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Ours
“A beautifully-written and ambitious epic about the complexity of freedom.” —Brit Bennett, author of The Vanishing Half
An epic novel set in mid-nineteenth-century America about the spiritual costs of a freedom that demands fierce protection
In this ingenious, sweeping novel, Phillip B. Williams introduces us to an enigmatic woman named Saint, a fearsome conjuror who, in the 1830s, annihilates plantations all over Arkansas to rescue the people enslaved there. She brings those she has freed to a haven of her own a town just north of St. Louis, magically concealed from outsiders, named Ours.
It is in this miraculous place that Saint’s grand experiment—a truly secluded community where her people may flourish—takes root. But although Saint does her best to protect the inhabitants of Ours, over time, her conjuring and memories begin to betray her, leaving the town vulnerable to intrusions by newcomers with powers of their own. As the cracks in Saint’s creation are exposed, some begin to wonder whether the community’s safety might be yet another form of bondage.
Set over the course of four decades and steeped in a rich tradition of American literature informed by Black surrealism, mythology, and spirituality, Ours is a stunning exploration of the possibilities and limitations of love and freedom by a writer of capacious vision and talent.
An epic novel set in mid-nineteenth-century America about the spiritual costs of a freedom that demands fierce protection
In this ingenious, sweeping novel, Phillip B. Williams introduces us to an enigmatic woman named Saint, a fearsome conjuror who, in the 1830s, annihilates plantations all over Arkansas to rescue the people enslaved there. She brings those she has freed to a haven of her own a town just north of St. Louis, magically concealed from outsiders, named Ours.
It is in this miraculous place that Saint’s grand experiment—a truly secluded community where her people may flourish—takes root. But although Saint does her best to protect the inhabitants of Ours, over time, her conjuring and memories begin to betray her, leaving the town vulnerable to intrusions by newcomers with powers of their own. As the cracks in Saint’s creation are exposed, some begin to wonder whether the community’s safety might be yet another form of bondage.
Set over the course of four decades and steeped in a rich tradition of American literature informed by Black surrealism, mythology, and spirituality, Ours is a stunning exploration of the possibilities and limitations of love and freedom by a writer of capacious vision and talent.
18 pages, Audiobook
First published February 20, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 353 reviews
February 7, 2024
OK, January 25, and I've found my first Best Book of 2024: Phillip B. Williams' Ours. No matter what else comes out this year, Ours is not getting knocked off my list.
This is a long book that makes demands of its readers. But the effort one puts in reading Ours is repaid over and over by all the book has to give. Some reviews don't like the length, but I take the author at his word when he explains that part of the book's length reflected a commitment to portraying many characters with care and thoroughness, unlike books that clearly have "A List" and "B List" characters (my way of putting it). Yes, some characters get more "page time" than others, but if I had to list the characters essential to this book, I couldn't get that list below 10, and would rather leave it at 15, maybe more.
To offer a very short description of the book's content, I'll just explain that Ours begins before the Civil War and ends after it. Saint, a woman gifted in particular kinds of conjuring, travels the south, "listening" for those who want to be freed. When she finds them, she uses her powers to kill the "so-called masters" (Williams' term) and leads the now-free to a town west of St. Louis that she's founded and has protected with boundary markers that prevent outsiders from entering. (I single Saint out because she sets the novel's events in motion, not because she stands above the book's other characters.)
That town is named Ours. Some of the town's residents have powers of their own. Some don't. And none of them completely control the powers they do have. Time and memory lengthen and contract repeatedly. Loving relationships bloom in a wealth of forms, across genders and across life experiences. And failures to love, intended to protect, complicate the interactions of characters.
One of the reviews of this novel notes that because of its complexity, Ours makes an excellent candidate for a group read. The richness and depth of its offerings deserve attention and discussion beyond the individual. I had an electronic review copy of Ours (my thanks to the publisher and NetGalley) and because I read it pre-publication, I didn't read it as part of a group, but I want to reread it in that context once it's released.
Through serendipity, I read Ours at the same time that I read Walking with Our Ancestors: Contemplation and Activism by Barbara A. Holmes, which is both kin to and very different from Ours. At just 68 pages, it's roughly 1/9th Ours' length. Walking with Our Ancestors examines events and individuals from the Civil Rights Movement through the the lens of contemplative practice, which the author doesn't see as being unique to Christianity. If you're at all inclined to think about questions of spiritual practice and its furtherance of real-world change, I urge you to do the same. The pairing resonates in wonderful ways.
Even if you don't want to commit to a group read or a two-book pairing, read Ours. Have faith that Williams will have you turning things over in heart and mind long after you finish the book.
This is a long book that makes demands of its readers. But the effort one puts in reading Ours is repaid over and over by all the book has to give. Some reviews don't like the length, but I take the author at his word when he explains that part of the book's length reflected a commitment to portraying many characters with care and thoroughness, unlike books that clearly have "A List" and "B List" characters (my way of putting it). Yes, some characters get more "page time" than others, but if I had to list the characters essential to this book, I couldn't get that list below 10, and would rather leave it at 15, maybe more.
To offer a very short description of the book's content, I'll just explain that Ours begins before the Civil War and ends after it. Saint, a woman gifted in particular kinds of conjuring, travels the south, "listening" for those who want to be freed. When she finds them, she uses her powers to kill the "so-called masters" (Williams' term) and leads the now-free to a town west of St. Louis that she's founded and has protected with boundary markers that prevent outsiders from entering. (I single Saint out because she sets the novel's events in motion, not because she stands above the book's other characters.)
That town is named Ours. Some of the town's residents have powers of their own. Some don't. And none of them completely control the powers they do have. Time and memory lengthen and contract repeatedly. Loving relationships bloom in a wealth of forms, across genders and across life experiences. And failures to love, intended to protect, complicate the interactions of characters.
