A review by serendipitysbooks
Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

 Jesmyn Ward is a fantastic storyteller and wordsmith who can do no wrong in my book. This exploration of slavery through the eyes of Annis is both beautiful - the prose - and heart wrenching - many of the plot details. Slavery is a topic that has been explored extensively in fiction yet Let Us Descend feels fresh and original. One reason is the use of Dante’s The Inferno as a reference for the hell Annis was forced to descend into, which provided a powerful new lens to consider the experiences of the enslaved. Another was the story’s female focus, particularly the mother-daughter bond and the link to female ancestors. I was struck by the way Annis’s mother expressed her love by trying to equip Annis for survival both physically and spiritually. As the novel progressed it became clearer how essential the memory of her mother’s love and their spirituality was for Annis. Grief features prominently in this story. It’s really visceral, practically tangible at times, undoubtedly a reflection of the huge personal loss Ward suffered while writing this novel as well as a testament to her talent as a writer. We all know that words matter and Ward’s choice of “sire” for the enslaver who biologically fathered Annis struck me as a telling and apt choice. It guides the reader to think about the conception of children like her in a particular way. All in all a brilliant masterpiece. 
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