Let Us Descend

I am always awed when I read a book by Jesmyn Ward! Her writing is elegant, poetic, and evokes emotion. She has an undeniable gift in both her writing and storytelling. I know when I pick up one of her books that I am in the hands of a master storyteller. I was drawn into this reimagining of slavery in America from the very beginning of the book. It is a story of family, love, loss, family history, American history, suffering, and the spirit world. Ward relies on magical realism in the telling of this harrowing and heartbreaking tale.

Annis is the daughter of a slave owner and her enslaved mother. After working in their master’s home, her mother takes Annis into the trees and teaches the lessons her own mother once taught her. Annis suffers heartbreak and tremendous loss after her mother is sold and is eventfully sold herself. She and other slaves set out on a gruesome and unforgiving walk from the Carolinas to New Orleans. They will suffer greatly both mentally and physically along the way. Annis is bought and taken to a Louisiana sugar plantation where her life will change once again.

Beautifully written with vivid descriptions and imagery. I enjoyed the magical realism and the way Annis, and the spirits interacted. I enjoyed learning about the strong women in Annis’s family tree. Their inner strength and determination were inspiring. This book was one big journey in a young woman’s life. It is not always easy reading as the slaves suffer through starvation, mistreatment, rape, being to separated from loved ones, worked hard, bought and sold, and beaten to name a few. Annis experienced so many things in her young life and showed strength, compassion, courage, fear, heartbreak, and love throughout it all.

Ward’s writing is powerful and packs a punch! I have a feeling that I will be thinking about and recommending this book for years to come.

Beautifully written, moving, gripping, heartbreaking and hard to put down.