One of the reviews of this novel notes that because of its complexity, Ours makes an excellent candidate for a group read. The richness and depth of its offerings deserve attention and discussion beyond the individual. I had an electronic review copy of Ours (my thanks to the publisher and NetGalley) and because I read it pre-publication, I didn't read it as part of a group, but I want to reread it in that context once it's released.
Through serendipity, I read Ours at the same time that I read Walking with Our Ancestors: Contemplation and Activism by Barbara A. Holmes, which is both kin to and very different from Ours. At just 68 pages, it's roughly 1/9th Ours' length. Walking with Our Ancestors examines events and individuals from the Civil Rights Movement through the the lens of contemplative practice, which the author doesn't see as being unique to Christianity. If you're at all inclined to think about questions of spiritual practice and its furtherance of real-world change, I urge you to do the same. The pairing resonates in wonderful ways.
Even if you don't want to commit to a group read or a two-book pairing, read Ours. Have faith that Williams will have you turning things over in heart and mind long after you finish the book.
March 13, 2024
Ours is a town near St. Louis created in 1830 by a conjurer named Saint, a place that is invisible to outsiders, impossible to find. Saint created it for the freed and formerly enslaved, a haven for those who recently had no personal agency. The essential theme becomes a question of freedom—what it is, and if that is what these people surely have, or is it insulation, or owning of a different kind? Williams writes this like an allegory or folk tale, a mammoth, epic saga filled to the brim with colorful characters and scenic events. Saint rescues enslaved people across the South, and uses her conjuring powers to both create and destroy. Her moodiness can wreak havoc in Ours, distancing and sometimes frightening its citizens.
On every poetic page, the author demonstrates his talent for dangerous enchantment, violent beauty, complex relationships, and layered language. I’ve always enjoyed big, bold books, but in this instance, I started to run out of steam and began skimming the last half. As gorgeous and picturesque as it is, the story unfolded so unhurriedly that it sputtered out too soon for me, became static. As a film, it would knock my socks off, in the hands of the right director, who can capture all the scenes and characters but give it some propulsion.
3.5 stars
On every poetic page, the author demonstrates his talent for dangerous enchantment, violent beauty, complex relationships, and layered language. I’ve always enjoyed big, bold books, but in this instance, I started to run out of steam and began skimming the last half. As gorgeous and picturesque as it is, the story unfolded so unhurriedly that it sputtered out too soon for me, became static. As a film, it would knock my socks off, in the hands of the right director, who can capture all the scenes and characters but give it some propulsion.
3.5 stars
February 6, 2025
Torn between a 4 and 5. Ultimately would like to read it again, so I’ll give it the 5.
It’s a long book. I kept getting reading fatigue because it’s also a heavy book, literally and figuratively. But the time I put on was well worth it, and I already look forward to reading it again. I think I’ll get so much more out of it with every reread. That said, I’m hoping the next book in my library queue is something lighter and funnier. I could use a break from the mental and emotional exhaustion accrued from this one.
It’s a long book. I kept getting reading fatigue because it’s also a heavy book, literally and figuratively. But the time I put on was well worth it, and I already look forward to reading it again. I think I’ll get so much more out of it with every reread. That said, I’m hoping the next book in my library queue is something lighter and funnier. I could use a break from the mental and emotional exhaustion accrued from this one.
March 13, 2024
An absolute masterclass in storytelling. Ours is a tour de force and one of the best novels I’ve read in ages.
I cannot say enough good things about Ours, an epic historical fantasy set in an enchanted town named Ours that serves as a safe haven for freed slaves. Told over four decades, Phillip B. Williams charts the plight of Ours and its inhabitants as they experience the challenges and triumphs of being free and safe amidst a still-hostile world. It’s epic in scope, dense and demanding, but it’s extremely rewarding.
Williams is a poet and that becomes abundantly clear the more time you spend immersed in the book. Each sentence and paragraph is so beautifully crafted and it was a pleasure to luxuriate in his words. Please do not be scared away by the high page count as each and every page is infused with magic, wonder, and heart.
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I cannot say enough good things about Ours, an epic historical fantasy set in an enchanted town named Ours that serves as a safe haven for freed slaves. Told over four decades, Phillip B. Williams charts the plight of Ours and its inhabitants as they experience the challenges and triumphs of being free and safe amidst a still-hostile world. It’s epic in scope, dense and demanding, but it’s extremely rewarding.
Williams is a poet and that becomes abundantly clear the more time you spend immersed in the book. Each sentence and paragraph is so beautifully crafted and it was a pleasure to luxuriate in his words. Please do not be scared away by the high page count as each and every page is infused with magic, wonder, and heart.
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June 20, 2024
The purported concept - a town of free black folks just outside antebellum St Louis, kept secret through witchcraft - is brilliant. Yet after this setting and the main cast are established, the novel becomes a slog, as if the author didn't know how to build a story from these pieces. This novel was badly in need of an editor to help guide the focus and insist on a plot. As it is it became difficult to feel invested or interested.
February 29, 2024
without a doubt one of the best books of 2024
April 12, 2024
I would never want to be critical of one’s art. I just think we spent too much time on characters that were not necessary. I kept losing the plot. The author is clearly a poet and there are some beautiful quotes and stories.
May 16, 2024
This Novel Deserves 10 stars ✨
“Many of the folks in Ours still carried with them a broken-mirror self they were figuring out how to piece together.”
Ours is a small town for freed slaves. This refuge for these slaves cannot be found on the map nor can be accessible to unwelcome visitors. This town was founded by Saint, a conjure woman. Readers will be thrilled to see the technique used with stones to “Charm” travelers away.
