African-American novelist Jesmyn Ward plunges to the roots of the history of her community in a Homeric song

Jesmyn Ward is the first woman, and the first African-American double winner of the National Book Award. Furthermore, She received this prestigious prize for the first time in 2011 with Wild woodpublished in France in 2012. Moreover, and a second time with The song of the ghosts In 2017. We will be a storm, His new novel, appeared Thursday, August 21, at BELIFOND editions on Thursday.

Annis grew among the slaves in a plantation of North Carolina. Similarly, His mother teaches him to fight, and to recognize plants, virtuous and dangerous. Furthermore, Sold by the master, rapist and sire of his daughter, his mother leaves the plantation.

Annis consoles himself in the arms of Safi, another young slave. Consequently, Some time later, she was in turn chained to be sold. Then african-american novelist jesmyn ward plunges begins a long and dangerous journey to Louisiana. The girl finds the strength to survive in the hope of finding her mother. the visits to the spirit of her grandmother Aza, and in the friendships she weaves with her unfortunate sisters.

It is with a breath always as vibrant as the novelist Jesmyn Ward returns. six years later The song of the ghostsrewarded with the America Prize in 2019. In this stormy text. the writer plunges to the roots of the history of her community, as a stone added to her work to make it heard better.

Jesmyn Ward tells us in this new novel a story of transmission by drawing a portrait of three generations of women. heirs of a line of warriors in the service of the kings of Dahomey before being enslaved. From the ghost grandmother. protector, to the mother wishing to give weapons to her daughter african-american novelist jesmyn ward plunges to defend herself, to the girl who seizes it beyond the expectations of her mother, until the next generation, in gestation, germinates a free life to come.

The writer does not abandon any of the darkest aspects of the enslavement company orchestrated by whites. the largest, on the smallest scale. But the novelist also delivers a luminous novel. through the destiny of Annis, a powerful female figure, which symbolizes the richness of a people, and the fight of a community to reconquer its freedom. Annis summons Dante. whom she calls “Italian”the circles of hell, and the path to “The beautiful things that the sky has”. “I want to rise. I want the stars”hopes the girl.

We find the style of Jesmyn Ward. a naturalism with lyrical accents, to which is added here a dreamlike dimension, a form of magical, almost mystical realism, which makes his novel resonate as a long african-american novelist jesmyn ward plunges Homeric song in a female version, with the choir of martyrs in continuous low.

“We will be a storm” by Jesmyn Ward, translated from English (United States) by Charles recourse, Éditions Belfond, 240 pages, 22 euros

Extract : “A few months later. when I see the man of Georgia at the entrance to the path who leads boxes to the fields, and my master with him who point the finger at the two of us, I african-american novelist jesmyn ward plunges put my nails in my mother’s hand. I say” mom, no “. I say” come “, echo at the first time she pushed me to fight. Cleanier. hair, then in mine, and a pointed object scratch my scalp : Ivory hallmark. Then she holds my face in front of hers. I only feel the pressure of her palms on my cheeks, on my ears. “(Page 29).