Description:
In this stirring and lyrical debut novel—perfect for fans of The Water Dancer and the Legacy of Orïsha series—the Yoruba deity of the sea, Yemaya, is brought to vivid life as she discovers the power of Black resilience, love, and feminine strength in antebellum America.
Shallow Waters imagines Yemaya, an Orïsha—a deity in the religion of Africa’s Yoruba people—cast into mid-1800s America. We meet Yemaya as a young woman, still in the care of her mother and not yet fully aware of the spectacular power she possesses to protect herself and those she holds dear.
The journey laid out in Shallow Waters sees Yemaya confront the greatest evils of this era; transcend time and place in search of Obatala, a man who sacrifices his own freedom for the chance at hers; and grow into the powerful woman she was destined to become. We travel alongside Yemaya from her native Africa and on to the “New World,” with vivid pictures of life for those left on the outskirts of power in the nascent Americas.
Yemaya realizes the fighter within, travels the Underground Railroad in search of the mysterious stranger Obatala, and crosses paths with icons of our history on the road to freedom. Shallow Waters is a nourishing work of ritual storytelling from promising debut author Anita Kopacz. (publisher)
Praise for Shallow Waters
“Spellbinding…A captivating debut.” —Harper’s Bazaar
“Part history, part fantasy, this novel crosses genre as easily as it does time.” —BuzzFeed
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Tempting story! Thanks for sharing.
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Books featuring deities always appeal to me. That I’ve not come across a Orïsha before makes this a must read.
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[…] Spotlight/US Giveaway: Shallow Waters (giveaway ends Aug. 12) […]
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This sounds amazing, I love the idea of a deity experiencing a human life with all its highs and lows! Since I don’t live in the US I can’t join the giveaway but I’m definitely going to keep my eyes open for this one. Thanks for spotlighting it!
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This sounds wonderful! I love novels which bring supernatural elements into everyday settings – the way each affects the other. Thanks for the recommendation!
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