Curdle Creek

It’s 1960 in Curdle Creek, an all-Black community surrounded by a violent world. Since the late 1800s, Curdle Creek has been a safe haven for its residents, but that safety comes at a steep price: belief in and obedience to a complex set of rituals, including the “Moving On,” the annual sacrifice of one townsperson for the prosperity of all. Battle-Felton (Remembered) meticulously and compellingly builds the world of Curdle Creek. Osira is both an outsider and part of the establishment—45 years old, living alone since her husband was “Moved On” and her children disappeared; she’s also the daughter of one of the matriarchs who rule Curdle Creek. As Osira begins to actively question whether the town’s protection is worth its vicious rules, she gets swept away on a journey into the past to look for answers. A thought-provoking, cautionary tale that not only refuses to provide easy answers, but also actively asks readers to question their own complicity in our current world.