If no one tells the stories anymore, if no one learns the magic anymore, our ways will disappear from the world. Then all we’ll have is what other people think of us

Root Magic, p. 19

Synopsis

1963 is a monumental year for Jezebel Turner and her family. Jez and her twin brother Jay’s beloved grandmother passes away, leaving a legacy of root magic for her grandchildren to follow. As Jez and Jay navigate the intricacies of their family’s ancestral magic, they must also face the aggression of local police, who are suspicious of the Turners’ rootwork. Learning root magic may be the difference between safety and peril for the Turners.

Review

I absolutely love slow-paced novels like Root Magic. This book is certainly not without conflict, but there’s no world-shattering quest that the characters need to embark on. Eden Royce gives Jez and Jay plenty of space to grow up and play while they also become experts in Gullah rootwork. Root Magic introduced me to a cultural phenomenon that I was wholly unaware of before, but which is fascinating and deeply meaningful. I can’t wait to read everything else that this author has written.

Content Warnings: Racism, death