Review by Booklist Review
A story of surprising allyship, painful secrets, and momentous transformations, Red Clay digs into intergenerational bonds, illuminating how the roots of endearment are just as complex as those of hatred. Inspired by the author's family history, this debut historical novel portrays a plantation-owning family and the people they formerly enslaved navigating their changing social status following the American Civil War. Through the unexpected friendship between Addie, the daughter of plantation owners, and Felix, the son of the former master's valet, Red Clay explores how guilt, remorse, and sincerity underline our responsibilities to one another. With direct, sharp lines addressing America's history of slavery and detailed scenes of racial violence, Fancher makes past injustices vividly present--strongly reminding readers of their closeness to this era. Keenly aware of the intersections among race, class, gender, and cultural heritage, his story is notable for its diverse portrayal of Black Americans before and during Reconstruction. Balancing unforgivable atrocities and tender connections, Red Clay may appeal to readers interested in exploring visions of true freedom under the haunting shadows of American slavery.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The granddaughter of a man born into slavery learns his story from a descendant of his enslavers in this immersive debut novel from journalist Fancher. On the morning after Felix Parker's funeral in 1943 Alabama, his granddaughter Eileen Epps is approached by an octogenarian white woman, Addie Parker, who stuns Eileen by saying, "A lifetime ago, my family owned yours." Fancher then rewinds to 1864, when eight-year-old Felix and his parents are enslaved on the Parker plantation in Red Clay, where their master, John Robert Parker, nine-year-old Addie's father, entangles him in a macabre fraud. Facing catastrophic financial losses, John Robert kills himself, leaving Felix to claim two men shot him, thus ensuring his life insurance benefit will pay out to his family. After the Civil War, Felix builds a life for himself as a carpenter, and Fancher intersperses the sprawling narrative with Addie and Eileen's present-day conversation, as Eileen informs Addie of her grandfather's bitter memories of Addie treating him like a pet. Despite some purple prose (prayers are likened to "messages in bottles drifting on a cosmic sea"), Fancher imbues the narrative with a rich humanity as Eileen and Addie each attempt to grapple with the past. There's plenty for historical fiction fans to admire. (Feb.)
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