My initial read by Phillip B. Williams and after reading chapter 1, I understood this was a novel that would just reel me all into the pages. I was so engulfed by this novel…
The route this novel is written is SO Mesmerizing! I will be honest with saying, ‘Ours’ will not be for all to enjoy, but readers with much patience will be charmed by All of It’s Joy . 🩵✨🩷
This novel will soon be added to my Ann Petry Books in my living room. Phillip B. Williams’ story structure and rising action reminded me so much of her writings. The words that came to me reading this Powerhouse of a novel was: painstaking, meticulous, and so thorough that it Hurts, at times.
It took me so long to finally complete this one because after reading the first couple of chapters, I needed to wait until I had some downtime to digest the magical realism from this author. Then, straight to the audiobook… Astonishing.
* Favorite Novel of 2024 * 🩵✨🩷
“Many of the folks in Ours still carried with them a broken-mirror self they were figuring out how to piece together.”
Ours is a small town for freed slaves. This refuge for these slaves cannot be found on the map nor can be accessible to unwelcome visitors. This town was founded by Saint, a conjure woman. Readers will be thrilled to see the technique used with stones to “Charm” travelers away.
My initial read by Phillip B. Williams and after reading chapter 1, I understood this was a novel that would just reel me all into the pages. I was so engulfed by this novel…
The route this novel is written is SO Mesmerizing! I will be honest with saying, ‘Ours’ will not be for all to enjoy, but readers with much patience will be charmed by All of It’s Joy . 🩵✨🩷
This novel will soon be added to my Ann Petry Books in my living room. Phillip B. Williams’ story structure and rising action reminded me so much of her writings. The words that came to me reading this Powerhouse of a novel was: painstaking, meticulous, and so thorough that it Hurts, at times.
It took me so long to finally complete this one because after reading the first couple of chapters, I needed to wait until I had some downtime to digest the magical realism from this author. Then, straight to the audiobook… Astonishing.
* Favorite Novel of 2024 * 🩵✨🩷
Read
January 2, 2024Frome the very first page, I knew that OURS will be one of the best books of 2024.
This is such an exhilarating read, full of emotions and events, written in precises and poetic prose. Ours is not only the story of that small village outside Saint Louis and its inhabitants but it is also the story of the humankind and its struggles. Willaims has achieved something remarkable in this novel and I cannot wait to see it among many prize lists.
I will come up with a long review once my thoughts are settled.
Thanks for Netgalley and Granta for an ARC
This is such an exhilarating read, full of emotions and events, written in precises and poetic prose. Ours is not only the story of that small village outside Saint Louis and its inhabitants but it is also the story of the humankind and its struggles. Willaims has achieved something remarkable in this novel and I cannot wait to see it among many prize lists.
I will come up with a long review once my thoughts are settled.
Thanks for Netgalley and Granta for an ARC
June 10, 2025
This was an ambitious and memorable story. It mixes historical fiction with magical realism rooted in Conjure, and explores big themes like identity, grief, abandonment, and freedom through a range of different characters. What stood out to me the most was how it handled intimacy—not just romantic or sexual, but emotional closeness and vulnerability between people in a way we don’t often see.
The writing style was super descriptive, sometimes to the point where I felt like I was just hovering above the meaning instead of fully sinking into it.
At times, it’s not the easiest read due to the prose. It’s dense, poetical and sometimes fragmented, often blending vivid imagery with emotionally dense moments in a way that feels almost stream-of-consciousness. What most would call a “fever dream”.
But I still walked away with a clear picture in my head. The characters and themes stuck with me, and even if the writing style wasn’t always for me, I respect the skill it took to pull this off.
The writing style was super descriptive, sometimes to the point where I felt like I was just hovering above the meaning instead of fully sinking into it.
At times, it’s not the easiest read due to the prose. It’s dense, poetical and sometimes fragmented, often blending vivid imagery with emotionally dense moments in a way that feels almost stream-of-consciousness. What most would call a “fever dream”.
But I still walked away with a clear picture in my head. The characters and themes stuck with me, and even if the writing style wasn’t always for me, I respect the skill it took to pull this off.
July 30, 2024
If you are looking for a mesmerizing and thought-provoking audiobook experience, then look no further than "Ours" by P.Williams. The story takes place in a mystical town just outside of St. Louis. Protected by a conjurer named Saint who came in 1830, the story is about freedom, agency, and the complex networks of human relationships.
Here you can find audiobook version of "Ours" by P.Williams
The conjurer Saint has established this hidden haven for the previously enslaved; a paradise that is hidden and impossible to find. The question of freedom takes center stage and whether the people in the town have freedom and what that freedom may look like. Williams's novel reads like an allegory, a folk tale. Williams incorporates fully formed and vibrant characters throughout. Saint is moody and willful; one moment bringing creation and the next moment destruction. Saint's powers to conjure have a profound impact on the lives of the town's inhabitants.
Williams's ability to conjure a tale of dangerous enchantment, violent beauty, and layered language comes through on each poetic page. The voice actor for the audio recording does justice to the complexity and depth of the novel’s strength, not only in her rendering of the character's arc but as a representation of the place.
For some listeners, the pace of the story and its relaxed unfolding may present a challenge with a feeling of being stuck. That being said, there is no question that "Ours" is one of the most visually stunning and vivid explorations of freedom and human resilience that would translate well to the screen where a visual storytelling could get the narrative moving along.
If you like a big story, big themes, and big language, then “Ours” is an audiobook that will enchant and captivate you. In this book Williams has written an impressive testament to the power of storytelling and the lengths that people will go for the right to have their stories told. This audiobook listener is honored to bear witness to such a unique and immersive tale that is part fantastical and part deeply human.
