Description
A dazzling debut novel weaving together Caribbean myth and the contemporary story of multiple generations of one immigrant family
About the Author
Soraya Palmer was born and raised in Flatbush, Brooklyn, NYC with roots in Trinidad and Jamaica. She works in Youth Organizing and holds a BA in Africana Studies an M.F.A. in Fiction. Her work has been published in Ploughshares, Callaloo, Black Warrior Review, and Calyx. This is her first novel.
Reviews
Sometimes characters are so lively and entertaining, you don't want to say goodbye to them. In wild, firecracker prose, Palmer whirls the reader into a realm where the real and unreal are constantly changing places. It's a stunning feat of storytelling in itself. -- Suzy Feay * Financial Times *
A beautiful ode to the power of storytelling, this novel is steeped in the folklore of the Caribbean and weaves a powerful narrative of identity, trauma, resilience and hope. Palmer's dynamic and sometimes playful prose had me hooked from the beginning and each character was rounded, nuanced and will stay with me long after reading -- Eleanor Shearer, author of River Sing Me Home
An all-consuming novel about sisterhood, motherhood, belonging, loss, and self-discovery. Soraya Palmer's characters are unparalleled and her prose is musical. Read this novel with a sibling, a cousin, or a very close friend -- De'Shawn Winslow, author of In the West Mills and winner of Center for Fiction's First Novel Prize
A brilliant, compelling exploration of familial legacies. A mythic and edifying read -- Irenosen Okojie, author of Speak Gigantular
At once mischievous and warm, Soraya Palmer's voice will bewitch you from the very first page, leading you through the complexities of sisterhood and motherhood, belonging and loss -- Mina Seckin, author of The Four Humors
The Human Origins of Beatrice Porter and Other Essential Ghosts envisions family as always in motion, careening through history, connection, attachment, discovery and warmth, with all the pain, loss, and even violence that might include. Expertly paced, deeply imagined, by turns playful and heartbreaking, I love the way this novel understands that sometimes nothing will sustain us except the right story that is truer than true -- Madeline ffitch, author of Stay and Fight
Playful and deft -- Daphne Palasi Andreades, author of Brown Girls
Palmer weaves folktales and magical realism in her moving debut ... Palmer brings whimsy to her portrayal of the family even in painful moments-such as when Beatrice tells the girls fables to cheer them up-and nuance to the evolving attitudes of the Black American and Caribbean people in Sasha's orbit toward her exploration of sexuality and gender identity. This will stick with readers -- Publisher's Weekly
Vivid and otherworldly, this masterfully told novel brings together many threads of family history, personal memory, collective choices, sexuality, and a realm of mysteries and mythic creatures with deep origins and powers . . . A striking and imaginative debut -- Booklist
Book Information
ISBN 9781788168403
Author Soraya Palmer
Format Hardback
Page Count 288
Imprint Serpent's Tail
Publisher Profile Books Ltd
Weight(grams) 400g
Dimensions(mm) 220mm * 144mm * 32mm