Conjure Women is a gorgeous book which takes us to a slave holding plantation in the South. It takes place over alternating time periods before and after the Civil War. It was so immersive from the very beginning and I had a hard time putting this down.
Miss May Belle and her daughter, Rue, are healers in their community of slaves, and Verita is the last mistress of the big house.
After the war, the slaves stay on a now ownerless plantation, and prior to the war, their lives during slavery were often terrible with heartbreaking treatment. Even when freedom comes, it’s still at a high cost.
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The characters were rich and fleshed out. They felt so real, as did the relationships between them. The detail, the descriptions, the language—all so captivating and moving. I adored this book.

A gripping debut that follows the lives of three women through the years as the Civil Wars looms, as well as the years that follow the war, and the people in this community. Shared through the thoughts and days of Miss May Belle, a conjure woman; her daughter, Rue, who is still a child as this story begins, but who will grow to learn her mother’s skills in both casting spells and delivering babies; and Varina, daughter of Marse Charles, the plantation owner, and who through their childhood, Rue believes to be her friend. Add to these Bruh Abel, a magnetic preacher who seems to have his own agenda, and a community who turns to Miss May Belle for healing and birthing, but who turns against her when they feel a need to blame someone.

The author did her homework, reading narratives by those who were enslaved during this time period, the stories gathered by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930’s. It touches on the horrors of both slavery and the years of post-war “freedom,” when there were rapes, lynchings and assorted other acts of terror on those whose skin colour was not white.

Still, this doesn’t dwell in those horrors, but shares a brief view into the hearts and minds of both sides in this place and these times. At the same time, it is primarily through a chosen few that Atakora shares this moving story of conjuring and the belief in miracles.


Pub Date: 07 April 2020


Many thanks for the ARC provided by Random House Publishing Group / Random House

Thank you to Randomhouse and #netgalley for the advanced copy for my honest review. This book comes out April 7, 2020!

Tiny Synopsis: A historical fiction centered on Miss Rue and her mother Miss May Belle , both local “healing women” and their master’s daughter, Varina during the times post civil war and up to the 1920s. Miss May Belle is wise and tries to teach her only daughter everything she knows but Rue is very reluctant to follow the life of a midwife in times where people are turning from hoodoo to the Christian teachings of Brah Abel. The story uncovers secrets amongst the 3 women and the journeys they all take during these changing times.

My Review:⭐️⭐⭐.5/ 5 stars

I can only think of one other book I read with a similar tone/ theme that came out recently : the Water Dancer. I loved this one much more! These women are so different and it is heartbreaking what each has to go through in not such a distant era. It is a heavy book to read and I painfully got through it - not that the book wasn’t good, it is so well written and so much detail that you feel immediately transported into this era and smell the herbal concoctions they talk about - BUT it is hard to read because of what they all went through and so many of the revelations at the end really made certain things more understandable in their life choices.

I probably shouldn't keep trying to read historical fiction. Most of the time it is a huge fail for me. This book was way. too. slow. I just couldn't stand it. The premise was interesting. I wish she would have been more specific in her medicine making - kind of like how Outlander goes into a lot of detail about cultivating and using the herbs, etc. Then at least there would have been some interest in the slower parts. But really there just wasn't enough action and I was confused about what was happening for a lot of the book.

Conjure Women straddles the liminal period between slavery and freedom as three women, Miss Mae Belle, her daughter, Rue, and Varina, the master’s daughter and Rue’s playmate, circle each other with jealousy, suspicion, lies, and vengeance. Mae Belle is the healer, or “conjure woman,” on the plantation, tasked with keeping the slaves healthy but also providing magic secretly to them. Rue learns at her feet and inherits her mother’s position as the country is emerging from the war.

