"I washed my hands every day, Jojo. But that damn blood ain't never come out.

Profound and poetic. This story demands an audience. 

From the graphic opening scene to the sob inducing ending, this novel exposes the plight of living a poverty driven Black experience in the rural south. 

Powerful scenes blended with beautifully evocative prose. The lushness of the writing amplified the ever-present, gut-wrenching sense of danger and neglect. The steady pace of the narrative allowed me the necessary time to contend with dire circumstances, past and present. But Ward didn’t leave us to languish in the doom. The elements of magical realism evoked the potential of hope even as they dissected the ghosts of generational trauma. 

Ward’s ability to capture the complexities of the south and its heritage of racism makes this short but powerful novel a true literary masterpiece. 

Many thanks to my friends at @scribnerbooks for the free #gifted copy of this book.