First published 2005
Jefferson survives a liquor store shootout that kills three men in late 1940s Louisiana. The young black man faces murder charges and a death sentence despite being an unwitting participant. Grant Wiggins returns from university to teach at the local plantation school, torn between staying in his small Cajun hometown and fleeing to another state. Jefferson's godmother and Grant's aunt pressure the reluctant teacher to visit Jefferson's jail cell. They want Grant to share his education and instill dignity in Jefferson before his execution. The two men initially resist each other but gradually develop an unexpected connection. Both discover that true courage lies in refusing to meet others' low expectations. Grant must choose between escape and commitment while Jefferson searches for meaning in his final days. Their relationship transforms them both as they learn that resistance itself becomes a form of heroism.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, african-american-historical-fiction
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Louisiana
Period: 1940s
7 pages · Audio CD · Random House Audio
Content warnings: racism, violence