The freed slaves stay on the plantation land and create a community said to be protected by a spell incanted years before by Mae Bell with Rue as their trusted healer. However, as time passes, that trust erodes. The former slaves turn to Christianity taught by the roving prophet, Brother Abel, just as Rue delivers an infant with hauntingly disturbing black eyes and as the children of the settlement begin to die of a mysterious illness. Rue’s former friends accuse her of inciting the illness and cavorting with spirits in the wilderness. Meanwhile, the spell protecting the settlement appears to be weakening as incursions by angry whites harm people and property.

The novel has two timelines: before the war, focusing on Mae Belle and Rue as a child, and after the war, from the perspective of Rue as an adult. The differing time periods are a strength of the book as they so wrenchingly illustrate the everyday evil of slavery and its aftermath as well as the complicated relationships between the masters and slaves on plantations. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book for anyone interested in learning more about this time period; I can’t remember another book that depicts the immediate post-war experience for slaves so well.

I did have a hard time connecting with Rue, though. This may be by design; she was a reserved character, protected by layers of bravado, skill, and misdirection in order to protect herself and her secrets. Additionally, the presentation of information within each timeline was nonlinear in a way that I thought was jarring, but again, that might be deliberate.

Individual scenes in the book were so striking, I’ve been thinking of them long after I closed the cover. In particular, a scene with a celebratory dance the Master insisted on holding despite the Union army’s advance, and its implications for Varina and Rue has lodged in my chest.

Afia Atakora’s well-researched debut novel Conjure Women will appeal to readers of literary fiction and those interested in novels about slavery and the resilience of freed slaves.

An exquisite debut novel from Afia Atakora that deftly weaves the stories of Miss May Belle and her daughter, Rue, in the time before and after the US Civil War. Both May Belle and Rue are healers and "conjure women" on the plantation and their stories intertwine with the young mistress of the house, Verina, and the slaves who toil there. Well researched and beautifully written, this novel gives voice to those who had none. It focuses on themes of family, love, toxic secrets, and magic. It is bound to be a classic and is cinematic in structure and depth.

*Advanced galley copy courtesy of #NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Conjuring Women is a novel that is set between two periods of time, important to history -- the Civil War, and post-Civil War, or commonly known as Reconstruction.

Afia Atakora does a wonderful job weaving the story lines between Rue's mother, Miss May Belle, and Rue, her daughter, who have similarities in that they both have the same line of work, but also are different in the sense that Rue is naive, and periodically depends on her mother's opinion of things.

We follow Rue as she learns from her mother about healing and birthing babies for the slaves that live on Marse Charles' plantation. As the novel continues, the reader explores Rue's relationship with the slave community. At one point, the community used to lean on Rue for assistance, but after the ominous birth of Black-Eyed Bean, and the arrival of Bruh Abel, the community shifts to disapproval of Rue.

But Rue has her own secrets; secrets that have been festering within her for quite some time. She's been trying to hide them from the community, even after the Civil War has ended, but people are starting to figure them out. It takes her being baptized by Bruh Abel in order for the community to begin to trust her again, and not conjuring ghosts that are rumored to live in the woods thanks to her mother, Miss May Belle.

Atakora jumps between two different time periods, and I loved that slowly but surely, the time periods met in the middle, and the reader could see the full pictures of each character's development, especially Rue and Varina. Varina was Marse Charles's daughter, and was a danger to herself. She thought the rules did not apply to her, and consistently got Rue in trouble with her mother. During Reconstruction, you can also see how the war took a toll on everyone, especially on Varina, who became addicted to laudanum.

Though this is Atakora's first novel, I'm very excited to see what other future books she publishes. Historical fiction is always one of my favorite reads, and I haven't read one based during Civil War times in quite awhile.

