41 pages • 1 hour read
Half-Blood Blues
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
Published in 2011, Half-Blood Blues is the second book by Esi Edugyan, a black Canadian author. The novel won the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2012 and was also shortlisted for the 2011 Man Booker Prize and the 2012 Orange Prize for Fiction. As historical fiction, the story examines the lives of a diverse group of jazz musicians during World War II as they balance personal jealousies with the need to help each other amid mounting political oppression. It also deals with the ramifications of their actions in later years, showing how honesty can open the way to redemption.
Plot Summary
Half-Blood Blues follows two distinct storylines, set 50 years apart. The first involves the struggles of a group of jazz musicians who are compelled to flee Nazi Germany in 1939. The second follows several of the same characters some 50 years later, as they reconnect in unexpected ways. The entire novel is narrated by Sidney “Sid” Griffiths, an African American bass player whose witty, colloquial narration frames his need to make sense of the past.
Parts 1, 3, and 5 are set in Europe at the onset of World War II. Sid opens by describing a crucial episode—the capture of his friend and bandmate Unlock all 41 pages of this Study Guide Plus, gain access to 8,900+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
