Book Review: A Woman of Endurance Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa

 

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Content Warning: violence, death (including that of a child), murder, torture, rape, slavery, misogyny, racism, sexual assault, sexual harassment.

In 19th-century Puerto Rico, Keera from Yorubaland is abducted by the Spanish, renamed Pola as she is forced to work on a plantation. Spiritual and kind, Pola has always been a dedicated follower of Yemayá, the Mother Goddess, but as she is subjected to hardship after hardship, she slowly begins to lose her faith. Forced to bear child after child in the hopes of raising more slaves, each one taken from her mercilessly, Pola begins to build up a shell around herself, refusing to let anyone in. When she tries to escape and is sold to another plantation, however, Pola's journey to healing begins unexpectedly. Discovering a community of fellow black women who help to support and uplift her, Pola tries to come to terms with the inhuman sadism she has witnessed and experienced, and tries once more to open up her heart and let others in.

This is a hard book to summarize, as it is so expansive, following so many different characters over so many years. Personally, I love stories like that -- it helps us to truly get a feeling for the entire ensemble and also allows us to grow and overcome with our heroine. In spite of the fact that this was easily one of my most anticipated novels of 2022, I was a little hesitant to pick it up, owing mostly to the subject matter. I think it's important, however, that as a white woman, I force myself to feel uncomfortable, to read these things and remember the legacy of slavery in all its horror. Regardless of the very disturbing nature of what takes place in these pages (and is a part of history, whether we are comfortable acknowledging it or not), there's also so much beauty here, and a journey that will shred your heart to pieces.

The cast of characters is large, which I greatly enjoyed, as I thought it helped us to understand all the different ways life on a plantation erodes any sense of self-worth. Before Pola's life at her new plantation, she worked the fields, and she keenly feels the difference between being one of her new patrona's seamstresses and the daily terror of cutting cane. But although she understands that there are certain "privileges" (if they can be called that) of her new position, we are never made to forget that there is no good or ethical slave-master, no "cushy" or "happy" life of an enslaved person. I loved the women she got a chance to bond with, most particularly Rufina and Tía Josefa, who care so deeply for Pola and help her on the way to rebuilding her life as best she can.

I must also mention Simón, the man who loves Pola from afar. I found his character, as well as his relationship with Pola, deeply touching and moving; he is the only man she has ever met who does not take from her what is not freely given. His admiration for her strength, for her ability to survive through such unbelievable barbarism, is beautiful; he respects her for who she is, and although she views herself as broken, damaged, no longer a whole but a piece, he sees only a woman who is powerful, who is strong, who is a warrior with the gentle heart of a mother.

There are only two reasons why this did not get a full five stars. At first, I struggled to become immersed in the writing style, and there were occasions throughout the book that where I still found myself unsure about it. We sometimes would be squarely in Pola's head throughout a chapter, and then in the middle of the scene, we would leap to what Rufina is thinking, or get an insight into Tía Josefa's thoughts. This head-hopping was a bit jolting, and sometimes, a little confusing. Some of the similes also didn't work for me, but that's not necessarily a big deal, and I think many people will probably enjoy them.

The second reason concerns the character of Celestina. She is the head of the housemaids, and characterized as being unrepentantly evil. She also has albinism. I'm not well-versed in this subject, so I won't go on at length, but people with albinism are often maligned as being "evil," "strange," or "different." It left a bad taste in my mouth.

In the end, though, I'm so, so glad I picked up this book, and I very much recommend it, especially to those who are not as familiar with the horrors of the Puerto Rican Atlantic Slave Trade. A beautiful, moving novel that deserves much praise.