The fall season is finally upon us, and with that brings the magic of the earth and of the beauty that lies in front of us in the form of changing leaves to the abstract weather that brings a whole new world with it. And just as nature brings magic, September's book selection encompasses magic realism along with science fiction as well as historical fiction woven between the chapters of each character.
The Salt Roads, by Nalo Hopkinson jumps between different characters from different eras and countries, showcasing the lives of three historical women who are experiencing slavery in one way or another. We meet these women who are watched over by the Afro-Caribbean goddess Ezili who has inhabited the body of a midwife, a dancer and mistress, and an enslaved Greek-Nubian prostitute; all who live in different eras and generations from 1880's Paris to ancient Alexandria.
Between these pages we are able to dive into the culture of those who lived Saint Domingue (Haiti), and learn of the magic aspect of the way they once lived, and how they honored their gods and goddess. At the same time, we will be able to learn from the perspective of not only one woman, but of three women who lived through harsh times and struggled to find their freedom they deserved in a world that treated them cruelly.
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