Available April 7, 2020

Conjure Women is a dark and beautifully written story about the power of women in a dark time in history. Set in the American South, Conjure Women spans generations to tell the history of three women living on the same plantation. May Belle, a powerful healing woman with the power to conjure curses has taught her daughter Rue the secrets of their position. When Rue's friendship with the master's daughter Varian threatens her safety, May Belle does what she can to protect her daughter. Those actions will change the women's lives forever.
This is a haunting story of family and the lengths we will go to protect the ones we love. Told in alternating points of view, the story unfolds slowly to reveal an intricately laid plan of revenge, hope, and fierce loyalty. The writing is incredibly beautiful and compelling, insisting the reader digests each word before moving on to the next. Atakora paints a vivid picture of village life and the complexities of the healer's place in society. Both feared and revered, May Belle and Rue both in their times, do their very best to keep the villagers safe and calm during the most trying times. When the villagers turned on Rue, I was so invested in her safety and well-being that I couldn't put the book down. I had to know how her story ended and learn the secrets of her tumultuous relationship with her mother.
Richly written, Conjure Women is a compelling story of family, loyalty, and closely held secrets. Best part, this Afia Atakora's first novel. I look forward to seeing more from this amazing author.

I did not pick this book intentionally with everything going on, which made it even more eerie.

This is a beautiful literary/historical fiction book. It is written so gracefully that you cannot help but want to devour it, which is what I did. This is apparently the author's first book. She will definitely become a name in literary fiction. This book will probably win awards.

The characters are all intriguing and so well developed. You want to continue learning about them.

This book has a little bit of everything. Magic, spirituality, love, death, defiance, bravery, community, and healing.

It also touches on other societal issues as well. The story is about a former slave, she is a conjure woman. She helps deliver babies and heals her community, she is well regarded, as was her mother. But there is a virus going around that is killing the babies. Soon she is blamed for it and people are shunning her and even want to run her off, because they believe she cursed them. As we know right now, when things get bad people panic and often need someone to blame to help make sense of the bad.

This book was moving and beautiful. I will be buying a copy for my shelf.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ of five stars
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Thank you @netgally and Random House for giving me an ARC for an honest review.
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Publication date: April 7th
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This book was a dream! The writing style is stunning. The characters were well developed and the plot was intriguing to the point that I couldn’t put it down if I tired. I thought this book was so well written - then finding out that this is a debut novel!! I am very impressed!
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Synopsis: We are following the lives of women that live on a plantation; a healer and slave, her daughter and the daughter of the plantation owner. Baring witness to the struggles they face pre and post Civil War. The brutality that the salves faced everyday and the frightening unknown that their new found freedom gave them.
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Although Conjure Women isn’t my usual genre, I will be reading anything Afia Atakora writes! This was just so good!
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Conjure definition: “make (something) appear unexpectedly or seemingly from nowhere as if by majic.”

Quotes:

“Freedom was a word with weights. It meant deciding-to stay or to go. To have or not to have. It was a heady change-becoming the master of one’s own self.”

“You don’t love on a baby enough they come up wrongly.”

Conjure Women by Afia Atakora is her debut novel. It took me awhile to get through this book. Atakora is a beautiful writer but I felt the way the book was structured made it confusing, a bit slow and hard to get through at times. It is a book that I started off loving from page one because of the writing style, like the quotes above, but then early on found myself struggling to finish. I pushed on and the last fifty pages of the book picked up again. Everything came together at the end and I am glad that I finished and was able to find out how everyone was related and what happened to them because I was invested in the characters.

I felt that there was not really a plot to the story and I am a reader who likes a plot. I am not a fan of memoirs for this reason. Conjure Women is about the life of Rue, a Conjure Woman who learned hoodooing and birthing from her mother Mae Belle. Mae Belle and Rue are slaves on Marse Charles plantation. Varina is the daughter of Marse Charles and the reader will get engrossed in the relationship between Rue and Varina. Bruh Abel is a black preacher and the relationship between him and the rest of the slaves and white people is complex. The chapters alternate between Slavetime and Freedomtime. Freedom came for the slaves and for Rue but Rue never felt free because she was born to heal and felt she was a slave to healing after she was free.

Books on slavery happen to be some of my favorite reads. I really wanted to love this book, but there was a lot missing for me. It was a confusing read, with to much going on and not enough detail about what was going on until the end. It was written somewhat like a mystery which made it confusing and disjointed. That being said I would absolutely read another book by this author. Atakora has a beautiful way with words. It is an excellent book for book clubs to discuss.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is haunting, sad, and impactful. It was a graphic and difficult read, but also a very thought provoking and powerful story.

(This review is currently posted on my bookstagram account, where it will stay. That account is: chandra.lee.reads)

I have to say, for a debut novel, this was a great read! The story begins with of a mother (Miss May Belle) and daughter (Rue) who were slaves and could both heal and conjure curses. I was immediately drawn in by the subject matter alone, and I enjoyed delving into the relationships between the master’s family and their slaves, especially Rue and Varina. It was a very unique story, told both during times of pre-war slavery and after the slaves had been freed, that expressed the lengths one will go to protect themselves and the ones they love. But protecting the ones you love sometimes requires sacrifices, even if if that means threatening one’s reputation and freedom.

I did find that story ended a bit abruptly and didn’t feel entirely complete. I think if there had been a bit more about Rue at the end it wouldn’t have seemed so rushed. Other than that, I really enjoyed reading this wonderfully written debut novel.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3028720531

Voodoo.Hoodoo.Healing.The Civil War.Mother/child love.Midwifery.Slavery.These are an intricate part of Atakora's debut novel so intimately expressed with breathtaking intensity. The time period is before and after the devastation of the Civil War expressed through the slaves and master of a Southern plantation. Three women dominate the picture, MayBelle, the original Conjure or healer, her daughter Rue, who becomes schooled in her mother's ways, and Varina, a childhood playmate born to Rue's master.Shifting between chapters designated as "Slaverytime" and "Freedomtime" the author displays a powerful reckoning of slavery life and its injustices in heartbreaking detail. What I loved about this novel is the immersive quality to her writing, as if the author had indeed been a ghost watching their worlds unfold. Many secrets unfold through the twists and turns of the novel, through "healing methods",the birth of a"bedeviled" child with intense black eyes, and a roving preacher who has secrets of his own. Part of me had trouble with the relationship between Varina and Rue. Varina was so despicable to me in many ways, but Rue loved her none the less. Read this for a bird's eye view of slavery and war that highlights the plight of men and women and the lives of three stunning women.

I devoured Conjure Women by Afia Atakora. I don't know what it is about this one that I enjoyed so much, but I found Rue's character to be so interesting, easy to love, and easy to read about. Mama Doe was also such a good character- I wish she'd been featured in the book more. Sarah and Brother Allen were also big hits for me, as was little Bean. I could've done without Varina, but he role in the story was so integral and the messaging Atakora conveyed through Varina was gold. I especially enjoyed the inter-generational structure of the book, and how Rue's story was interlaced with May Belle's sacrifices and dedication to keep Rue with her (and Varina). I think the best part of Conjure Women for me was the ending- it was just unclear enough to allow for alternative interpretations but still clear enough to give readers an idea of how it was intended to be read. If you've read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the ending!

February 29, 2020
Conjure Women
by
Afia Atakora
Publishing date

Conjure Women describes life on a Southern Plantation starting in 1854 and ending with freedom in 1867.
Author Afia Atakora narrates the lives of slaves, their interaction, all which builds a community all it entails.
We meet May Belle mother to Rue, both healers...birthing healthy, strong babies, responsible for the mating of slaves to produce the strongest babies. This practice being profitable to plantation masters.
The many characters inhabiting this beauifuly written book will bring you joy and ire.

Take time to read "Author's notes" characters in this novel are based on former slaves, which I found interesting.

"A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews"

Read this novel

Thank you Random House Publishing and NetGalley

The story of the Conjure Women weaves its way through several timelines before, during and after the Civil War following a family of women on a plantation. One woman is an honored healer using the old ways, the second her daughter caught between learning the old ways and reconciling the pressures of Christianity around her and the third, the daughter of the plantation owner.

