Palmares
Gayl Jones
Rated: 2.90 of 5 stars
2.90
· 10 ratings · 504 pages · Published: 14 Sep 2021
Intricate and compelling, Palmares recounts the journey of Almeyda, a Black slave girl who comes of age on Portuguese plantations and escapes to a fugitive slave settlement called Palmares. Following its destruction, Almeyda embarks on a journey across colonial Brazil to find her husband, lost in battle.
Her story brings to life a world impacted by greed, conquest, and colonial desire. She encounters a mad lexicographer, desperate to avoid military service; a village that praises a god living in a nearby cave; and a medicine woman who offers great magic, at a greater price.
Combining the author’s mastery of language and voice with her unique brand of mythology and magical realism, Jones reimagines the historical novel. The result is a sweeping saga spanning a quarter century, with vibrant settings and unforgettable characters, steeped in the rich oral tradition of its world. Of Gayl Jones, the New Yorker noted, “[Her] great achievement is to reckon with both history and interiority, and to collapse the boundary between them.” Like nothing else before it, Palmares embodies this gift.
Tagged as:
- magical realism 3
- historical 3
- historical fiction 3
- slavery 3
- folktales & legends 2
- literary fiction 2
- fantasy 2
- female mc 1
- coming of age 1
- protagonists of colour 1
- black mc 1
- Add topics
- format - reader age
- audiobook 2
- book 1
- adult fiction 1