by Karen Lord
First published 2010
Paama has had enough of her husband's foolishness and gluttony. He followed her to her parents' village of Makende, where he murdered livestock and stole corn. When she finally leaves him for good, the djombi notice her. These undying beings give Paama the Chaos Stick, a powerful tool that lets her manipulate the world's subtle forces. But one djombi with indigo skin believes this power belongs to him alone. He wants the stick back, and he's willing to fight for it. Paama must learn to use her new abilities while facing off against an immortal enemy who won't give up. Her journey takes her through a world of spider tricksters and magical beings, where nothing is quite what it seems. At its heart, this is a story about finding your own strength when the world tries to take it away.
Genres: mythology, african-literature, fantasy, magical-realism
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Makende, Africa
200 pages · ebook · Small Beer Press