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The American Daughters
The American Daughters: A Novel | Maurice Carlos Ruffin
1 post | 1 read | 1 to read
A gripping historical novel about a spirited girl who joins a sisterhood working to undermine the Confederates—from the award-winning author of We Cast a Shadow “A genius conceit . . . thoughtful, courageous, exciting . . . a splendid work.”—Robert Jones, Jr., author of The Prophets Ady, a curious, sharp-witted girl, and her fierce mother, Sanite, are inseparable. Enslaved to a businessman in the French Quarter of New Orleans, the pair spend their days dreaming of a loving future and reminiscing about their family’s rebellious and storied history. When mother and daughter are separated, Ady is left hopeless and directionless until she stumbles into the Mockingbird Inn and meets Lenore, a free Black woman with whom she becomes fast friends. Lenore invites Ady to join a clandestine society of spies called the Daughters. With the courage instilled in her by Sanite—and with help from these strong women—Ady learns how to put herself first. So begins her journey toward liberation and imagining a new future. The American Daughters is a novel of hope and triumph that reminds us what is possible when a community bands together to fight for their freedom.
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The American Daughters: A Novel | Maurice Carlos Ruffin
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Ruffin is a writing prof and I felt that at times while reading, in the most interesting of ways. It is perfectly plotted to reflect the many ways in which a Black woman could make her way through the antebellum south. We follow Ady as she is enslaved, from the house to the fields, from escape to touch freedom, interacting with free people of color in New Orleans, and beyond. There is a depth of experience here; a novel to be felt and studied.