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A review by 2treads
Root Magic by Eden Royce
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Stunning in the richness of culture, practices, and family it depicts with a simplicity that draws from a well of ancestry and stirs memories in this reader of similar wonders and rituals that are shared and the connections that can be made even to those that differ.
Jez and Jay have to navigate a time that is roiling with changes that may usher in opportunities for them but at a cost. The atmosphere churns with emotion and reality as our characters exist in a time and place where they can so easily be violated and harmed, yet the palpablity of their lives vibrates on every page.
Whether it is from the loss of loved ones, the harassment by law enforcement or the recognition of a history that is sustained and nurtured through rootwork and language. Fostering a love for and appreciation of our histories and culture is the foundation from which our children and us will be able to build up our self-love and truly understand what magic we hope and are.
Root Magic is another stellar addition to the beauty of a canon made up of writers who are members of a community and have intimate experiences which only they can relate in a voice that immerses the reader in their world. It is the result of a voice weaving a story that is inherently theirs.
Growing up we were exposed to the healing power of herbs and roots, to the ever present connectivity between spirits and the living (our mother has told us of encounters with siblings, a nephew, and the infamous ol' higue). Reading about the Gullah Geechee and their practices has just imprinted upon us, even more, the depth of the bonds we share as we strive to keep what our ancestors fought to keep, centuries later.
Jez and Jay have to navigate a time that is roiling with changes that may usher in opportunities for them but at a cost. The atmosphere churns with emotion and reality as our characters exist in a time and place where they can so easily be violated and harmed, yet the palpablity of their lives vibrates on every page.
Whether it is from the loss of loved ones, the harassment by law enforcement or the recognition of a history that is sustained and nurtured through rootwork and language. Fostering a love for and appreciation of our histories and culture is the foundation from which our children and us will be able to build up our self-love and truly understand what magic we hope and are.
Root Magic is another stellar addition to the beauty of a canon made up of writers who are members of a community and have intimate experiences which only they can relate in a voice that immerses the reader in their world. It is the result of a voice weaving a story that is inherently theirs.
Growing up we were exposed to the healing power of herbs and roots, to the ever present connectivity between spirits and the living (our mother has told us of encounters with siblings, a nephew, and the infamous ol' higue). Reading about the Gullah Geechee and their practices has just imprinted upon us, even more, the depth of the bonds we share as we strive to keep what our ancestors fought to keep, centuries later.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Death of parent