Here you can find audiobook version of "Ours" by P.Williams
The conjurer Saint has established this hidden haven for the previously enslaved; a paradise that is hidden and impossible to find. The question of freedom takes center stage and whether the people in the town have freedom and what that freedom may look like. Williams's novel reads like an allegory, a folk tale. Williams incorporates fully formed and vibrant characters throughout. Saint is moody and willful; one moment bringing creation and the next moment destruction. Saint's powers to conjure have a profound impact on the lives of the town's inhabitants.
Williams's ability to conjure a tale of dangerous enchantment, violent beauty, and layered language comes through on each poetic page. The voice actor for the audio recording does justice to the complexity and depth of the novel’s strength, not only in her rendering of the character's arc but as a representation of the place.
For some listeners, the pace of the story and its relaxed unfolding may present a challenge with a feeling of being stuck. That being said, there is no question that "Ours" is one of the most visually stunning and vivid explorations of freedom and human resilience that would translate well to the screen where a visual storytelling could get the narrative moving along.
If you like a big story, big themes, and big language, then “Ours” is an audiobook that will enchant and captivate you. In this book Williams has written an impressive testament to the power of storytelling and the lengths that people will go for the right to have their stories told. This audiobook listener is honored to bear witness to such a unique and immersive tale that is part fantastical and part deeply human.
couldn-t-get-through-it
April 8, 2024I could tell by page 70 that for me, this book is too much of a very, very good thing. I can't point to a single thing I didn't like, other than what promised to be glacial pacing. I think the many beauties of the book would have been better treated with nimbleness and concision, rather than a slow and steady march. Goodreads reviewer Switterbug (Betsey) put it perfectly for me:
On every poetic page, the author demonstrates his talent for dangerous enchantment, violent beauty, complex relationships, and layered language. I’ve always enjoyed big, bold books, but in this instance, I started to run out of steam and began skimming the last half. As gorgeous and picturesque as it is, the story unfolded so unhurriedly that it sputtered out too soon for me, became static. As a film, it would knock my socks off, in the hands of the right director, who can capture all the scenes and characters but give it some propulsion.
March 5, 2025
This is a book about freedom. Poetic and mythological imagery set during the antebellum period. It’s too long for my liking. Wonderful characters with the town of Ours as much a character as the people who inhabit it.
July 29, 2024
Wow. I had more than 60 highlights from this title—that’s the most I’ve ever made.
I usually read the author’s note and the acknowledgements to start any new book. I didn’t for some reason here and I’m glad for it. I entered full-on and uninformed into a new world… talk about world building. I was completely taken away! The language was gorgeous and the creativity in the storycrafting is utterly compelling and at the same time, refreshing/innovative.
The use of conjure or magical abilities is a key feature. It is presented in various forms and styles, such as stone work, and several were ingenious or unheard of (at least to me). I was constantly awed by how someone worked or what they could do. This, coupled with the beautiful writing and expansive imagination, had me fully engaged and satisfied.
And I was, at times, trying to latch on to a key character and had thought Saint was the main one. But from the author’s note, he stated that there are several key characters and not one was just one. He further said that the town of Ours itself was a character (it’s a Wakanda of sorts). His approach with the characters added to the reading pleasure.
I appreciated the diversity… the range of temperaments and roles, including a span of sexual and gender identities; one character was genderfluid as well as possibly pansexual. And there are several same-sex desire and interactions/dynamics.
This book, set in the slavery period, is wish fulfillment. It reminds of several books that returned to those days but added some special sight or skills. I think of Octavia Butler’s Kindred, and The Underground Railroad, for instance. And I also recall The Book of Night Women—and its climax still makes me very anxious years later.
Please see my many highlights to get a glimpse at the writing.
I intend to read this author’s other book and future titles as well.
I usually read the author’s note and the acknowledgements to start any new book. I didn’t for some reason here and I’m glad for it. I entered full-on and uninformed into a new world… talk about world building. I was completely taken away! The language was gorgeous and the creativity in the storycrafting is utterly compelling and at the same time, refreshing/innovative.
The use of conjure or magical abilities is a key feature. It is presented in various forms and styles, such as stone work, and several were ingenious or unheard of (at least to me). I was constantly awed by how someone worked or what they could do. This, coupled with the beautiful writing and expansive imagination, had me fully engaged and satisfied.
And I was, at times, trying to latch on to a key character and had thought Saint was the main one. But from the author’s note, he stated that there are several key characters and not one was just one. He further said that the town of Ours itself was a character (it’s a Wakanda of sorts). His approach with the characters added to the reading pleasure.
I appreciated the diversity… the range of temperaments and roles, including a span of sexual and gender identities; one character was genderfluid as well as possibly pansexual. And there are several same-sex desire and interactions/dynamics.
This book, set in the slavery period, is wish fulfillment. It reminds of several books that returned to those days but added some special sight or skills. I think of Octavia Butler’s Kindred, and The Underground Railroad, for instance. And I also recall The Book of Night Women—and its climax still makes me very anxious years later.
Please see my many highlights to get a glimpse at the writing.
I intend to read this author’s other book and future titles as well.
December 12, 2023
Many thanks to Penguin Group Viking, NetGalley, and Phillip B. Williams for this advanced copy of the book!
•
Imagine, during the early 1800s, freed slaves had a community where they could live and thrive together after experiencing years of hardships. That’s what Saint, the main female character envisioned and led. However, events throughout this community’s existence put into question whether these freed people would have been better off outside of this community. Many intrusions occur that Saint and the other inhabitants have to navigate. This story started very interesting to me but my interest started to fade midpoint. Several reasons happened. There were so many characters and moving parts to the story, not to mention changing timelines, all of which got me confused and somewhat bored. I kept reading and by chapter 27 of 29, I perked back up. Chapter 27 was poignant and so relative to what we experience, it seems, every decade in this country. The writing style, while hard to navigate, the words the author used sounded like poetry at times. This book, in my opinion, was a little too long and drawn out, without any of the middle parts of it being particularly exciting to not make it seem so long. While I did have a bit of a hard time with this book, I still recommend it for people to read and decipher for themselves. There were some things to think about as an African American woman and seeing Saint’s evolution throughout the story.
