The Book of Negroes
CBC | BET | Release Date: January 7, 2015
CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
77
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 9 Critic Reviews
Positive:
9
Mixed:
0
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
Boston GlobeSarah RodmanFeb 17, 2015
Season 1 Review: The characters are fleshed out with multiple layers — at one point Aminata is granted something of a reprieve by a British benefactor, but he is by no means saintly — and moments of easy humor and romance are woven skillfully into the story. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterWhitney MathesonFeb 17, 2015
Season 1 Review: As Aminata Diallo (Aunjanue Ellis) reminds herself and others repeatedly, one must never give up--and it’s this steadfast hope that makes the story a particularly compelling television event. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesRobert LloydFeb 17, 2015
Season 1 Review: The heroine's fearless and clever character, the self-knowledge and self-possession her tormentors lack, and her gift for survival are fixed from first to last. She is sometimes thwarted but never altered. If this makes The Book of Negroes less psychologically complex than it otherwise might be, there are real pleasures and comforts to be had from it. Read full review
80
New York Daily NewsDavid HinckleyFeb 17, 2015
Season 1 Review: Book of Negroes, a six-hour Black History Month miniseries, will be fairly compared to "Roots." Read full review
80
Philadelphia Daily NewsEllen GrayFeb 17, 2015
Season 1 Review: Although it's not always easy to watch, it kept me riveted over a recent weekend. Read full review
80
Denver PostJoanne OstrowFeb 12, 2015
Season 1 Review: Graphic cruelty, not to mention violence, makes for difficult viewing in this lavishly produced miniseries. But it’s worthwhile, especially as director Clement Virgo has opened a new window on the experience of blacks in Canada. Read full review
75
St. Louis Post-DispatchGail PenningtonFeb 17, 2015
Season 1 Review: A Canadian-South African co-production, it's gracefully directed by Clement Virgo ("The Wire") and gorgeously filmed, mostly in South Africa. Soapy? A little, but so was "Roots." Read full review
70
Washington PostHank StueverFeb 17, 2015
Season 1 Review: Ellis, particularly, gives a lead performance that is strong enough to mask some of the script’s problems. Read full review
70
VarietyBrian LowryFeb 13, 2015
Season 1 Review: Although history obviously mixes with fiction, there’s enough here left under-covered by traditional textbooks to make The Book of Negroes an intriguing window into the period. Read full review
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