The Purchase - Linda Spalding

Starting with the journey into exile of a disowned Quaker man at the end of the 18th century, this saga (loosely based on the author's own family history) explores the ethical problems faced by an abolitionist trying to start a new life in slave-owning rural Virginia with a young family in tow. The book makes good use of multiple viewpoints to show how many of the tragedies of the book arise from unintended consequences of well-meant actions - including the father's initial decision to "marry out" because he pitied his Methodist servant girl too much to send her back to the almshouse after his wife's death - as the characters attempt to navigate unexpected and unasked-for situations. Some of the most hurtful betrayals stem from the characters' painfully familiar tendency to lie to themselves about their motives when they act - or fail to! - out of self-interest.