The Underground Railroad is coming to the small screen. Deadline reports Amazon has ordered a new TV show based on the best-selling book.

Written by Colson Whitehead, the story “centers on young Cora, a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. Life is hell for all the slaves, but especially bad for Cora; an outcast even among her fellow Africans, she is coming into womanhood—where even greater pain awaits. When Caesar, a recent arrival from Virginia, tells her about the Underground Railroad, they decide to take a terrifying risk and escape.”

Amazon has ordered 11 episodes of The Underground Railroad, which will be directed by Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins.

From Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke:

It’s an absolute gift to have Barry Jenkins commit to directing all the episodes for our upcoming limited series The Underground Railroad. Barry’s eye for character and sustained exhilarating, emotional storytelling style ensures that this project is in the right hands. We can’t wait to get started and bring this significant story to our Prime Video audience.”

What do you think? Have you read The Underground Railroad? Will you watch the Amazon series?