House of Rougeaux A Novel

For Abejé and her brother Adunbi, home is the slave quarters of a Caribbean sugar plantation on the Antilles Island of Martinique. Under the watchful eye of their African mother, they thrive despite what threatens to break them. After a night of brutality changes their lives forever, their strength and extraordinary bond carries them through. At the dawn of emancipation, Adunbi¿s daughter Hetty finds her way to Quebec City as maid to the slave owner¿s daughters. There she discovers a talent for piano and meets a bold saddler¿s apprentice named Dax Rougeaux. After buying her freedom, Dax and Hetty join a growing community of Afro-Canadians living free.As each new generation of the family takes the spotlight, a fresh piece of the puzzle is illuminated until at last, after a span of nearly two centuries, the end brings us back to the beginning. In skillful prose, award-winning author Jenny Jaeckel masterfully blends genres of coming-of-age, folklore, and historical fiction with explorations of gender, race, and sexuality, creating a wondrous and harrowing tale of hope and healing.