Daughter of the Merciful Deep

The town of Awenasa, founded by a formerly enslaved person, has become a thriving haven for Black people fleeing the lynchings and oppression endemic to the early 20th-century South. But prosperous Awenasa has drawn the eye of the powerful State Authority, which plans to drown their town with a dam upriver. Reliable, responsible, nosy Jane Edwards knows there’s no hope—until a mysterious stranger comes to town and shows her that instead of giving in she can call on old gods and even older legends, invoking magic that is capable of bringing the entire “chariot” of Awenasa all the way to a Black Atlantis. Deftly combining historical fantasy and magical realism with myths and legends from the African diaspora, the novel follows Jane through her dreams, fears, and failings as she does her damnedest to save her corner of the world.