Afia AtakoraBesprekingen

DNF. Lost interest.

The setting is a plantation somewhere in the American South. Most of the action takes place during the Reconstruction Era, when a community of once-enslaved people continue to live in the cabins that used to be "the quarters", in close proximity to the burned-out ruin of the former home of Marse Charles. With glimpses back to pre-war times, and to the latter days of the war itself, we learn through the eyes of the "conjure women" May Belle and her daughter Rue, what life was like for slaves with some small measure of privilege based on their healing skills. May Belle's knowledge of plants and their concoction into medicines often seemed like magic to master and slaves alike. Her power was both sought after and feared. Her judicious use of actual "spells" was usually her own secret, not available upon demand. Rue was reluctant to follow in her mother's footsteps, knowing that a birth gone wrong could be seen as the result of hoo-doo; an infection that would not yield, blamed on the healer's ill will toward the sufferer. The true magic to be found in this novel comes from the way the past and present are intermingled, the way bits of secrets are revealed in precisely the proper way, and the way the reader is drawn into the characters' lives. There is no galloping story line, but there are plenty of developments along the way, some of which could be expected, others of which are surprising. The ending is satisfying without being too pat. It is clear that a lot of research went into this book, yet it never comes across as "educational", and even more miraculously, to me, it doesn't feel like an MFA product. Highly recommended.

This is a lovely if somewhat flawed novel about a Black community on a Southern plantation before and during the Civil War and then in the years just after, and the story, within that community, of a mother and a daughter: two generations of conjure women--community healers, midwives and, when need be, spell casters. The narrative jumps back and forth between the two time periods and the two women. The mother, Miss May Belle, tries to keep the plantation's slaves healthy and to soothe them as best she can. She is given extra privileges by the plantation's owner because of her ability to keep his workforce working and help the women bear their children, which of course then immediately owns. Her daughter is Miss Rue, a child during slavery days, and her mother's protégée, and then the heir to May's practice and position in the community. It's Rue's job to tend to the community after Emancipation. We're told that the plantation is large enough, and in a spot so remote, that once the owner and his family are gone, the freed slaves are left to fend for themselves. This is the first of the not-quite-believable elements to the story. At any rate, modern readers will know, although this is only hinted at in the narrative, that Reconstruction is not going to last forever, or for very long, and that soon enough the White world will come calling, bringing terror and death. Rue's doomed attempts to forestall this calamity provides some of the novel's best, and skillfully understated, tension. The descriptions of the worlds of slavery and the times just after are handled well, with close in portraits of living conditions and the social aspects of those world's as well. In particular, I appreciated the Atakora's avoidance of cliche in this respect. However, that's not to say that the book is wholly free of cliche. The arrival of a charismatic traveling preacher of questionable morals and intent, for example, and the resulting tension between the old ways of Rue's natural learning and the preacher's wielding of Christianity as a weapon, as well as their battle for the loyalty of the community. It's not that these elements, and a few others I'll refrain from detailing here, aren't handled well, it's just that they represent very familiar tropes that I'd hoped perhaps could have been steered around. I do want to say that I thought the relationship between mother and daughter was very well imagined and described.

The narrative moves slowly at times. That's OK, as I mostly found it fine to luxuriate in some of the descriptions of character and place, but still I thought the book could have been trimmed about about a quarter. The two timelines come together skillfully at the end, though some of the most dramatic situations of what had seemed at times to be the heart of the story seemed by them to be mostly have been dispensed with. Additionally, at times the characters' motivations for actions that, again, are at the heart of the story, are a bit obscure.

I feel, as can happen with these reviews, that I've over-emphasized the faults I found to the extent perhaps of overshadowing this novel's many virtues. There's a lot here to like, a lot of terrific writing, and this is a first novel. I will absolutely be tracking Atakor's career and look forward to seeing what she does next.½

I think this is best categorized as a Young Adult book. The writing is very simple and straightforward. A story of slavery, set in the South, combines characters and conjure. A good piece of historical fiction.

