"Compelling, tragic, comic, tender and mystical... Combines the historical significance of Kathryn Stockett's "The Help" with the wisdom of Toni Morrison's "Beloved."" --"Minneapolis Star Tribune
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Rich in mood and atmosphere, "The Healing" is a warmhearted novel about the unbreakable bonds between three generations of female healers and their power to restore the body, the spirit, and the soul.
In Antebellum Mississippi, Granada Satterfield has the mixed fortune to be born on the same day that her plantation mistress's daughter, Becky, dies of cholera. Believing that the newborn possesses some of her daughter's spirit, the Mistress Amanda adopts Granada, dolling her up in Becky's dresses and giving her a special place in the family despite her husband's protests. But when The Master brings a woman named Polly Shine to help quell the debilitating plague that is sweeping through the slave quarters, Granada's life changes. For Polly sees something in the young girl, a spark of "The Healing," and a domestic battle of wills begins, one that will bring the two closer but that will ultimately lead to a great tragedy. And seventy-five years later, Granada, still living on the abandoned plantation long after slavery ended, must revive the buried memories before history repeats itself.
Inspirational and suspenseful, "The Healing" is the kind of historical fiction readers can't put down--and can't wait to recommend once they've finished.
"A remarkable rite-of-passage novel with an unforgettable character. . . . "The Healing "transcends any cliches of the genre with its captivating, at times almost lyrical, prose; its firm grasp of history; vivid scenes; and vital, fully realized people, particularly the slaves with their many shades of color and modes of survival." --"The Associated Press"
"From the Hardcover edition."
Industry Reviews
"Compelling, tragic, comic, tender and mystical. . . . Combines the historical significance of Kathryn Stockett's The Help with the wisdom of Toni Morrison's Beloved." --Minneapolis Star-Tribune
"A terrific novel that will take its place in the distinguished pantheon of Southern fiction.... Polly Shine is a character for the ages." --Pat Conroy, author of The Prince of Tides
"A storytelling tour de force." --Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"Jonathan Odell won me over with his fresh take on an 1860's Mississippi plantation, and the connective power of story to heal body, mind and community." --Lalita Tademy, author of Cane River
"A remarkable rite-of-passage novel with an unforgettable character. . . . The Healing transcends any clich�s of the genre with its captivating, at times almost lyrical, prose; its firm grasp of history; vivid scenes; and vital, fully realized people, particularly the slaves with their many shades of color and modes of survival." --Associated Press
"Odell gives voice to strong women at a time in history when their strength might have been their undoing. When Polly Shine's fierce knowledge comes up against Granada's stubborn resistance, the reader is held captive as the two attempt to resolve their conflict and Granada is made to face her destiny. This moving story is a must-read for fans of historical fiction." --Kathleen Grissom, author of The Kitchen House
"A haunting tale of Southern fiction peopled with vivid and inspiring personalities. . . . Polly Shine is an unforgettable character who shows how the power and determination of one woman can inspire and transform the lives of those around her." --Bookreporter
"Jonathan Odell finds the right words, using the language of the day, its idiom and its music to great advantage in a compelling work that can stand up to The Help in the pantheon of Southern literature." --Shelf Awareness
"Odell has written one of those beautiful Southern tales with unforgettable characters. Required reading." --New York Post
"Engrossing. . . . This historical novel probes complex issues of freedom and slavery." --Library Journal (starred review)
"When the young slave Granada Satterfield reluctantly undertakes a quest to recover her own identity, she finds that she must begin by seeking the answers to two questions: Who are my people and what are their stories? Jonathan Odell's compelling new novel The Healing is a lyrical parable, rich with historical detail and unflinching in the face of disturbing facts." --Valerie Martin, author of Property
"Rich in character and incident." --Publishers Weekly
"The Healing is a moving cri de coeur for all those who yearn to be free, and for the wise women among us who understand that to subjugate one person is to subjugate all of humanity."
--Robin Oliveira, author of My Name if Mary Sutter
