First published 1993
In 1920s Harlem, a devastating act of passion erupts when Joe Trace shoots his teenage lover Dorcas, shattering his marriage to Violet. As the city pulses with jazz and transformation, Joe and Violet navigate the aftermath of violence, grief, and unexpected redemption. Their story weaves through decades of migration, desire, and survival, revealing how love can simultaneously destroy and heal. Against the vibrant backdrop of the Harlem Renaissance, they struggle to understand their own hearts and the brutal impulses that can tear lives apart.
Genres: fiction, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, african-american, african-american-historical-fiction
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, lyrical
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, redemption
Setting: Ohio
Period: 19th-century
229 pages · Paperback · Plume
Content warnings: violence