Bacchanal

(Paperback)

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Description

Evil lives in a traveling carnival roaming the Depression-era South. But the carnival's newest act, a peculiar young woman with latent magical powers, may hold the key to defeating it. Her time has come. Abandoned by her family, alone on the wrong side of the color line with little to call her own, Eliza Meeks is coming to terms with what she do

Reviews

An Amazon Best Book of the Month: Science Fiction & Fantasy Henry skillfully layers historical realism with fantastic elements to explore the way times of desperation test the ethics of oppressed communities. Henry is a writer to watch. Publishers Weekly Henrys debut draws on a rich history of folklore from various African traditions, as well as African history and Black American history, and almost the entire main cast is Black. The carnival setting works perfectly for bringing together various strange and magical people who arent at home anywhere elseCome one, come all, this magical carnival has all the delightful dangers a reader could wish for. Kirkus Reviews [Bacchanal is] gorgeous while somehow never losing sight of the need to unsettle. It captures a sense of wonder and reminds you that too much curiosity can lead to danger. And most importantly, its Black and never lets you forget it. If you want endearing characters, a charming setting, and characters that refuse to bend to the worlds injustices then Bacchanal is the book for you. FIYAH Magazine Set in the Depression-era South and featuring a mysterious traveling carnival, its a novel of Black history and magic that makes for a terrific read. The Washington Post Beautifully descriptive prose that fully captures the places, people, and time period. Booklist Think of a Southern Gothic version of The Midnight Circus with a touch of Lovecraft Countrynail-biting scenes of tension. Lightspeed Magazine Filled with magic, danger, and dynamic characters. Womans World With a powerful voice that grips you from its very first pages, Bacchanal casts a spell on readersEliza is a wonderful characterNot a traditional superhero, Elizas special power is a highlight of this work, and readers will root for the young conjurer and for Henry as she explores the limits of her gifts. Sheree Rene Thomas, Editor of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, award-winning author of Nine Bar Blues, and featured in Black Panther: Tales of Wakanda Writer Veronica Henry pulls on a mix of African folklore, Black histories, and carnival culture to weave a story of mesmerizing, bizarre, and dangerous magic. With a heroine of unique powers and a cast as colorful as any sideshow, this story offers up its share of delights, adventure, and frights! Welcome to Bacchanal. Enjoy the sights. Hope you make it out alive! P. Djl Clark, author of Ring Shout, The Haunting of Tram Car 015, and The Black Gods Drums Readers wont want their travels with the seductive and dangerous Bacchanal Carnival to end. Veronica Henrys debut impeccably conjures the 1930s and marks the bold entrance of a vital new voice in modern fantasy. Gwenda Bond, New York Times bestselling author of Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds If you took The Night Circus and viewed it through the gaze of a young Black woman in the Great Depression, you might get Veronica Henrys Bacchanal. Demons, lies, and secrets. Mary Robinette Kowal, Hugo award-winning author of The Calculating Stars

Author Bio

Veronica G. Henry was born in Brooklyn, New York, and has been a bit of a rolling stone ever since. Her work has appeared in various online publications. She is a graduate of the Viable Paradise Workshop and a member of SFWA. Veronica is proud to be of Sierra Leonean ancestry and counts her trip home as the most important of her life. She now writes from North Carolina, where she eschews rollerballs for fountain pens and fine paper. Other untreated addictions include chocolate and cupcakes. For more information, visit www.veronicahenry.net.