The accusations are both exasperated and alleviated by the arrival of Bruh Abel, an itinerant preacher.įrom the start, Conjure Women adroitly unpacks the nuances of interbellum society, the influence of spirituality, and the power of superstition. When a baby is born in a caul and with black eyes, the townspeople accuse Rue of witchcraft. Rue’s talents, in contrast, result from an affinity with naturalism and herbalism. Indeed, Miss May Belle shows a proclivity for the supernatural and crafting curses. Their ability to heal is so powerful that their skills are often misidentified as magic. The narrative focuses on Rue, a midwife and healer, who learned her skills from her mother, Miss May Belle. They struggle to survive, especially as an incurable disease ravages the town’s children. Since the culmination of the Civil War they live in freedom, rarely interacting with white society. Building a town on the ruined plantation of Marse Charles, the black inhabitants are his former slaves. A work of historical fiction, the novel is set in the interbellum rural South. Afia Atakora‘s debut, Conjure Women, is a vivid exploration of the bondage and power of women.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |