Let Us Descend

LET US DESCEND

by Jesmyn Ward

 

Nominations: Aspen Words Longlist 2024, Carnegie Finalist 2024, Kirkus Finalist 2023, Oprah Book Club 2023

 

Date Read: December 1, 2023

 

Annis is living the nightmare of slavery – where humans are not treated as human and are faced with impossible choices. Her reprieve is her mother until her mother is marched off one day by the Georgia Man. Alone and terrified, Annis is comforted by a fellow slave named Safi and that comfort turns to love.

 

In the midst of their chores, Annis and Safi are discovered and they too are marched off by the Georgia Man, although marched is too kind a word. Taken on foot through a torturous path from North Carolina to New Orleans, the journey is unimaginable in its brutality. Then again, Annis’ entire reality is unimaginable brutality, although Ward is incredibly gifted at giving voice to the unimaginable.

 

On this journey, Annis discovers Mama Aza who embodies her long-lost grandmother who was a warrior directly from Africa. The connections between women throughout are powerful as nurturers, lovers, enemies and guides. Annis’ mother tried to teach her in the spear fighting her mother learned from her mother turning Annis even more powerful.

 

Annis continually loses every person she ever loved until she finds love for herself which cannot be taken from her. As she makes her way to her own kind of freedom, Mama Aza cannot terrify or control her. As she recovers and licks her wounds, she realizes how hungry she was for simple kindness. This gutted me as kindness was just not on offer for slaves. 

 

Ward wrote this novel after losing her 33 year old husband and throughout her mourning still managed to create this masterpiece. I continue to worship her as an author and will cherish this novel always.

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