Reviews - Let Us Descend | The StoryGraph

2.83k reviews for:

Let Us Descend

Jesmyn Ward

3.86 AVERAGE

mudlistens2books's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

Stunning and lyrically written novel detailing the power of a mothers love, the hardship of stolen people, and the spirit of the land.

hmalones's review

4.0

I read this book this week in remembrance of Juneteenth. This is the story of Annis, an enslaved girl, and the hope that she holds on to despite the horrors that happen to & around her.

I believe that it is a MUST for white people to read these stories, sit in the discomfort & learn.

bangchanstan_1's review

4.0

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

this book taught me things about slavery i never knew. for one, i never knew that slaves would run off and hide in swamps. that was very interesting to find out. made me realize how much i am not taught about slavery in school.

rainbowteachersaurus's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

jonesy_reads's review

4.0

Let Us Descend follows Annis as she walks from the rice fields of the Carolinas to a sugar plantation in New Orleans, after being sold by her master/father. Her walk is reminiscent of Stephen King's The Long Walk. As Annis walks she finds comfort in the spirits of her ancestors remembering the stories from her past. They continue to help her survive her new master at the sugar plantation.
This is a truly gut wrenching novel, what Annis must go through is almost incomprehensible. It's is both a reminder and a wake-up call of what slavery and the slave trade did to over 15 million people. Jesmyn Ward is able to beautifully, poetically bring many of the atrocities of slavery to the forefront while highlighting the unimaginable strength those like Annis must have had in order to endure.

Merged review:

Let Us Descend follows Annis as she walks from the rice fields of the Carolinas to a sugar plantation in New Orleans, after being sold by her master/father. Her walk is reminiscent of Stephen King's The Long Walk. As Annis walks she finds comfort in the spirits of her ancestors remembering the stories from her past. They continue to help her survive her new master at the sugar plantation.
This is a truly gut wrenching novel, what Annis must go through is almost incomprehensible. It's is both a reminder and a wake-up call of what slavery and the slave trade did to over 15 million people. Jesmyn Ward is able to beautifully, poetically bring many of the atrocities of slavery to the forefront while highlighting the unimaginable strength those like Annis must have had in order to endure.