What an eye-opening saga for our times ... Honoree Fannone Jeffers has created an epic novel that lays bare the struggle of an African American family and their descendants through time. This sweeping novel was rich, complex, mournful, and ultimately hopeful.
Jeffers was unapologetic in her depiction of the horrors that faced Native American people, African American Slaves, and black women, which makes the stories as gripping as they are devastating. There is a raw pain and an all-encompassing sorrow as one reads this novel. It is NOT an easy read; not only is it long, but some of the scenes are so incredibly disturbing. Name a trigger and it's in this novel, but it is also the grim reality of what these people endured. I personally believe that we, as Americans, cannot shy away from the truth of what happened as our nation formed. The point of reading novels such as these is not to feel shame, but to understand their plight so that we may find a better way forward, one with accountability and compassion.
This all to say that although it is an incredibly important read, I really struggled through several of the scenes. I had to skim over the child molestation and rape scenes. It was just too much for me to bear, and my heart aches for the thousands upon thousands of women and girls who have endured this torture throughout their lives. I will also admit it was difficult to keep all the characters straight, and I had to refer back to previous chapters and the family tree quite often, but please don't let this be a deterrent!
Many thanks to partner @harperperennial for this #gifted novel and for opening my eyes even further during #blackhistorymonth in February.
Read 2/5/23
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