Wisdom

by Heather Neff

“You must promise me to go back to Wisdom one day. You see, little girl, Wisdom is your Source. It’s where your blood was born. . . .” The words of her grandfather echo in her ears as Maia Ransom, a nurse from Michigan, arrives on the island of St. Croix for the first time. She has always been curious about the great estate her grandfather lovingly described, but the importance of this place has suddenly become vital. A private woman with no lover and no children, Maia is slowly succumbing to the same disease that killed her mother. She has three weeks to find Wisdom. Once there, Maia hopes to uncover the rich history of her people—and the will to fight for her own life. But once on the intoxicating Caribbean island, Maia finds that the inhabitants resent her presence and are determined to lead her astray. Maia finally locates the estate, but the once-grand manor now sits crumbling in disrepair, home to the dissolute, alcoholic, and severely ill Severin Johanssen, the only living son of its former owner. After an initial frosty dismissal, Maia finds herself living at Wisdom as Severin’s temporary nurse. Seeking refuge, Maia befriends Noah Langston, a striking Crucian lawyer who is doing all he can to help his people rise up to self-sufficiency. Noah soon opens up in Maia tender emotions she never imagined were hers to feel. But what he discovers about her family will shock Maia to the core. For Wisdom is not just her legacy, it might be her future. And there are people who will do everything in their power to keep Maia from fulfilling her destiny. With a clear eye and a poet’s heart, Heather Neff has written an absorbing, redemptive novel of struggle, family secrets, and making the profound choice between hiding safely from the truth or leaping through uncertainty towards true love. Wisdom is ultimately about finding one’s true soul. From the Hardcover edition.

Paperback

First published April 30, 2002

Reviews

[ScrappyMags · Rating 4 out of 5]

My former professor! She had this on her assigned reader, which I thought was brilliant.. LOL. I really enjoyed the story and thought it was very well-written.

[Erica Lipscomb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this would be a good read while vacationing in St. Croix. It did not disappoint! It was a pleasant surprise to read the book, get in touch with the characters, and visit places that Maia experienced while she was in search of her family. An emotionally connected genealogical search that dealt with the pains of racism, socialism, friendship and love.

[Essence Cropper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book it was pretty good. I do wish there was a little more to the ending, but it was satisfying. I would recommend.

[Wisdom Sparks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not yet

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wisdom tells the tale of distant relatives that are strangely united by impending deaths. Maia Ransom goes to the beautiful island of St Croix to find the home her ancestors. Maia has found that she is dying of Ovarian cancer, and wants to see where her family was born. Maia grandfather has told her many stories about how her ancestors we brought over from Africa on a slave ship called the Ransom. They were allowed to keep the name of Ransom because it was believed that they were special healers. In her search to find her ancestors she meets Severin Johansson, a wastrel and a scoundrel, who has been told that he is dying. Severin claims to be the heir of Wisdom Maia’s family’s place of bondage.

Local island legends say that the land belongs to the Ransoms. Maia is turned away when she goes to Wisdom to inquire about her ancestor’s and becomes more determined to find the truth. Severin was found nearly dead by Maia and she comes to his aid and becomes his nurse, she agrees so that she can search the decaying plantation for evidence of her family. But Severin becomes enamored of her and does everything in his power to try and seduce her.

While touring the island Maia meets Lawyer Noah Langston and he quickly falls for her. Maia is trying hard not to fall for him because of her impending death. Will all of Maia’s dreams come true?

Heather Neff story telling skills a wonderful she paint’s a picture of island life that makes you feel as though you are there. Maia’s struggles became my struggles. Heather really made me feel this book.

[Alana · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Heather Neff's novel, Wisdom is not just a character trait, it is a location that holds the key to a woman's legacy, identity, and future. Maia Ransom is a nurse from Michigan who goes to the Caribbean island of St. Croix in search of the land that her grandfather always told her about. Wisdom is the name of the estate that her ancestors lived and worked on as enslaved African people......

In the spirit of Octavia Butler, author of the acclaimed classic The Kindred, Heather Neff beautifully weaves elements of the supernatural into her storyline as Maia channels the spirit of one of her ancestors in the search for her people's stolen land. The external obstacles that she faces in her quest are paralleled by the internal obstacles that she must overcome, namely, finding the will to live and trusting herself to open her heart to love. Neff presents a cast of colorful, fully developed characters that pull readers into the story and her research and time spent living on St. Croix are evident in her painstaking attention to detail and accuracy in describing the island's history, people, language, and culture. Maia's journey in St. Croix ultimately saves her life and serves as a metaphor for the search for history and roots that is often an all too difficult one for the descendants of enslaved humans. As they reclaim their history and heritage, the lives of their culture and future generations are redeemed.

To read my entire review, please visit my blog, Book Talk With Alana, http://booktalkwithalana.blogspot.com

[SassyMama · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Rich Island Tale

I enjoyed reading Wisdom by Heather Neff. I was initially drawn to the novel by the serenity of the novel's front cover. What I imagined was a light hearted "island romance", was a magical tale with many well-crafted twists and turns. The book effectively uncovers the underlying tensions that exists within what appears to be a tropical oasis and allows us to see the reality of island living from two perspectives. The characters were believable. The plot, a love story, a mystery and suspense story, was intricate enough that it kept me turning the pages. A decent read!

[Marybeth Koberna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written novel about a woman's search for her soul; her history. Heather's characters are vivid and full of life. Her stories pull me in from the very first page.