The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation

By M. T. Anderson

Part of the Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing series

A young man seeks freedom amidst war, facing choices that could change his fate.

3.7/5 Goodreads · 4,006 ratings

592 pages· 121,619 words· Est. 11.5 hour read

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Bookroo's summary

Octavian flees to British-occupied Boston, escaping a death sentence and leaving behind his past. Amidst the chaos of the Revolutionary War, he encounters Lord Dunmore's offer of freedom for slaves who join the counterrevolution. As battles rage, Octavian is torn between elusive liberty and the harsh realities of war. Will he find the safe harbor he seeks, or will the tides of history sweep him into a new destiny? This gripping tale reexamines the origins of a nation through the eyes of a young man caught in the storm of revolution.

From the publisher

“A novel of the first rank, the kind of monumental work Italo Calvino called ‘encyclopedic’ in the way it sweeps up history into a comprehensible and deeply textured pattern.” – The New York Times Book Review Fearing a death sentence, Octavian and his tutor, Dr. Trefusis, escape through rising tides and pouring rain to find shelter in British-occupied Boston. Sundered from all he knows – the College of Lucidity, the rebel cause – Octavian hopes to find safe harbor. Instead, he is soon to learn of Lord Dunmore’s proclamation offering freedom to slaves who join the counterrevolutionary forces. In Volume II of his unparalleled masterwork, M. T. Anderson recounts Octavian’s experiences as the Revolutionary War explodes around him, thrusting him into intense battles and tantalizing him with elusive visions of liberty. Ultimately, this astonishing narrative escalates to a startling, deeply satisfying climax, while reexamining our national origins in a singularly provocative light.