A fiercely poetic literary debut re-creates the life of an 18th-century slave woman in South Africa, portraying slavery in Africa with unprecedented texture, detail, and emotion. Inspired by actual 18th-century court records, this breathtaking narrative follows Sila van den Kaap, a slave woman of Jacobus Stephanus Van der Wat in Plettenberg Bay. Her journey takes her from master to master, farm to farm, ultimately leading her to commit an unspeakable crime and face imprisonment. Condemned to death on April 30, 1823, her sentence is commuted by the English to a lengthy term on the notorious Robben Island. There, Sila toils in the prison quarry, breaking stones for Cape Town’s streets while recalling the day her childhood ended, when slave catchers descended upon her community. She remembers her masters, particularly Oumiesies, who intended to grant Sila her freedom, only for her life to be shattered by her master's cruel son, Theron. Sila's memories of her children are filled with both joy and pain, as she dreams of being a great bird, able to protect them from harm. This epic novel connects readers to the unimaginable through the power of poetry and a vivid imagination.
