by Nisi Shawl
First published 2004
Reuel Briggs cares nothing for his Black heritage or African history. The mixed-race medical student joins an archaeological expedition to Ethiopia with one goal: steal ancient treasures and sell them for profit back in America. But when Reuel reaches Ethiopia, his plans take an unexpected turn. He finds himself trapped in Telassar, a buried city that has existed for six thousand years. Queen Candace rules this hidden kingdom, and her palace gleams with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires that represent wealth beyond anything Reuel imagined. Surrounded by this splendor and held captive by the beautiful queen, Reuel confronts truths he never wanted to face. He must reckon with his identity, his ancestry, and the parts of his history that others have kept hidden from him. His discovery forces him to examine what blood and race truly mean.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, mystery, african-american-historical-fiction
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, identity-crisis
Setting: Ethiopia, Telassar
Period: 19th-century
224 pages · Paperback · Washington Square Press