A very beautifully written book set in the south both at the outbreak of the civil war and in the time after, when now freed enslaved people are transitioning to a world where they now free, no more accepted, however, and fighting to survive.

The story is told by Rue, both when she is a young enslaved girl living on a large plantation with her mother May Belle, and as a freed adult. There are a few chapters told from May Belle's perspective as well. The story switches back and forth in time, and between May Belle and Rue, as well as a bit about Varina, the daughter of the slave owner. As the timelines shift back and forth, the storylines start to come together and fill in the missing bits. The switching of perspectives and narrators was smooth and there was no confusion about who was speaking or where I was.

Rue's mother is the healer on the plantation, and later Rue takes over the role, but as an adult, starts to believe she is losing her magick. (This "magick" is more of the folk kind, not the fantasy kind.) This is a story about their lives, their traditions, their beliefs - and what Rue does to survive.

The writing is rich and atmospheric, and really well-plotted, with plenty of twists. The characters are well-drawn - complex and realistic. There are so many words to describe this tale: heartbreaking, cruel, beautiful, haunting - especially haunting, as the story stayed with me long after I'd turned the last page. Truly memorable.

I was provided a copy of the book via NetGalley for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

I found this book to be an engrossing, impressive debut. I liked how this storyline concentrated on the post-Civil War years, especially from the point-of-view of women and how they were making a way in the world that is not quite sure what “freedom” means to them.

While the story does not turn away from the horrors of slavery, this story is hopeful as it focuses on their resistance and their reliance on each other.

Characters have complex lives, well-crafted prose, great tone and pacing, and well-placed twists and turns makes this a refreshing addition to the genre of historical fiction.

I liked this book and wanted to see where it went, but... I do agree with other reviewers who have said it is slow-moving. I did not give up because I liked the combination of historical, magic, healing, and vague paranormal aspects, as well as the characters, but it was a bit of a struggle to get through.

I came to this novel looking for witches, and while I didn’t get quite what I wanted I heartily enjoyed reading this story. Delving into a poignant moment in the history of slavery in the U.S., author Atakora introduces us to Rue, a young woman tied to the healer’s past and knowledge instilled in her by her mother, to the newly freed slave community she was raised in, and to the daughter of the plantation owner who was her best friend growing up. Rue may rail against the monicker of conjure woman that (the title of the book and) her community has thrust upon her, but she can’t help but have care for the challenging people in her community no matter their faults. The story revolves around Rue’s conflict with the community over the seemingly cursed birth of Black-eyed Bean, the boy who is born with pitch black eyes and too light (and patterned) skin, but grows to explore the deeper conflicts that encompass the whole community. At times it seems like all Rue has is conflict with the world, as she quietly protests against the light-skinned preacher who visits their community, keeps secrets about the South’s loss in the Civil War, and fights to make her own place in the world separate from her mother’s legacy. Through these complexities, Atakora has woven an intriguing story that at once perfectly encapsulates a moment in time and personifies the greater struggles of the Black community, while treading on common themes that are recognizable throughout humanity. The book itself may not be one to easily capture, but its small moments of gemlike precision in storytelling provide inevitable food for thought. Like Rue, we are maybe all just trying to make our ways through the hardships of our lives, seeing too much and never enough to clearly guide us, but somehow making it through another day.

Upon finishing this book, I knew that I needed to read more books by Afia Atakora. A quick search tells me Conjure Women is actually her debut novel? All I can say to that is… wow.

Set just before, during, and after the American Civil War in the antebellum south, this striking novel tells the story of healer and slave Miss May Belle, her daughter and somewhat reluctant protege, Rue, and their master’s daughter, Varina. Rue and Varina are the same age and grow up together amidst the brutality and tragedy of slavery on a southern plantation. Secrets, lies, betrayals, magic, and spiritualism pervade the story of this community of slaves as they become free men and women and their struggles continue.

