Let Us Descend follows Annis, an enslaved girl from a Carolinian rice field, as she is sent away by her sire to New Orleans, Louisiana. During the year she spends fighting for her life on the sugar plantation, Annis encounters various nature spirits who both serve as help and adversaries. One of these spirits is Aza, a wind spirit who has taken the form of her grandmother and craves for Annis’ dependence. By the end, Annis learns that her greatest strength does not just come from her fighting prowess, but rather her intelligence and ability to spare herself from a life of slavery.

I found that Let Us Descend’s greatest strength is found in Ward’s writing style. She wrote in first person, present tense so her readers experience each scene at the same time as Annis. Her narrative is deeply driven by emotion and flowing, descriptive word choice that comes directly from her heart. Readers feel Annis’ pain when her mother is taken from her. They feel the sense of relief when Safi, a fellow slave from the rice field, is freed from the slave line and escapes into the woods. They feel the terror when Esther and Mary, two slaves on the sugar plantation, are swept away by the river.

An integral part of the book that was not touched upon in my literature class was how the slave holders go unnamed for the entire book. The only non-slave character who is actually named is Cora, the sugar plantation master’s daughter. From Annis’ perspective, the slave holders’ names are not as important as their actions, which were to suppress any sense of individuality their slaves may have. My classmates and I saw this as a compelling reclamation of a historical moment long gone, and it is one of the many ways Ward addresses lost voices of history in her writing. I highly suggest reading the book for more details since putting them here would mean major spoilers.

The only issue I truly had with the book was the spirits. Ward’s spirit system is both fascinating and infuriating because it is simple and complex. The spirits are not tools to help Annis. They have their own agendas, their own desires. I wish that Ward leaned in a little more than stay vague, especially when talking about what the Water is since I still had no idea what she was going on about when I finished it. I also wish that she gave more attention to the other spirits. Aza was a great all-around insight to the spirit world, but I wish that we had more time with She Who Remembers and They Who Take And Give, two spirits who come up but are not really elaborated upon.

Overall, I could not recommend this book enough. Ward did a fantastic job telling a story that addressed the issues that are important to her in a deep way that connects with her audience. If you see Let Us Descend in a bookstore or online, do not be afraid to pick up a copy. It will definitely be worth your while.

This was written by our contributing writer, Lauren DeSantis.