by Marlon James
First published 2007
The year is 1957, and trouble arrives in a remote Jamaican village when two forces clash in what becomes a spiritual war. The community finds itself caught between opposing sides as religious fervor takes hold and transforms neighbors into adversaries. Ancient biblical conflicts play out in this small Caribbean settlement where the stakes grow higher with each confrontation. James writes with the spare precision of Cormac McCarthy while drawing on the lyrical depth that marked Toni Morrison's early novels. The village becomes a battleground where faith and fear collide, testing every resident's beliefs about good, evil, and the price of salvation. What begins as a religious dispute escalates into something far more dangerous, forcing ordinary people to choose sides in a conflict that will determine their community's fate.
Genres: fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, african-literature
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, emotional, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, spiritual-warfare
Setting: Jamaica
Period: 1957
226 pages · Paperback · Akashic Books
Content warnings: violence