Daughter of the Merciful Deep
by Leslye Penelope
Reviewed by Galen Strickland
Posted February 12, 2025
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This is the second novel by Leslye Penelope that could be considered an alternate history of the black struggle in America. As simply L. Penelope she has written many paranormal romances. There is a bit of romance in Daughter of the Merciful Deep, but it takes a backseat to the drama in the town of Awenasa. The state is not mentioned, but based on the author's notes at the end it could be Alabama. Set in the mid-1930s, the town's residents are being pressured to sell their land, which will soon be under water due to a dam being built on the Noxahatchie River. Water is a frequent metaphor, both as a devastating force of nature, as well as a nurturing force for the people and the land. Published in June last year, it is an appropriate read for Black History Month. It is inspiring, but also depressing.
Some of the things I will say will sound negative, but that is due to the depressing part of the story. Awenasa was founded by (Old) George Braithwaite, a former slave, who had bought a parcel of land after the Civil War, then in succeeding years bought adjacent parcels, providing farmland for others, eventually creating the town. At the time the story begins Awenasa has a population of 617, 98% of whom are black. It is possible the county sheriff, his family, and a few deputies, comprise the other 2%. The town has many varied businesses, as well as churches and schools, including the Braithwaite Academy and Technical School. The main character is Jane Edwards, daughter of one of the town's ministers. She is in her early twenties, and works part time at the Academy as an accountant. Jane mostly 'speaks' in sign language, although with great effort she can manage a hoarse whisper. That has been the case since she was about twelve, after she almost drowned as her family was escaping from their previous town, Easterville. Her sister Grace's boyfriend, Robert Knox, had been lynched, having been accused of assaulting and killing a white girl.
Jane had almost no memory of her mother, who died in the Spanish Flu epidemic in 1919. Grace was upset that her father and Jane never wanted to talk about her mother. After Robert's death she leaves town, but returns about ten years later, pregnant but unmarried. Jane has a large load of guilt weighing her down, but being the main first-person narrator, she teases that multiple times before the big reveal. I won't reveal it, except to say it involved Robert and Grace. It is that guilt, along with what happened to her in the water as they were escaping Easterville, that took away her voice. It will take unburdening herself of that guilt to get her voice back. The town is being harassed by a cadre of "Authority" men to sell, but then when there is pushback due to such a low price offered, the harassment escalates to arson and assault. How can anything save the town and its people if it will all be under water soon? Much too soon.
That's where the depressing part comes in. I won't give details, but the prospect of the people's salvation comes solely from the fantasy element. If not for that, they would have been driven from their properties, or shot or beaten to death, or burned in their homes. All so some rich white folks could get even richer selling choice lakeside properties after the flood. The fantasy may be based on African myths, but several of the names did not come up in searches. Another depressing part is that within the fantasy element lies even more contention and disagreement, but Jane's influence may be enough to smooth some of that out. It is unfortunate this is a very timely story, and unfortunate that it offers little hope for the oppressed. Except… Each chapter begins with an epigram, and some of those did come up in a search, either from a book, or identified as African proverbs. As we are currently faced with oppression of many elements of society, not just blacks, with little hope other than small, local action, remember this proverb: "If you wish to move mountains tomorrow, you must start by lifting stones today."
Take my words with a large grain of salt. There is a lot to like about this book, both Penelope's deft prose, and several inspiring characters. But don't forget this is fantasy. Otherwise, the Deep would not have been merciful.
Related link:
Penelope's earlier novel, The Monsters We Defy.
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