Song of Redemption

Summary

Celebrated by book clubs and inspired by true events, Song of Redemption unveils a devastating mystery. In 1932, a media frenzy erupted when the body of Danielle, a gifted and enslaved songstress, was discovered hidden within the walls of an abandoned mansion on the Soileau Plantation. Through her sister, who returns to the English and French-speaking parish to identify the remains, reporters uncover the complexities of Danielle's life on and off the sugar plantation, where she was the former child companion of the master's daughter. Known for her beauty, proficiency in herbal remedies, and her likeness featured on the Soileau & Sons rum and sugar product art, Danielle is flawed yet favored by her lascivious master, Demetre Soileau, and despised by his wife, Etiennette.

Exposed to the society of Louisiana Creoles and free Blacks regarded as "les noirs libres," Danielle catches the tender eye of a free mariner and businessman, Alphonse Santee, who is instrumental in her thirst for freedom, love, and the struggle to mend her broken family torn apart by turmoil and Demetre. Captured between love and obligation, Danielle soon becomes pregnant as rumors fly about the baby’s paternity, and agonizing secrets between Etiennette and Danielle begin to unravel.

Song of Redemption masterfully evokes the cultural richness of the multi-parish region west of the Mississippi. Malika J. Stevely artfully pries open a window to rarely told aspects of pre-Civil War life for communities of color and beautifully highlights the language of Louisiana Creole. This powerful saga of suspense, romance, and family devotion invites readers into an unforgettable journey through history that will captivate hearts and minds across generations.