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by Malika J. Stevely (Author)
Inspired by true events. In 1932, a media frenzy ensued after the remains of Danielle, a gifted, enslaved songstress, were discovered in the wall of an abandoned mansion on the Soileau Plantation. Through her sister, who returns to the English and French-speaking parish to identify the body, newspaper reporters learn the complexities of Danielle's life on and off the sugar plantation as the former child companion of the master's daughter. Known for her proficiency in herbal remedies, beauty, and likeness 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 of color and free Blacks regarded as "les noirs libres," Danielle catches the tender eye of a free mariner and business owner, 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 and the agonizing secrets between Etiennette and Danielle begin to unravel.
Song of Redemption is filled with the rich culture of multi-parishes west of the Mississippi River. Malika J. Stevely artfully pries open a window to aspects of pre-Civil War life for communities of color that are rarely discussed in detail. This unique blend of suspense, romance, and family saga invites readers into an unforgettable journey of the past that will leave audiences riveted while touching the hearts of untold generations.
