It was the Old South, a land in which there were two classes, two institutions living side by side and yet apart. One was the aristocracy ruled by the privileged, the upper class, which appeared as being idyllic, romantic, and tranquil in nature but in reality was the opposite. The other was servitude, ruled by those who considered themselves superior. Leah is born the daughter of a slave, who dies from childbirth, and a white slave master. When she comes of age, Leah is sold and bought by John McKibben, who is so enthralled by the fair in color skinned three-year-old with eyes of steel blue. Brought to McKibbens home, Red River Plantation in New Orleans, Leah begins a life of servitude and placed in the care of house slave, Beulah. The two bond as mother and daughter, and Leah is shown favoritism, given special access to McKibbens children, Jay (Jared) and Margaret. As Jay and Leah mature, their feelings deepen for one another, and under the watchful eyes of others, a forbidden love emerges. After their failed attempt to marry and escape to Canada, Leah is sold again and separated from Jay. She has only a silver locket containing a picture and a lock of his hair to remember him by. With nothing but a promise of his return one day, Leah is alone to care for and raise their son, Jared. By the end of the Civil War, young Jared embarks on a personal journey in the wake of his mothers death to find out the truth of his father. What follows is a remarkable and emotional reunion that proves the powerful bonds of family. Emins coming of age tale of love set in a dark and pivotal period of American history is a meaningful one. With sparse dialogue and an accessible narrative, it explores an unjust society amidst a volatile landscape and its profound impact on love and family. It touches on themes of familial relationships, jealousy, freedom, loss, and discovery and is a reminder of our flawed pasts, as well as a testament that love truly does conquer all. Dylan Ward, The US Review of Books
