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4.6 AVERAGE
4.6 AVERAGE
I love poet-novelists. I love their turn of phrase, their unique use of language, and their ability to mold narrative devices to creative ends. Honorée Fanonne Jeffers is one to watch. She has created a quixotic and far-reaching tale of America: the land it was before, the land it is, and the land it is becoming. She blends Indigenous storytelling with the history of those borne across the water, bringing together the stories of two oppressed peoples over the generations in a way that is like Roots or Homegoing, but also wholly unique. It’s also rooted in the work and impact of W.E.B. Du Bois, and I loved reading the debates among family and friends about the work of the great scholar and his shortcomings, it reminded me of conversations with my dad.
The narrative centers on the life of Ailey Pearl Garfield, named after two incredible Black leaders, as she struggles to make her life something worthy of the greats she is named after and break the chains of her traumatic past. (Trigger warning: the story of this family involves the trauma of generational sexual violence that was really difficult to read.) But Ailey is determined to rise above the deep wounds of her past (which is what kept me reading, even through the very difficult), and when she loses her way, her family reminds her of her worth, especially her great Uncle Root who is a treasure. Ailey discovers a love of history, of her ancestors’, of their stories. She finds her way into a doctoral program in history and finds her flourishing. But her choice of study for her dissertation takes its toll, as Ailey is forced to confront the generational trauma of slavery and its impacts on her life and the lives of those who were enslaved.
But the story also reaches far back to the old stories of Indigenous culture, to the lives of those who called Turtle Island home first. It reaches back to Samuel Pinchard, the treacherous and deviant slave master who tricks an Indigenous couple out of their land to build his plantation empire. It reaches back to the founding of Georgia, of Oglethorpe’s vision and the much darker reality of this southern colony. It reaches back to the story of Coromantee Panther, one of the first enslaved persons in Georgia, and how he found his way into a Creek village and how they welcomed him and he found a home on the run. And back and back, the stories of all the generations and lives in those Georgia hills, from Indian Removal to the Civil Rights Movement and all the moments lived in between.
The most profound piece of this novel is that blending of Afro-Indigenous story, it was deeply moving and deeply hard to read about these twin oppressions. It’s something I want to dig into more, I don’t know how I missed this in history classes. This is truly a magnum opus, and I am so grateful to Jeffers for this offering of blood and sweat and tears, I was deeply moved.
The narrative centers on the life of Ailey Pearl Garfield, named after two incredible Black leaders, as she struggles to make her life something worthy of the greats she is named after and break the chains of her traumatic past. (Trigger warning: the story of this family involves the trauma of generational sexual violence that was really difficult to read.) But Ailey is determined to rise above the deep wounds of her past (which is what kept me reading, even through the very difficult), and when she loses her way, her family reminds her of her worth, especially her great Uncle Root who is a treasure. Ailey discovers a love of history, of her ancestors’, of their stories. She finds her way into a doctoral program in history and finds her flourishing. But her choice of study for her dissertation takes its toll, as Ailey is forced to confront the generational trauma of slavery and its impacts on her life and the lives of those who were enslaved.
But the story also reaches far back to the old stories of Indigenous culture, to the lives of those who called Turtle Island home first. It reaches back to Samuel Pinchard, the treacherous and deviant slave master who tricks an Indigenous couple out of their land to build his plantation empire. It reaches back to the founding of Georgia, of Oglethorpe’s vision and the much darker reality of this southern colony. It reaches back to the story of Coromantee Panther, one of the first enslaved persons in Georgia, and how he found his way into a Creek village and how they welcomed him and he found a home on the run. And back and back, the stories of all the generations and lives in those Georgia hills, from Indian Removal to the Civil Rights Movement and all the moments lived in between.
The most profound piece of this novel is that blending of Afro-Indigenous story, it was deeply moving and deeply hard to read about these twin oppressions. It’s something I want to dig into more, I don’t know how I missed this in history classes. This is truly a magnum opus, and I am so grateful to Jeffers for this offering of blood and sweat and tears, I was deeply moved.
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Near-perfect, especially in the parts with the Garfield sisters and a beautiful dovetailing of past and present.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
The fictional story centered in Putnam County in Georgia from the days of native Creek Indians, English settlers, and slavery, told through the lives of the African-American ancestors of the main character, Ailey.
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Really amazing book. Deeply moving and heavy. I'm overwhelmed at how authors can write such an amazing work of art, especially one as long as this. It's incredible. It's a beautifully written historical fiction novel about family, love, strong women, and the history of Afro-Indigenous people and I take so much away with me from it. It will be one of those books that will stay with me forever. It was a bit overwhelming in size to dig into, but I honestly couldn't put it down and grateful for the work from Jeffers.
Phew! 30 hours on audiobook but every minute enjoyable. Highly recommended!
An amazing book….and writer. Of all the books I have read this summer. This one will stand out above the others.
The book has an epic reach but I got bogged down a few times. Wondered why I kept following strong women characters who got involved with sexist or assholey men. I liked how it ended and I think some characters and scenes will stick with me.