• Let Us Descend

  • A Novel
  • By: Jesmyn Ward
  • Narrated by: Jesmyn Ward
  • Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (260 ratings)

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Let Us Descend  By  cover art

Let Us Descend

By: Jesmyn Ward
Narrated by: Jesmyn Ward
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Publisher's summary

OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK • From Jesmyn Ward—the two-time National Book Award winner, youngest winner of the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction, and MacArthur Fellow—comes a haunting masterpiece, sure to be an instant classic, about an enslaved girl in the years before the Civil War.

“‘Let us descend,’ the poet now began, ‘and enter this blind world.’” —Inferno, Dante Alighieri

Let Us Descend is a reimagining of American slavery, as beautifully rendered as it is heart-wrenching. Searching, harrowing, replete with transcendent love, the novel is a journey from the rice fields of the Carolinas to the slave markets of New Orleans and into the fearsome heart of a Louisiana sugar plantation.

Annis, sold south by the white enslaver who fathered her, is the reader’s guide through this hellscape. As she struggles through the miles-long march, Annis turns inward, seeking comfort from memories of her mother and stories of her African warrior grandmother. Throughout, she opens herself to a world beyond this world, one teeming with spirits: of earth and water, of myth and history; spirits who nurture and give, and those who manipulate and take. While Ward leads readers through the descent, this, her fourth novel, is ultimately a story of rebirth and reclamation.

From one of the most singularly brilliant and beloved writers of her generation, this miracle of a novel inscribes Black American grief and joy into the very land—the rich but unforgiving forests, swamps, and rivers of the American South. Let Us Descend is Jesmyn Ward’s most magnificent novel yet, a masterwork for the ages.

©2023 Jesmyn Ward (P)2023 Simon & Schuster Audio

Interview: Jesmyn Ward made the journey through grief alongside her characters in "Let Us Descend"

'I write for people from marginalized communities who don't see their lives reflected in popular culture...'
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  • Let Us Descend
  • 'I write for people from marginalized communities who don't see their lives reflected in popular culture...'

What listeners say about Let Us Descend

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  • Overall
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Amazing!

Let Us Descend is a breathtaking masterpiece that captivates from the very first page. With its beautifully crafted prose and richly developed characters, the book transports readers to a vivid and immersive world. Jesmyn Ward’s ability to explore complex themes while maintaining a page-turning narrative is truly amazing. Let Us Descend is an unforgettable journey and a testament to her storytelling ability!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Beautiful!

Reminded of the brutality and strength. I was deeply saddened and encouraged. I loved the engagement between the natural and spiritual. Highly recommended!

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The author’s own interpretation

Being taken on a journey that you have no choice but follow and becoming a part of it

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Reading of this book by author connected this reader to the author.

Ms Ward continues to prove that there is a dedicated audience that care deeply to learn about the the”less than.”

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Seek within yourself!

This story had several string points. Many characters, I feel deserved a highlight they didn’t receive. Also, the magical realism took over most of the story. Annis being the main character didn’t mean much because she felt like a shadow in the story. It seemed that everything about her life, her current situation, and her future relied on Aza. Yet, I enjoyed the descriptions, the lyrical storytelling, but the ending felt like it was unfinished.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good Read and Solid Story.

For a story about the American slave trade, it isn’t as graphic as I would have thought and I enjoyed that about it. I love the reference to Dante’s Inferno and the motifs of hell, spirits, and bees that lead us through the southern United States during this dreadful period.

From start to finish, Ward’s use of imagery and descriptive details are impeccable. The intertwining of, what seems to be, Orisha mythology with reality makes for a fantasy unique to this genre.

I only wish the story didn’t end where it did. Annis’ journey was just getting started and I would have loved to go forward with her as she was “reborn” in this new season and area.

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Not easy, but real literature never is!

It was perfect to meet this book with the author as narrator. Echos of Toni Morrison and bell hooks, but more personal and intimate.

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Powerful

This novel was an amazing depiction of the love, strength and will of African American women of yesterday and today. I found my own strength in the manner in which the author would paint the picture, it felt as though you were there living it breathing it. Amazing ‼️

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Such beauty of writing in the dark of the storm

I’d recommend this book to all who hear the glory in the song of the bees

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2 people found this helpful

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Powerful

There is something about an author narrating their own work that is captivating and magical.

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