Atakora’s writing is fantastic and affecting. All of the characters are well-developed and authentic, but Rue especially stole my heart. What a beautifully complex and layered character. She’s very much a product of her life and environment , but she’s alsoindependent, smart and headstrong.

This is definitely not an easy read—as one expects, its dark, heartbreaking, and full of terribleness. It feels realistic, painful, and important, and despite all of the sadness, this book has much to offer of joy and hope. Rue, May Belle, and Varina will stick with me for a long while.

The book is divided into five parts with descriptive chapter names that indicate the timeline and content. It travels in time from 1854 to 1929 and covers the lives of three women endeavoring to survive their own particular burdens, during troubling times that go back and forth between moments of struggle and moments of hope. The chapter names are Freedomtime, Slaverytime, Wartime, Surrender, The Ravaging, Promise, Exodus, In the Beginning, and Gilead. Several recur more than once as the novel goes back and forth in time to illustrate the struggle for independence and freedom experienced by both slaves and their masters.
The slaves were chattel, considered nothing more than workhorses by their owners. They were not taught to read so they learned nothing of the world outside of the place they worked. They were sold at will, and families were torn asunder capriciously with little thought for their feelings. They were physically, mentally and sexually abused. The punishments were meted out regardless of whether or not there was an offense. It was simply the will and whim of the slave owner that dictated treatment and lifestyles. No matter how you slice it, the situation was abominable.
The book centers around three women. Mae Belle is a healer and conjurer. Her daughter Roe has been taught the healing arts, the condition which protects her and allows her to remain with her mother. As the plight of the slave is highlighted, there is a hierarchy of superstitions that is apparent. When something does not go as planned, they become certain it is because someone has cursed them with a spell. It is Mae Belle who provides them with the solutions they need to counteract or initiate a spell. Roe and the daughter of Marse Charles, Varina, are the same age. They are friends, albeit with Varina calling the shots, since she is white and it is her father’s plantation. She does abuse and take advantage of Roe, at times, but when Roe has the opportunity to take charge of her friend, she returns that favor. When slavery ends, Roe engineers conditions to control her life and to maintain the stable community the slaves have created on Varina’s land.
After her mother, Mae Belle, passes away, Roe becomes responsible for birthing the babies and curing the ailments of the slaves with herbs and plants and medications she prepares. Roe largely sticks to using her knowledge without magic, as she is untrained in the art of conjuring. Superstition reigns until Bruh Abel comes to town to preach, and he ultimately sets up a congregation conducting baptisms and services. When a disease ravages the community, without rhyme or reason, taking young and old, he brings religion to the former slaves, and offers them hope and camaraderie as he comforts those who are ill and those whose children are dying. They no longer trust Roe as they once did. They suspect she might have cast a spell that is causing the illnesses afflicting them.
Because the slave was required to fulfill any task a master requested, the parentage of many children was suspect and husbands were uninformed until they noticed a strong resemblance to someone or other, even the master or a member of his family. Even after they were freed, and time passed, the former slaves could not let their guard down. They always had to watch what they said and did; they always feared offending someone white and being severely punished. Although the history is not covered intensely, many historic moments and examples of the slave’s struggle to survive are cited, and they do illustrate the vicious, and often sadistic behavior of the slave owners, and then later on of the KKK, a terror group that refused to accept that people of color were equal to them. They wore robes and hoods and their actions were truly despicable.
The dilemma faced by being a person of color is clearly illuminated. The difficulty the slave’s faced, as they were subject to the completely arbitrary behavior of cruel masters is revealed with authenticity, although sometimes the reader is forced to suspend disbelief as little anecdotes of magic appear, creating a lighter bit of fantasy in the novel.
The narrator did an excellent job with the dialect used by the slaves and the higher English used by their masters. More than anything, for me the book illustrated the history of slavery and the racial tension that continued to exist in the south, while some lucky victims, ultimately went on to a better life by escaping to the North. Although the heinous practice of using human beings as property ended, racism continues.