•
💵📖 Preorder now! It will be released on February 20, 2024.
•
Imagine, during the early 1800s, freed slaves had a community where they could live and thrive together after experiencing years of hardships. That’s what Saint, the main female character envisioned and led. However, events throughout this community’s existence put into question whether these freed people would have been better off outside of this community. Many intrusions occur that Saint and the other inhabitants have to navigate. This story started very interesting to me but my interest started to fade midpoint. Several reasons happened. There were so many characters and moving parts to the story, not to mention changing timelines, all of which got me confused and somewhat bored. I kept reading and by chapter 27 of 29, I perked back up. Chapter 27 was poignant and so relative to what we experience, it seems, every decade in this country. The writing style, while hard to navigate, the words the author used sounded like poetry at times. This book, in my opinion, was a little too long and drawn out, without any of the middle parts of it being particularly exciting to not make it seem so long. While I did have a bit of a hard time with this book, I still recommend it for people to read and decipher for themselves. There were some things to think about as an African American woman and seeing Saint’s evolution throughout the story.
•
💵📖 Preorder now! It will be released on February 20, 2024.
February 21, 2024
I did not know what to expect going into OURS. With its gorgeous cover, two striking brown faces, interlinking arms, looking like saints. With a page count of 592 pages, it was an ambitious read so early in the year. But I felt compelled to finally dive into this story, and I have no regrets. It is the story of Ours, a town founded in 1832 by slaves who had been freed by the enigma that is Saint. The town is concealed from outsiders, through Saints conjures, and it seems to be a safe haven for those who endured the horrors of slavery and their kin— until outside (and sometimes internal) forces begin to threaten that safety. OURS is magical, heartfelt, and tender. Showcasing an era of Black life that is rarely written about outside of the confines of slavery. The swath of characters that are explored, the people of Ours, are full of their own unique stories. They are attempting to build a community, at a time when the world only wants to tear them apart. They struggle, and fight, and love on their journeys to freedom— over time attempting to discover what freedom even looks like for them.
#youareloved
#youareloved
October 22, 2025
I will confess that I chose this book for its cover—I love the mixture of time periods and symbolism. But from the first line, it grabbed my attention and didn’t let go. It is one of those novels that feels mythic and intimate all at once. It opens with a spell. A woman frees enslaved people in Missouri and unfolds into a sweeping story of community, freedom, and haunting. Williams’ prose is lush, full of sentences that stop you in your tracks. The book asks what it means to build a world of our own making, and what it costs to hold on to it.
This wasn’t a fast read, but for once I didn’t mind. It’s a deep read. Every page hums with feeling, history, and something close to magic. I was in awe of how Williams balances the supernatural with the everyday. He mixes tenderness, hunger, fear, and love.
If you liked Beloved or The Prophets, this deserves a place on your shelf right next to them. I loved it.
This wasn’t a fast read, but for once I didn’t mind. It’s a deep read. Every page hums with feeling, history, and something close to magic. I was in awe of how Williams balances the supernatural with the everyday. He mixes tenderness, hunger, fear, and love.
If you liked Beloved or The Prophets, this deserves a place on your shelf right next to them. I loved it.
October 27, 2024
I selected this novel based on the synopsis, the beautiful cover, and the fact that the author is an award-winning poet. In my experience, something “magical” happens when poets write novels - the masterful handling of words and phrases, the imagery that takes the reader there, the introspective work to birth characters that a reader won’t soon forget. All that and more happened in Ours, a small town populated by recently freed enslaved Africans and protected from intruders with enchanted stones of an enigmatic conjurer named Saint. There is an ensemble cast that are fully formed complete with their individual struggles and talents. This novel is weighted (granted it’s well over 500 pages), but it is the challenges and interconnectedness of themes, situations, relationships that reflects the author’s genius as he allows the characters to grapple with the layered and complicated concepts of freedom, identity, love, abandonment, community, purpose, and independence.
I predict that Ours will be nominated and hopefully win literary awards; on many levels, it is a masterpiece.
I predict that Ours will be nominated and hopefully win literary awards; on many levels, it is a masterpiece.
October 12, 2023
just outside of saint louis, there is a town called ours. established in the 1800s by a woman named saint, she intended it to be a safe haven for black folks. there was no white influence in ours, for saint eradicated it. she used her magic to protect enslaved and free black people alike.
this novel is about strong, powerful black women and men. saint's ferocity and her taste for killing those who are oppressors (or aid the oppressors) is admirable. as someone who was born and raised in saint louis, i felt incredibly moved by this novel. it's emotional, it's bloody, but the love the residents of ours have for each other is unmatched. this is peak black feminine rage, and i'm here for it.
although the ending is a bit bleak, i can't help but hate lambert airport now. this novel is just a touch too long, but it absolutely worth the read.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
this novel is about strong, powerful black women and men. saint's ferocity and her taste for killing those who are oppressors (or aid the oppressors) is admirable. as someone who was born and raised in saint louis, i felt incredibly moved by this novel. it's emotional, it's bloody, but the love the residents of ours have for each other is unmatched. this is peak black feminine rage, and i'm here for it.
although the ending is a bit bleak, i can't help but hate lambert airport now. this novel is just a touch too long, but it absolutely worth the read.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
May 19, 2025
I wrote a whole review for this book that I finished weeks and weeks ago, but it got deleted and I haven't had the constitution to write it up again, so apologies if I make this brief.
