Description: Charts the remarkable life of a 112-year-old heroine as she experiences the best (and worst) of humanity, from West Africa to the Caribbean, the Southeast, and finally Ohio, where she moves from being enslaved to knowing freedom and joy.
Brief description:
Sheila Williams is the author of eight novels, including Things Past Telling, The Secret Women, and Dancing on the Edge of the Roof, which was adapted for the Netflix film Juanita. In addition to her published works, she is the librettist for Fierce the opera, with music by Dr. William O. Menefield. Sheila lives in northern Kentucky.
Review Quotes:
"Ancient, blind Maryam Priscilla Grace is one of the tenacious survivors of the ugly practice of slavery. . . . Williams's lively plotting takes her heroine from the Caribbean lair of a group of Black pirates to the fields of Virginia's plantation country. Maryam will succeed in having a family, although not as she imagined it. Above all, she will break free of her chains, both 'the iron kind and the kind that wrapped themselves around your thoughts.' "
- New York Times Book Review
"This is one of those novels that, once you're used to the storytelling, makes your surroundings melt away. Start it, and Things Past Telling will be a book well-read."
- Bookworm Sez
"Momma Grace's story is often a brutal one, but it's full of adventure and romance, courage and resilience. It's no apologia for slavery but a moving portrait of its fully human victims." - Kirkus Reviews
Emotionally satisfying...Williams offers vivid descriptions. A remarkable character portrait. - Publishers Weekly
Maryam's story is one of tenacity and resistance, through actions both everyday and extraordinary, and her struggle for survival is inspiring. Readers who enjoy Lalita Tademy will be drawn into this vividly imagined novel. - Booklist
"This is a truly character-driven novel that explores how people define themselves, the creation of family and home, and the importance of memory and language. . . . Fans of historical epics won't be able to put this book down."
- Historical Novel Society
"Inspiring. . . vividly imagined." - Booklist
"A moving examination of the complexities of motherhood and the strength of female friendship." - Kirkus Reviews
"The Secret Women is . . . a moving examination of the complexities of motherhood and the strength of female friendship." - Kirkus Reviews
"This big-hearted, authentic portrayal of both friendship among middle-aged women and the mother-daughter bond will appeal to fans of Terry McMillan." - Booklist on The Secret Women