Henry Wise signs the back -to -school American novel

The Sonatine editor points out to us that in these troubled times. Consequently, new American authors of black novels follow a compass that points to the south towards the Southsoid: Shawn Cosby, David Joy … Similarly, to name a few that we had the pleasure of discovering here.

Henry Wise claims this same filiation and we discover it here with his first novel: Nowhere (Trad. Furthermore, Julie Sibony), which is perhaps well “the” American novel of this school year 2025.

Will Seems returns to the country where he grew up. However, in a small town in Virginie not far from Richmond, after ten years of absence (we will learn later why).

He is hired as an assistant to the sheriff in this county where the only radio station diffuses “The. Therefore, raging Word of God screaming by a furious preacher”.

When a fire henry wise signs back -to ravages one of the county houses. In addition, Will managed to get a visibly murdered corpse out of it, that of Tom, a childhood friend. Similarly, Caught fleeing the place, an old man, a neighbor, a black, is the ideal suspect: Zeke Hathom.

To complicate things, Will the Sheriff’s assistant once grew up in Zeke’s family. In addition, He even hides from him. Meanwhile, the son of Zeke, a young man who has rather gone wrong: they are both “Prisoners of the same past”.

When Will has to announce Tom’s death to his mother Claudette. Furthermore, there is a particularly strong scene, heavy with tensions and unsaid:

« […] – It seems that you stopped Zeke Hathom. Moreover, Fiston, don’t you have a debt to this family? In addition,

– There were signs that led to Zeke, madam. In addition,

-What do you know in signs? However, I’m henry wise signs back -to going to tell you something: you can see the signs. Therefore, the signs can be there, but if you can’t read them, it’s useless or anyone.

– We had no choice but to stop him, persisted Will.

– It’s wrong, and you know it. Additionally, »»

As for the burial scene (finally, the first burial) of Tom, the victim: “Halleluuia!” »»I leave you the surprise!

Caught between the black. white communities, entangled in his contradictions and the history of his own family, Will Seems who ” wanted to believe that the past did not necessarily determine the future“, Will have to face the ghosts of its history … and there are many: “An army of shadows”.

« […] – What do you know, sheriff? Evidence is not always the most important. There is also what we can’t see. There is what we believe. Confidence in law because henry wise signs back -to of the justice it represents. »»

As no one seems in a hurry to innocent Zeke Hathom. find the real culprit, black families will hire an investigator from Richmond: Bennico Watts.

Which is not going to really arrange the already difficult situation of our friend Will Seems who will have. to get the truth at the heart of the Snakefoot marshes.

« […] — Le Snakefoot ?

– We call it the Snakefoot marsh. Basically. it is the forgotten asshole in the depths of this forgotten county, a place where descendants of escaped slaves coexist and the worst of white misery. »»

This first novel by Henry Wise once again points to the original sin. the infantile disease of the United States: this southern slavery from which a racism flows always deep in the country.

The approach of Henry Wise is however a little different from that of his henry wise signs back -to colleagues: Wise is less interested in racism proper than in the curse which now weighs on the inhabitants. white as black, of these southern states, these states which were both traitors and patriotic.

Despite anachronism. I could even take up the prophecy of the Grand Master of the Templars, rather well seen in the context: “Be all cursed until the thirteenth generation of your breeds!” »».

Each of the characters is entangled in its past as in the mud of the marshes of Virginia. without being able to return to what was done, or to what should have been, or even influence what will probably happen. Because it is “What misfortune here, in snakefoot”.

« […] It is after me that you run, or after yourself, for what you did or that you did not do? »»

The atmosphere of this very dark novel is therefore heavy. heavy, especially henry wise signs back -to since Henry Wise, who is also a poet in his spare time, goes there from his painful lyrical flights to deplore “The ease of destroying and the difficulty in growing something. Justice could not replace the dead. This is what people did not seem to understand: the justice of the present did not buy the crimes. of the past. »»

And this poet spirit also knows how to give birth to very beautiful formulas:

« […] The world had never stopped long enough so that it could find its place there. »»

« […] You know. I’m starting to ask myself: if God made man in his image, shouldn’t we be afraid of God himself? »»

« […] Most of the women had in them something that made divination possible. but they simply did not know how to use it. It was necessary to teach to understand that it was there. and henry wise signs back -to wisdom to seize it, but the teachers were rare and wisdom difficult to reach. »»

Finally. allow me to quote the Sonatine editor which is exactly the interest for us, of these American black novels:“More than any other, the earth of the South crystallizes which makes the United States a country in crisis: the colonialist heritage and the traces of past trauma; A social and economic gap which reproduces yesterday’s injustices and transmits them from generation to generation; The ravages of violence and drugs, as many reminders as the American dream has indeed sank body and soul. »»

To be published on August 28.

File – Chronicles of the Back to school books 2025, in preview

By Bruno Ménétrier
Contact : [email protected]