Season

InSeason(formerlytitledVoodooSeason),JewellParkerRhodesrevisitsthesensual,magicallandscapeofherhighlyacclaimeddebutnovel,VoodooDreams.MarieLevant,raisedintheNorthbyfosterparents,beginshermedicalresidencyinNewOrlean'sCharityHospital.Plaguedbydejavuandhauntedbyincreasinglyviolentdreams,Marietriestomakealifeinacitythatseemsbothforeignandfamiliar.Withoutwarningherworldfallsapart,foritisvoodooseason:theseasonofheat,humidity,theWestNilevirus,ofunexplaineddeathsofyoungadultsallwithamysterioussymbolmarkedinredclayontheirforeheads.Itistheseasonofbabiescutfromtheirdeadmother'swombs.ItistheseasonwhentheGuede,thedeathgods,hauntLevant—whisperingtales,sendingmemoriesanddreamsofMarieLaveau,anineteenthcenturyvoodooienne,whowalkedonwaterandblendedAfricanloaswiththeirCatholicsaints,whisperingtalesofasecondMarie,whomurderedhermotherandbroughteviltothefaith,whisperingtalesofathirdMariewhodiedinapoolofblood,afterabandoningherchildtoanorphanage.MarieLevant,thefourthMarie,mustreclaimherheritage,reclaimthepowerofvoodoodrumstransformedtoajazzlament,reclaimherspiritual,womanistpower.Acontemporaryepicandmythictale,Marielearns"womenhanddownsightthroughgenerations,mothertodaughter."Shelearnsthatloveandpassioncanbeintertwined,marriageandaprofessioncanmix,andthatawoman'slovecanredeemaworld.Shelearnsthatthereisnogreaterpowerthanamother'sfiercepassionandthatofawomansecureinherselfidentity,secureinancestralheritageasablackwomanandavoodooqueen.