It’s a fantastic work from a gifted author. Perhaps one of the best books of the year, Praise Song for the Butterflies is a stunning, brief portrait that humanizes the plight of those in ritual servitude. Abeo’s time in New York is particularly well-drawn, as McFadden doesn’t oversimplify the difficulties of recovery and demonstrates (particularly through Femi) the importance of patience, understanding and unconditional love. Beautifully written and expertly structured, Praise Song for the Butterflies includes plenty of twists, such as surprises about Abeo’s lineage, as well as delicate explorations of the gray areas that surface for Abeo-and her family-when she returns to her former life. We know that she makes it, a truth that transforms this novel into a gripping page turner, as readers are anxious to learn about her escape and her path toward building a new life. McFaddens latest novel follows Harlan and his friend Lizard, two. Horrific, yes, but McFadden gives readers a strong foothold at the start: the book opens with Abeo in her 30s, living independently, a world away in New York City. McFadden is the author of nine critically acclaimed novels including Sugar, The Warmest December, and Gathering of Waters (a New York Times Editors’ Choice Book of 2012). From Macon, Georgia, to Harlem, and from the City of Lights to Weimar, Germany, Bernice L.
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