I have really enjoyed some of Abbott's other books, so I had high hopes for this one. Marketed as the story of sugar, the majority of the book was really a story about the slave trade. While the histories of sugar and the slave trade are inextricably linked, it really did feel as if the closing few chapters (after the slavery discussion) were an afterthought to wrap everything up, with much left to be discussed. ( )

Was disappointed in this, although it did have its moments. Parts were undigested, and it lacked a real overview and global perspective somehow. That being said, i devoured the detail on the West Indian lobby and British sugar traders. ( )