Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

Description

“Sing, Unburied, Sing” is a novel written by American author Jesmyn Ward. It was published in 2017 and received critical acclaim, including winning the National Book Award for Fiction in the same year. The novel is a haunting and powerful exploration of the complex lives of a family living in rural Mississippi.

The story is primarily narrated by Jojo, a thirteen-year-old boy who is growing up with his younger sister, Kayla, and his grandparents, Pop and Mam, in a poverty-stricken area. Jojo’s mother, Leonie, is inconsistent in her presence and struggles with drug addiction. When their father is released from prison, Leonie decides to take her children to pick him up. The journey becomes a harrowing odyssey through the Mississippi landscape, where they encounter ghosts, both literal and metaphorical, and confront the harsh realities of their lives.

“Sing, Unburied, Sing” delves into themes of family, race, poverty, and the legacy of slavery in the American South. Jesmyn Ward’s lyrical and evocative prose weaves a tale that combines elements of the supernatural with the grittiness of everyday life, creating a haunting and poignant narrative.

The novel has been widely praised for its rich character development, its exploration of the African American experience in the South, and its unflinching portrayal of the challenges faced by the book’s central characters. “Sing, Unburied, Sing” is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant work that has cemented Jesmyn Ward’s reputation as a significant voice in contemporary American literature.