a great thing. The conversation about the UK’s complacency towards the end of slavery to what it means to be a free black was very interesting with its parallels to the international response to global issues.
This would be a great novel to read for those who enjoy historical fiction surrounding the history of slavery in Britain or the background of Charles Ignatius Sancho. The writing was very composed and felt more like an account. I, however, would have preferred reading something with more emotion considering the topic.

Many thanks to Dialogue Books and Netgalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Whilst not usually a fan of historical fiction, the subject matter appealed to me and I wasn’t disappointed. Whilst heartbreaking in places, I took the main protagonist to my heart and the love story of him and Anne warmed the soul. A great debut from this author.

Charles is born on a slave ship and almost immediately orphaned, before being taken to England to live with 3 unmarried sisters, who he refers to as ‘the coven’. Charles’ life story is told by way of diary entries that he is putting together for his son, starting from the age of 7 and then at key stages of his life as he meets many challenges.
This is an important story - based on the real life Charles Sancho - that is written beautifully. At times I found the vocabulary quite difficult, although it didn’t take away from the story, rather it gave a stronger picture of who Charles was.
A clever, enjoyable read, particularly interesting if you want to understand more about mid 1700s London and abolition. Thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for the ARC.

The life of Charles Ignatio is a remarkable one, born on a slave ship and then sold into slavery before being taken into the care as an orphan. He was given to three sisters and was their pet. A chance meeting with Duke Montague gave him a start in life that benetied him later on. He was taught to read. In the Georgian era of the 1700s, it was not seen as a good thing for Black People to read as they were there to serve not to be educated.

Nevertheless, Charles Ignation did learn, and it is through his diaries that the author has fictionalised the life of Charles Ignatius Sancho. I didn't really know anything about this historical figure, but his name had recently cropped up while I was reading another book. As I had a copy of The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho it seemed the right time to pick it up and learn more.

WHile the author has fictionalised the life of Sancho, he has done research and references back to diaries and some of these have been included in this book. It tells of life starting with nothing and no parents and the conditions he lived in when he was between homes and also how he was perceived by different people at the time.

Sancho had built a reputation without realising it and therefore he would have been different and not just because of his skin colour. The builds up an image of Sancho as he tries to work out where he belongs. He is educated but this is a problem as he is Black, for this would be problematic, for others it made him better than them. As for Sancho he just wanted to live his life and eventually settle down to raise a family. Instead, he found himself in a sort of limbo, an outcast, a curiosity but one that started to make himself known and then worked on a way to be heard. In doing this he h found his vocation.

The author creates an interesting fictional account of this historical figure. It is done in a way that is interesting, but at times I did feel the story dragged a little. What this book did do for me though was introduce me to a historical figure who eventually found his voice and the courage to stand up to slavery. He was the first Black man to vote as at that time he was a man of property, and with the help of other Artists and Authors of the time became an ardent supporter of the Abolition of Slavery.

This is a book that I found really interesting, at times it did feel slow and occasionally repetative. It is, however, a great starting point for further reading which is exactly what I did after reading this book. If you have an interest in historical figures then this is a good book to read, it tells the fictionalised account of a man born into slavery that then joins the movement to abolish slavery. Informative and interesting and one I would happily recommend.