Book Description:
Sab by Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda is a bold and emotionally powerful novel that challenges the social and racial hierarchies of 19th-century colonial Cuba. First published in 1841, the story follows Sab, a mixed-race enslaved man, who harbors a deep, unspoken love for his white mistress, Carlota. As Carlota prepares to marry a wealthy Englishman, Sab’s internal struggle becomes a tragic reflection on unrequited love, injustice, and the cruelty of slavery.
Far ahead of its time, Sab critiques both the institution of slavery and the limitations placed on women within a patriarchal, colonial society. Through its romantic and sentimental tone, the novel offers a powerful moral voice and a rare exploration of race, class, and gender from a female perspective.
Often compared to Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Sab is considered one of the earliest anti-slavery novels in the Americas and a pioneering work of feminist and abolitionist literature in the Spanish-speaking world.
