The Healing
“Odell has written one of those beautiful Southern tales with unforgettable characters. Required reading.” --New York Post Plantation mistress Amanda Satterfield’s intense grief over losing her daughter crosses the line into madness when she takes a newborn slave child as her own and names her Granada. Troubled by his wife’s disturbing mental state and concerned about a mysterious plague that is sweeping through the plantation’s slave population, Master Satterfield purchases Polly Shine, a slave woman known as a healer. But the master gets more than he bargained for when Polly’s sharp tongue and troubling predictions cause unrest throughout the plantation. Complicating matters further, Polly recognizes “the gift” in young Granada, and a domestic battle of wills ensues that raises tantalizing questions about who Polly Shine really is: a clever charlatan, a meddlesome witch, or a divine redeemer. Filled with strong, vivid female characters and inspired by true-life events, Odell brilliantly brings the pre-Civil War South to life in this masterfully written novel, centered on a mysterious and charismatic healer readers won’t soon forget. |
Praise for The Healing
"A remarkable rite-of-passage novel with an unforgettable character. . . .The Healing transcends any clichés of the genre with its captivating, at times almost lyrical, prose; its firm grasp of history; vivid scenes; and vital, fully realized people, particularly the slaves with their many shades of color and modes of survival.” —Associated Press “Odell gives voice to strong women at a time in history when their strength might have been their undoing. When Polly Shine's fierce knowledge comes up against Granada’s stubborn resistance, the reader is held captive as the two attempt to resolve their conflict and Granada is made to face her destiny. This moving story is a must-read for fans of historical fiction.” —Kathleen Grissom, author of The Kitchen House “A haunting tale of Southern fiction peopled with vivid and inspiring personalities. . . . Polly Shine is an unforgettable character who shows how the power and determination of one woman can inspire and transform the lives of those around her.” --Bookreporter “Jonathan Odell finds the right words, using the language of the day, its idiom and its music to great advantage in a compelling work that can stand up to The Help in the pantheon of Southern literature.” --Shelf Awareness “Odell has written one of those beautiful Southern tales with unforgettable characters. Required reading.” --New York Post “Engrossing. . . . This historical novel probes complex issues of freedom and slavery.” --Library Journal (starred review) |
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