Conjure Women takes place in the Civil War era and the chapters are broken up by freedomtime/war time/slaverytime. Rue and her mother Miss May Belle were healers and would conjure up magic heal, help, or hurt people; Miss May Belle was a healer on the plantation during slaverytime and after she died, Rue took the healing powers she learned from her mother into her own hands during freedomtime.

Miss May Belle was a strong, powerful and wise women - everyone, white and black came to her for healing. The magical things this women did people to heal them and help them escape were amazing.