THE BONES OF THE BAOBAB TREE

A historical novel focuses on slavery in 18th-century America.

Elder presents Charleston, South Carolina (initially called Charlestown), in the late 1700s. America during this time is a harsh place. Whether one is tortured for being a suspected witch or punished for disagreeing with one’s master, violence is commonplace and brutal. Khat is a young African woman who has been brought to Charleston via the trans-Atlantic slave trade. She has visible scars that make her unattractive to most. Thanks to her grandmother the High Priestess En, Khat is a skilled cook and well versed in “the way” of the spirit. Want to see the plantation owner get a taste of some scorpion stings? Khat is the person to see. Nicholas is a fellow enslaved person who has suffered his own share of deprivations. As he ages, he has no qualms about dispensing retribution wherever and whenever he is able. He hardly blinks an eye when raping and murdering a sex worker. He has more than a few ideas about how to dispose of a man who has tormented him. Readers follow along as the lives of Khat, Nicholas, and others intersect in this unforgiving and often sexual landscape. From branding to breeding, the narrative pulls no punches with the horrors of slavery. Nicholas’ vigilante justice is no tamer. He very easily takes a spade to a man’s skull and, after three attempts, the “head is detached.” Such events keep the tale both lively and graphic. Scenes involving what is apparently a cult pledging fiery devotion to the Old Testament figure of Moloch add a sense of devilish mystery. But not all of the descriptions are compelling. For instance, Khat is “scared and repulsed” that she will be auctioned in South Carolina. Details of how she must serve food at the plantation (“Stay hidden until all the guests are seated. Then go collect the tea service and bring it back here”) do not add much to the story. Still, the intriguing plot will keep the audience wondering how things will ultimately play out. Readers know at the outset that emancipation is nearly a hundred years away. What will become of the likes of Khat and Nicholas in the meantime?

This meandering tale vividly drives home the unspeakable realities of American slavery.