Title: The Healing
Author: Jonathan Odell
First published February 21, 2012
352 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9780385534673 (ISBN10: 0385534671)
Rating: 4
Overview
In Jonathan Odell’s The Healing, readers are transported to the pre-Civil War South, where Mississippi plantation mistress Amanda Satterfield is struggling to come to terms with the loss of her daughter to cholera. Her husband refuses to treat their daughter, considering it to be a “slave disease.” In her grief, Amanda takes a newborn slave child as her own and names her Granada, much to the outrage of her husband and the amusement of their white neighbors.
As the plantation is hit by a mysterious plague sweeping through the slave population, Master Satterfield purchases a slave named Polly Shine, who is reputed to be a healer. But Polly’s sharp tongue and troubling predictions cause unrest across the plantation.
Further complicating matters, Polly recognizes “the gift” in Granada, the mistress’s pet, leading to a domestic battle of wills.
Seventy-five years later, Granada, now known as Gran Gran, is still living on the plantation and must confront her past in order to heal a young girl abandoned to her care. Together they learn about the power of storytelling to heal the body, spirit, and soul.
With a rich and evocative atmosphere, The Healing is a masterfully written novel that will captivate readers from beginning to end, and leave them eager to recommend it to others.
About the Author
I was born in Mississippi and grew up during the Jim Crow era in the South. During college, I got involved with the civil rights movement.
After earning a master’s degree in counseling psychology, I spent over 30 years in human resource development. I served as the Vice President of Human Resources for a Minneapolis-based corporation and later started my own consulting companies.
One of my most notable achievements is writing The View from Delphi, a novel that tells the story of the fight for equality in Mississippi before the civil rights era. My latest novel, The Healing, explores how stories can play a role in healing oppressed people.
It will be published by Nan A. Talese/Doubleday in early 2012.
Maiden Lane released Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League in 2015, which is a reimagining of my first novel.
My short stories and essays have been featured in various publications, including Stories from the Blue Moon Café (Macadam/Cage 2004), Men Like That (University of Chicago Press, 2001), Letters of the Twentieth Century (Dial Press, 1999), Breaking Silence (Xanthus Press, 1996), Speakeasy Literary Magazine, and the Savannah Literary Journal.
Currently, I’m putting the finishing touches on a collection of personal essays titled Growing Up a Gay Fundamentalist Southern Baptist in Mississippi or God What Were You Thinking?
Editoral Review
Jonathan Odell’s novel, The Healing, is a literary masterpiece that effortlessly combines historical fiction, social commentary, and stirring prose. Released on February 21, 2012, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in examining the Colonial-era United States, specifically in the context of slavery and racial inequities.
The Healing is set in Mississippi in the year 1867, just after the Emancipation Proclamation had been implemented. The backdrop of the book is the plantation ran by the fictional Master Ben, a man who prides himself on being a gracious slave owner.
The story is narrated through various viewpoints and employs the use of flashback. One critical perspective is provided by the protagonist, Granada Satterfield, who is a former slave and a trained midwife.
In her role as a healer, Granada is convinced by two of Master Ben’s plantation slaves, Polly Shine and Minerva, to help them deal with a sickly slave girl named Betsey. Polly Shine and Minerva are convinced that Betsey is possessed by a spirit, and they hope that Granada can use her knowledge of healing on the physical, spiritual, and emotional levels to cure the girl.
Odell’s exquisite writing makes the story shine. The reader is transported to the plantation, and the sensory description of the surroundings is so effective that the world is almost tangible.
The accents and vernacular used, while challenging to understand initially, lend authenticity to the text. The characters are multi-dimensional, and their life experiences challenge readers to examine their own assumptions and beliefs.
Odell’s skillful incorporation of historical information into the story is impressive. He moves beyond simply recounting facts and instead presents the story through the lens of the characters, allowing readers to feel intimately connected to the narrative.
The novel is a poignant examination of the rancid social issues perpetuated by slavery, but it also has a hopeful message about resilience and the human capacity for redemption. Despite its many merits, the book is not without flaws.
The opening chapters can be difficult to follow, and the inclusion of flashbacks can be jarring, initially interrupting the forward momentum of the story. However, as the narrative progresses and readers become more familiar with the characters and their stories, the novel becomes much more engrossing.
Overall, I would highly recommend The Healing to readers interested in historical fiction and the post-Civil War South. It is a must-read for anyone seeking an uplifting story that explores the tragic complexities of slavery while providing a message of hope.
I would give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars, based on the quality of the writing, multi-dimensional characters, and thoughtful examination of complex social issues.