At the end of the day, this was a fascinating premise that was stretched out way WAY too long. I understand and appreciate the intention here, and I think it was done successfully--technically. But the exercise of reading this was extremely tiresome.
Saint is a woman with a mysterious background. Initially only known as a mysterious woman who travels around plantations liberating slaves, the mystery deepens when the full scope of her abilities is revealed. Ours is a settlement made by and for black folks where they never have to worry about safety or security. As long as they remain, Saint will do her best to provide. But while everyone technically has a choice to stay or to go, Saint can be an unforgiving guardian, with a long memory for grudges, and a penchant to act on behalf of the "good of the community" without actually consulting the community about it. And the spirits don't seem to be taking kindly to unrefined conjure practices. This is our setting, but we follow a massive cast of characters through this epic of a tale, all centering in or around Ours--and Saint. From Aba, one of the original slaves she freed who has a long standing rivalry with Saint, Frances, a mysterious person drawn to Saint with a deep, unknowable connection to her, to the twins Saint gets from the husband of the river. Each vignette in this compendium of folklore weaves an evocative picture of Black mythology in the United States.
And that is what this is. A compendium of folklore. And it is where my first (and primary) complaint comes into play. Reading the description of this book, you may think that it has a stronger plot than it does. Dear reader, it does not. This is a long, long series of loosely related stories following 1-2 characters at a time through years and years of tales. While you may be intrigued by the mystery of who Saint is, you will have to wade through chapter upon chapters of text about other characters to get the full story. And while that in and of itself is fine, I wish it had been made clear at the outset what this book would be. In fact the author's note made it perfectly clear, and I would recommend anyone who is interested in this book read it.
At the first third, I felt that I got a grasp of what the book was trying to do, and by the half way point, the charm had worn off. My curiosity kept me around, but it was at the sacrifice of my overall enjoyment. It was just so damn long. There isn't much character "development" as there is character exposition here. Few characters actually change, but rather aspects of themselves are revealed to the reader. This can be both interesting and frustrating for anyone who is expecting any sort of payoff for having stuck through the whole thing.
I would read another book by the author. I may even read every other book by the author. But only if it either has a tighter narrative or is under 350 pages.
At the end of the day, this was a fascinating premise that was stretched out way WAY too long. I understand and appreciate the intention here, and I think it was done successfully--technically. But the exercise of reading this was extremely tiresome.
Saint is a woman with a mysterious background. Initially only known as a mysterious woman who travels around plantations liberating slaves, the mystery deepens when the full scope of her abilities is revealed. Ours is a settlement made by and for black folks where they never have to worry about safety or security. As long as they remain, Saint will do her best to provide. But while everyone technically has a choice to stay or to go, Saint can be an unforgiving guardian, with a long memory for grudges, and a penchant to act on behalf of the "good of the community" without actually consulting the community about it. And the spirits don't seem to be taking kindly to unrefined conjure practices. This is our setting, but we follow a massive cast of characters through this epic of a tale, all centering in or around Ours--and Saint. From Aba, one of the original slaves she freed who has a long standing rivalry with Saint, Frances, a mysterious person drawn to Saint with a deep, unknowable connection to her, to the twins Saint gets from the husband of the river. Each vignette in this compendium of folklore weaves an evocative picture of Black mythology in the United States.
And that is what this is. A compendium of folklore. And it is where my first (and primary) complaint comes into play. Reading the description of this book, you may think that it has a stronger plot than it does. Dear reader, it does not. This is a long, long series of loosely related stories following 1-2 characters at a time through years and years of tales. While you may be intrigued by the mystery of who Saint is, you will have to wade through chapter upon chapters of text about other characters to get the full story. And while that in and of itself is fine, I wish it had been made clear at the outset what this book would be. In fact the author's note made it perfectly clear, and I would recommend anyone who is interested in this book read it.
At the first third, I felt that I got a grasp of what the book was trying to do, and by the half way point, the charm had worn off. My curiosity kept me around, but it was at the sacrifice of my overall enjoyment. It was just so damn long. There isn't much character "development" as there is character exposition here. Few characters actually change, but rather aspects of themselves are revealed to the reader. This can be both interesting and frustrating for anyone who is expecting any sort of payoff for having stuck through the whole thing.
I would read another book by the author. I may even read every other book by the author. But only if it either has a tighter narrative or is under 350 pages.
March 19, 2024
The book ceased making sense maybe a quarter of the way through its 600 pages. It pulled me on with its swirl of phantasmagoric symbols, dreams, hallucinations, conjures and visions. Under all that a cast of real characters (many magically freed slaves) did their best to figure out what to do with the emotions, needs, longings, hurts, and surprises in their lives.
Getting to make one's own choices, for better or worse, runs through: A character explains, "Many of us have had few occasions to make choices. I think Franklin choosing how he wanted to die was for him to be free his own way. I don't like his choice. It hurt me deep that he did that. What i know well enough, though is that he did what he wanted with his life because it was finally his. Only his. You understand, don't you?" They work out "freedom" ferociously, with spirit and magic and breath and imagination. Some find peace. Others not so much. Still another transmutes grief into sharp nails pounded into walls depicting life's sweeping arcs. One sleeps in a vision and sees through her descendants' eyes all the way into our current mean streets.
The spectre of slavery hangs over everything. In one telling story, two friends are sucked into insults that lead to a violent fight when one of them insists he sees a man in a black coat pass between them while his friend sees a man in a scarlet coat. Eventually, as a mysterious man grins overhead at their violent discord, the two men -- "bloody and out of breath, looked at the damage they had caused and sobbed. Something fell from the sky and landed between them. It was the coat: scarlet on one side and black on the other... The storyteller shook his head I'll be goddamned and thought, 'All this time. All this time. Come to find out slavery the slickest trickster I ever knowed."
