“The Law’s greatest gift was the crossing. To look into the eyes of another, to sense the stirring of one’s soul, to be transported into the body of the other and dwell therein until the time came for the return crossing--this was the treasure the Law had bestowed upon us.”
This novel is three manuscripts -that can be read as three loosely connected pieces or as one single novel.
You can look at it as an imagined story, an anonymous work of fiction, an elaborate hoax or joke, a fable but note all that's needed to prevent a crossing is to look away.
Few can ignore its seductive pleasures.
However, I will warn those ahead of time the subject matter is difficult and troubling: the purchase of slaves, flagging, Negroes, ragpickers, brutality, women used as trade for ammunition, beatings that lead to paralyzed bodies and loss of eyesight.
A crossing of bodies can happen as well as a metempsychosis which is a transformation of souls after death or the crossing since there's no death.
The law was irreparably broken.
The rejection of foreigners and their ways resulted in the notion of returning to the law with increased devotion. Division amongst them widened after French came to their island.
Sickness spread as well as stealing.
Hard times led to Hippolyte Balthazar murdered in his very own bed and worse: having his eyes removed.
So, remember every crossing is a theft of life and all that goes with it.
While this book was good it was hard for me to comprehend some of the enormous undertakings and abuse. It was in many ways difficult to cope with the subject matter and I couldn't get around the concept.
I read this normally -chapter to chapter- and didn't skip around as suggested but I don't honestly think that makes a bit of difference as long as you understand and comprehend the material.
Thank you to Alex, the pub, Netgalley, and Kindle for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.
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