ON THE SIXTH DAY

A Confederate army deserter forges an unlikely friendship with a Black man in this novel set during the Civil War.

In 1864, Caleb “Cal” Melton is a member of the Confederate military who’s been worn down by the grim wages of war. His friend and comrade in arms, Jim Sanders, just before he succumbs to his battle wounds, asks Caleb to travel to his home in Florida and deliver news of his death. Cal accepts the sad mission and decides to desert his post. While making his way to the Sanders’ home, he encounters another lone traveler, a free Black man named William. At first, the two find themselves at loggerheads; Cal interprets William’s objection to being called “boy” (“I am no one’s ‘boy.’ My name is William and remember that”) as arrogance, while William seems to assume Cal is just another White man assuming superiority. They decide to travel together, nonetheless, and it’s an experience that challenges each man’s opinions—a gradual process that author Lawrence depicts with intelligence. Caleb’s reconsideration of his preconceptions is both more radical and, sometimes, less plausible; for example, it is hard to believe, during the Civil War, that the moral plight of slaves never occurred to him before. Overall, the author thoughtfully combines an eventful adventure story with social commentary, as what begins as a chance meeting evolves into a business partnership that defies conventions of the times. However, Lawrence tends to indulge in a heavy-handed didacticism, as Cal’s renovation of his prior worldview seems too quick and comprehensive to be believable. Nonetheless, this is an often engaging and companionable novel that manages to delight and entertain as it raises provocative questions.

A contemplative, if somewhat unevenly executed, historical tale that tackles challenging topics.