I think I'm glad I hung onto the raft and got pulled along to the end.
Getting to make one's own choices, for better or worse, runs through: A character explains, "Many of us have had few occasions to make choices. I think Franklin choosing how he wanted to die was for him to be free his own way. I don't like his choice. It hurt me deep that he did that. What i know well enough, though is that he did what he wanted with his life because it was finally his. Only his. You understand, don't you?" They work out "freedom" ferociously, with spirit and magic and breath and imagination. Some find peace. Others not so much. Still another transmutes grief into sharp nails pounded into walls depicting life's sweeping arcs. One sleeps in a vision and sees through her descendants' eyes all the way into our current mean streets.
The spectre of slavery hangs over everything. In one telling story, two friends are sucked into insults that lead to a violent fight when one of them insists he sees a man in a black coat pass between them while his friend sees a man in a scarlet coat. Eventually, as a mysterious man grins overhead at their violent discord, the two men -- "bloody and out of breath, looked at the damage they had caused and sobbed. Something fell from the sky and landed between them. It was the coat: scarlet on one side and black on the other... The storyteller shook his head I'll be goddamned and thought, 'All this time. All this time. Come to find out slavery the slickest trickster I ever knowed."
I think I'm glad I hung onto the raft and got pulled along to the end.
May 14, 2025
This book will live in infamy in my book club because everyone uniformly hated it... except for me. Yes, the haters have many valid points, but I simply did not mind.
This is a long book that feels twice as long as it actually is (someone said reading it felt like clocking into work). There is a massive cast of characters to keep track of and new people continue to be introduced pretty much right up to the very end. There is no readily identifiable central plot or sequence of events one could point to as a conflict that rises and is then resolved after a climax. And that's all okay.
At the very end of the book is a note from the author who explains that he set out to create a new mythology of the African American experience that was not wholly centered around the experience of slavery, but also did not ignore it. I think knowing that before going into this book would help most people prepare themselves for it, because this is actually a series of loosely-related vignettes rather than a proper novel in the traditional sense. Stepping back now having finished it, this does feel more like an academic folklore compendium than a fictional narrative.
I don't know. I got a lot out of it, but I can also understand a lot of the criticisms leveled against it. I don't think I would ever recommend it to others unless I knew they were really down with literary fiction or just wanted a really unique take on the fantasy genre, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it.
This is a long book that feels twice as long as it actually is (someone said reading it felt like clocking into work). There is a massive cast of characters to keep track of and new people continue to be introduced pretty much right up to the very end. There is no readily identifiable central plot or sequence of events one could point to as a conflict that rises and is then resolved after a climax. And that's all okay.
At the very end of the book is a note from the author who explains that he set out to create a new mythology of the African American experience that was not wholly centered around the experience of slavery, but also did not ignore it. I think knowing that before going into this book would help most people prepare themselves for it, because this is actually a series of loosely-related vignettes rather than a proper novel in the traditional sense. Stepping back now having finished it, this does feel more like an academic folklore compendium than a fictional narrative.
I don't know. I got a lot out of it, but I can also understand a lot of the criticisms leveled against it. I don't think I would ever recommend it to others unless I knew they were really down with literary fiction or just wanted a really unique take on the fantasy genre, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it.
October 11, 2023
Absolutely, without a doubt, one of the most impactful and beautifully written novels of recent memory.
Phillip B. Williams is a conjuror of phrasing, narrative, characterization, and brilliance, all of which he breathes into the living soul of "Ours". The book ostensibly follows the residents of Ours, a town just north of St. Louis that was established in 1832 with a population of previously enslaved people who were emancipated by the town's matriarch, Saint. Through the next forty-odd years, the book traces their stories, their lives and loves, and the continuingly strained relationship that Saint has with the citizenry. But this novel is so much more than just the collection of tales that make up their lives, and in this writer's hands it becomes an interweaving of ancient magic, colonialist occupation, and modern resistance that is so present and pulsing with life that the reader is palpably residing alongside the characters in the book.
Though writing about the era of slavery, this book is solidly rooted in the many possibilities of freedom - and the many complications that come with freedom. Never seeking easy answers, Williams continually ups the ante in exploring his themes, resulting in emotional passages and soaring prose.
Phillip B. Williams is a conjuror of phrasing, narrative, characterization, and brilliance, all of which he breathes into the living soul of "Ours". The book ostensibly follows the residents of Ours, a town just north of St. Louis that was established in 1832 with a population of previously enslaved people who were emancipated by the town's matriarch, Saint. Through the next forty-odd years, the book traces their stories, their lives and loves, and the continuingly strained relationship that Saint has with the citizenry. But this novel is so much more than just the collection of tales that make up their lives, and in this writer's hands it becomes an interweaving of ancient magic, colonialist occupation, and modern resistance that is so present and pulsing with life that the reader is palpably residing alongside the characters in the book.
Though writing about the era of slavery, this book is solidly rooted in the many possibilities of freedom - and the many complications that come with freedom. Never seeking easy answers, Williams continually ups the ante in exploring his themes, resulting in emotional passages and soaring prose.
Read
February 29, 2024Review forthcoming on TikTok! Beautifully written and moves surprisingly quickly for such a big book. I think another edit would have ultimately helped- I don't know if we needed in depth, 20 page backstories for every single character introduced, but a great book for those who want to get lost in a world of magic and metaphor.
August 6, 2025
Lecture grandement appréciée !!!!!!
Je n'ai pas atteint le coup de cœur mais je suis bien contente de l'avoir lu et je le recommanderai beaucoup.
Cette réflexion sur la liberté et cette part puissante de mythologie et spiritualité africaine étaient très intéressantes.
