60 pages • 2 hours read
Jesmyn WardLet Us Descend
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2023A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward follows the journey of Annis, an enslaved woman forcibly separated from her mother and marched from the Carolinas to the markets in New Orleans. Throughout her harrowing journey and subsequent brutal enslavement on a sugar plantation, Annis finds strength, love, and ultimately the means to liberate herself. The book contains depictions of enslavement, sexual assault, racism, violence, abuse, and suicidal ideation.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward is hailed for its evocative prose and deeply resonant themes. Critics commend Ward's ability to weave complex emotional narratives that reflect on historical traumas. However, some reviews mention a slower pace and challenging structure. Overall, the novel is praised for its lyrical storytelling and powerful impact.
Who Should Read Let Us Descend?
A reader who would enjoy Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward is likely captivated by lyrical prose, complex characters, and themes of resilience and identity. Fans of Toni Morrison's Beloved and Colson Whitehead's The Underground Railroad will find a similar mix of haunting beauty and historical reflection in Ward's narrative.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsBook Details
Historical Fiction
Magical Realism
African American Literature
Race / Racism
Trauma / Abuse / Violence
History: World
Identity: Race
Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Relationships: Mothers