The characters are rich and deep. They struggle with life during the days of slavery and then trying to figure out what "freedom" means to each of them. After the birth of a child with some strange ways and a plague that seems to be afflicting all of the other newborn children, the black plantation folks are torn between the world they knew and the one proposed by a slick talking preacher who has recently settled within their midst. The story explores the importance of tradition in an evolving world where human nature balancing fear and acceptance can upend all that is comfortable and leave a wake of uncertainty for even those who are confident in their beliefs. There are all of the intense and violent moments you'd expect in a Civil War slave account mixed with fantastical natural elements that make the story a beautiful and powerful read.

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.

Afia Atakora's Conjure Women is a richly detailed narrative that takes us back to the pre and post Civil War South through the eyes of Miss May Belle and her daughter, Miss Rue. The chapters alternate viewpoints between the two women to showcase how different and still yet similar life is for women of color in the South during and after the war when freedom really didn't mean that these women were in fact free.

For Miss May Belle, it is 1854. She is a practicing midwife and conjurer. Her special talents give her a life with benefits that she wouldn't have had other wise or as she puts it, “Hoodoo is black folks currency.” Other slaves seek her out for help and at times, so do the wealthy white men who are too embarrassed by an ailment to seek out a doctor. Rue is young and growing up under Miss May Belle's watchful eyes, learning her secrets and seeing first hand what conjuring can do to a person's body and soul.

The two live in a large plantation owned by the prosperous Marse Charles and his daughter, Varina. His young daughter becomes a playmate for Rue had she is eager to act out her rebellions which usually ends in punishment for Rue. Miss May Belle knows that her talents afford her freedoms, but that she is still a slave and as such must adhere to the unspoken rules of the white-men who control her life. She makes sure Rue learns her place while learning the ways of hoodoo and conjuring to ensure that Rue keeps her place long with Marse Charles long after she is gone.

For Rue, it is 1867 and the war is over. Her mother is long gone and she has taken over the hoodooing that she had abandoned after a horrific tragedy. Rue is intimately involved in many of the townspeople's lives as she has delivered every baby since the war. When a fair skinned, black eyed child is born the town views the arrival more as a curse than a blessing and the praise they used to give Rue turns to criticism as suspicion begins to swirl. Suspicion is only heightened with the arrival of a preacher to town who is bent on ruining Rue because the bible marks her as impure and evil with her hoodoo and magic. However, is the preacher all that pure and truthful himself? Rue's story is filled with suspicion and conniving scheming that fuels much of the conflict in her story.

Fear overtakes the town and trust is lost. Rue is overwhelmed by the burden of the secrets and magic that she carries. Will she ever truly be free or will she be forever bartering for other people's well-being while sacrificing her own? Ultimately, what is the price of her freedom?

Afia Atakora's Conjure Women is a fantastic debut novel that makes Atakora an author to watch. Her poetic prose and use of magical realism make the details of this novel come to life. You become immersed in her world--a fantastic read that brings the world of slavery and life before reconstruction to life.

Book Information
Conjure Women by Afia Atakora is scheduled to be released on April 7, 2020 from Random House Publishing with ISBN 9780525511489. This review corresponds to an advanced electronic galley that was supplied by the publisher in exchange for this review.

A powerful debut novel by this author.
The story is about emancipated slaves continuing to live on the plantation they’ve lived on for many years, after its destruction during the Civil War.
It centers most around a healer (conjure woman) Miss May Belle, her daughter Rue, and Varina.. the daughter of the white plantation owner.
The story goes back and forth in time showing how they had to live pre and post civil war times.
Miss May Belle was called upon for healing and the casting of spells and midwifery before the war.. following her death after the war, Rue takes over..when she delivers a baby with a caul.. and other children start getting ill, people start wondering if she is a witch.
The slaves where now free but continuing to live on this ruined plantation.. they didn’t really know anything of the outside world, freedom hadn’t yet changed their lives.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for this ARC!