Powerful words make powerful images of this plantation Civil War and post-Civil War story. The story packs a wallop. Moving back and forth in time, the Civil War section is told by the slave woman responsible for healing, and that included conjure magic. At times, it is not an easy book to read. I wanted to slap the master’s young daughter so often and tell her to grow up. Reconstruction times are told by May Belle’s daughter. Also, a healing woman. There is so much emotion in this book, so much strength in both the slaves and the newly freed people. Endurance beyond what most of us could deal with. Freedom is not a pretty picture, it’s painful. And as secrets are revealed as the book ends, it becomes even more painful and sad. Compelling to the end, the reader will think about the people in this book for a long time.

Set during and after the Civil War, the Conjure Women is a story about black women who practice "hoo doo". They do the birthing, cure the sick, cast spells and are trusted yet feared in the black community. Rue has learned the trade from her mother, Mae Belle, and succeeds her in the role of conjure woman when she passes away. The story reveals the crushing brutality of slavery, of slaves having no real family of their own. Babies are taken from the mothers, the pretty slave girls are raped by the master and the white women mistreat the slaves. Surprising backstories are revealed - Marse Charles, the plantation owner, has fathered a white daughter and a black daughter, both the same age, who bare a striking resemblance to one another. As the war is ending, Varina, the only daughter of Marse Charles, is distraught having gotten pregnant and then forgotten by her former beau. Varina attempts to abort the baby and it dies and is buried. Varina, distraught and slightly drugged, is led by Rue to an underground dungeon where she is imprisoned for the next many years.

Conjure Women is a complex historical saga.
The compelling narrative alternates between dual timelines of pre-Civil War and post-Civil War as it follows the life of a young slave girl and her plantation community.
With so little information about women in history, I appreciate the historical value of this novel. And I applaud the author's ability to successfully weave the lives of the very complicated characters and time period.
But, for me, there were too many characters to follow in the two different timelines, and I found it to be a bit confusing.
If you read this book, I recommend that you watch the author's interviews on Barnes & Noble's Instagram. She goes into much detail about this novel and the factors that led to it's fruition.

I was drawn to this book because of the cover (yes, I do judge a book by it’s cover!) and the title, since I really enjoy books involving witches, voodoo, and hoodoo. I don’t read a lot of historical fiction, although I usually like it when I do, but one of my reading goals this year is to read more historical fiction, so I really wanted to give Conjure Women by Afia Atakora a read. And I am very glad I did since this book is very well written and stayed with me for days after I finished.

Atakora writes very complex characters that show how deeply they are flawed and how full of life and hope they are filled, during a horrendous point in history. May and Rue work helping fellow slaves and the plantation owner’s family through herbs, midwifery, and hoodoo, but they are human and have wants and needs that benefit only them. Miss May Belle wants to shield Rue as much as possible, but in doing so makes Rue’s life harder in ways. And after May is gone, Rue continues on with her mother’s work, but she too has people she is trying to shield from harsh realities and this does not always work out in a good way.

Atakora also takes a look at how village’s wise women have been held in esteem until something can’t be fixed with herbal magic (a plague that starts killing the children) or when a man (in this case, a preacher named Abel) starts making the people question the wise woman via religion or a western approach to medicine. This is something that has been happening for thousands of years and still happens today.

This review doesn’t even cover a tenth of what takes place in the book. I highly recommend you read it and discover the amazing story for yourself.

This is a book that meanders through time, characters and stories which are rich and gorgeously written. It was easy to get lot in them and enjoy each for what it was communicating and portraying, telling the stories of the same characters both before the Civil War and then after. Then, at some point, you suddenly realize these stories are the pieces of one big puzzle you didn't even realize were clicking right into place. Once you get that, it's a race to get to the end. Really. You can't turn the pages fast enough. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.

Conjure Women is a richly structured novel, moving between the last years of southern slavery and the risky freedom that followed. Multiple stories play out in alteration, informing each other, as well as functioning on their own. Because I kept wanting the next part of this two-sided puzzle, I found Conjure Women a very difficult book to put down.

Conjure Women does nothing to "whitewash" either slavery or the dangerous years after it, but it also doesn't indulge in gratuitous violence. There is cruelty, both across and within races. There are also badly made choices, when characters, addressing pressing needs, create entirely news set of problems and injustices. Afia Atakora's insight into the complicated natures of human identity and desires gives us a world both blemished and carefully observed.

Given the wonderful quality of its plotting, characters, and prose, I feel compelled to call Conjure Women on of this years must-read novels. Don't miss it.

I received a free electronic review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.

My first five star book of the year and a first novel to boot. Many years back I read a book, [book:The Healing|12266595], that made a huge impression and a book I have never forgotten. This is another book that I would place in that class, another never to be forgotten story.

With nary a misstep in plot, tone or character develop, Atakora takes us to a slave holding plantation in the South. The book covers the period before the Civil War and after. What makes this book so special is that I didn't feel like an observer but was drawn into the story, feeling as if I were a part of what was going to happen.

The story follows a slave conjuring woman and her daughter Rue, which is also my granddaughters name) and the last mistress of the house Verita. After the
war, the slaves stay on at the plantation, now ownerless, and their lives take many twists and turns. Their lives during slavery was often beyond terrible and after, the freedom they have still enactes a high cost. So many things happen in this book, the details, descriptions are incredible, all serve to make this a compulsive read.. Definitely will go on my favorites shelf, and it will take a strong contender to displace this for my favorite of the year.

The ending, though surprising, was just about perfect.

ARC from Edelweiss.

Powerful debut. Atakora has written a compelling story, that of a single plantation before, during, and after the US Civil War from the perspective of a single enslaved woman, Rue. Rue is the Conjure Woman of the community, tasked with midwifery and the healing of her people, a job she inherited from mer mother, Miss May Bell.
The story opens with Rue awakening to a chilling cry coming from a nearby cabin. This is our first introduction to Bean, so named because of his unusual eyes, which appear to be almost all black, the sight of which prompts Rue to call him "Black Eyed Bean," a name that sticks. We follow Rue and Bean through Reconstruction, the years immediately following the Civil War, when the South was still reeling from the destruction wrought by battles and often by punitive Northern troops.
Left alone on a plantation with the master and male heirs gone off to war, Varina (the young Southern Belle daughter) and the enslaved community are left to fend for themselves. When the South surrenders and their freedom is is declared, some slaves leave, but many stay, preferring the relative safety of home to the perilous roads outside.
Conjure Women is the story of Rue's life, and how she uses what knowledge she has - of herbs, folklore, belief, and a sort of rudimentary psychology - to keep the community safe through an onslaught of threats, including Northern soldiers, disease, internal conflict, an itinerant preacher, and the nascent Ku Klux Klan-even when it turns against Rue herself.
Through flashbacks to "slaverytime" Atakora lays out how and why Rue came to be a Conjure Woman, and paints a vivid picture of the ways in which people survived slavery and the beatings, rapes, and daily torture that was inflicted upon them. It's a sobering story.

The real magic of the book, though, is the language and the beautiful way in which Atakora has captured the tone and cadence of Southern speech without ever slipping into the horrible parody of most attempts at dialect. Brilliantly done.

4.25/5.

mother and daughter with a shared talent for healing—and for the conjuring of curses—are at the heart of this dazzling first novel WINNER OF THE SOCIETY OF AMERICAN HISTORIANS PRIZE • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New York Times • NPR • Parade • Book Riot • PopMatters“Lush, irresistible