Et j'ai adoré le fait que chaque personnage soit important. Aucun ne paraît secondaire. Tous ont une histoire que l'on découvre petit à petit, des avancées et un dénouement. Très beau travail d'écriture !!
Je n'ai pas atteint le coup de cœur mais je suis bien contente de l'avoir lu et je le recommanderai beaucoup.
Cette réflexion sur la liberté et cette part puissante de mythologie et spiritualité africaine étaient très intéressantes.
Et j'ai adoré le fait que chaque personnage soit important. Aucun ne paraît secondaire. Tous ont une histoire que l'on découvre petit à petit, des avancées et un dénouement. Très beau travail d'écriture !!
July 10, 2024
Have no idea what happened, but beautifully written.
Read
August 4, 2024This is a DNF but I'm giving myself full credit for reading it because I tried EVERYTHING to make it through this book (tried reading it, tried audio, tried skimming, tried looking for a character outline online to keep track of everyone) and ultimately failed. But it's a long book (600 pages, 20+ hours) and I made it more than half-way, so I think I deserve to count it. If my score were simply based on my personal enjoyment of it, this would be a one star read. But it's well-written – I just can't stand mystical realism (or whatever it's called) as a genre – so I don't want to skew the book's Goodreads score since I know a lot of people actually enjoy that type of book.
What I appreciated: interesting world-building, deep character development, fun idea to play with the idea of enslaved people finding freedom through magic.
What I didn't like: took too long, didn't feel like it went anywhere despite a lot of action, reliance on magic.
I read this as part of my "two person book club" and the other reader really enjoyed it. But he's generally up for an intellectual challenge, whereas I'm a bit of a lazy reader.
What I appreciated: interesting world-building, deep character development, fun idea to play with the idea of enslaved people finding freedom through magic.
What I didn't like: took too long, didn't feel like it went anywhere despite a lot of action, reliance on magic.
I read this as part of my "two person book club" and the other reader really enjoyed it. But he's generally up for an intellectual challenge, whereas I'm a bit of a lazy reader.
August 6, 2024
I waited months to read this just because it was longer than I usually like to dive into. I regret waiting. It's an amazing book, and well worth the time. Does it have a lot of characters and a lot of long tangents into their backstories? Yes. But if I'd created this world and these characters, I'd want to write about them as much as possible. Nothing to cut out and not a page wasted. Loved it.
December 17, 2024
Wowowowowowowoww
July 14, 2024
Book Themes
Slavery/magic/colonization/occupation/segregation/African spiritual practices/surrealism/time travel/ black ownership/community/racism/toxic masculinity/ white flight/grief/black male friendship/trauma/love/family
Trigger warning
Death/suicide/lynching/necromancy/drug overdose/rape/murder/police brutality/death of a child/death of a parent
"Freedom didn't mean safety. Saint wanted to supply both. But soon she felt herself falling in love with those she had saved, and if there's anything more shockingly unpredictable than freedom, it's love. If there is an unhealed wound, love takes the shape of the wound. She knew, from the moment Ours became real, that the shadow of her love was cast not by her but by her broad-shouldered, insatiable hurt. It would only widen if she stayed close, if she decided to love them all anyway.
In the first scene of Ours, we see a young black boy who has just been shot, but then he appears to come back to life. We don't come back to this scene until much later in the book when we are told how he comes back to life and how his life is tied to the town of Ours many decades before where the rest of the book takes place.
We start with a woman called Saint, who rescues enslaved Africans from plantations. She does this by killing mercilessly the slave owners. We see her go into a town and rent a home which leads to White flight, then she brings in all the now free Africans to the town. Using spells, she places wards of protection on the town making it very difficult for those who do not live in the town to find it. She named the town Ours.
Slavery tore apart community formation which was why it appeared to be the first thing that they prioritized upon arriving in Ours. They started to shape their lives and their relationships, they started to build families, friendships, and community. As a result of the urgent need for balance and community, they appear to have left their safety and their agency as a people in the arms of Saint whose spells allow them to live in a cocoon of magic.
As time passes, we have a generation of children who have never known slavery but whose lives are shaped by the restrictions born of the community's relinquishing of their agency for safety. These children wanted to go out, wanted to be 'free'. However, whilst time seems to be moving slowly in Ours, outside several things are happening including the American Revolution, none of which the people in Ours are aware of, until the magic fails and the war arrives in Ours.
A bit more about Saint as a person, she is a woman whose history is longer than time and her magic appears to have no source except that within herself. She has a companion who is always on her side, who never speaks or moves, we do come to know who he is a bit later on in the book. Trying to avoid spoilers as much as I can.
Once in a while, outsiders make their way into OURS. One person brings in religion (Christianity) and he comes to relearn that the Christianity he knew as a slave is different from that which the white man knows. When he first arrives in Ours, he is quick to turn his nose up at the spirituality of the people and the place but soon he realises that community was never a bedrock of the religion he knew. After some time, he also became a pillar in the community.
Considering the magic of Saint is rooted in African spiritual practices, we get a lot of insight into these practices. After a while, we see Saint come into town with twin girls and they too start to grow into young women. From this point, we start to see their POV, and get to understand their magic and their place in the story. One of the twins has the power to time travel her consciousness into the bodies of people from different periods. This is what happens at the start of the book when a young boy comes back to life after he is shot by the police. I will stop here to avoid spoilers.
I found this book interesting. It is one of those epics that you have to take your time with to really understand the dynamics and the significance of interpersonal relationships. I think the most important discussion in this book is the submission of collective agency for freedom and safety (most importantly safety). By the time the people in Ours came to understand the hold and power that Saint had over them, some of them had started to hate and fear her. They would blame her for anything that happened in the town but I guess that comes with the territory, heavy lies the crown and such.
Another point that I also wanted to mention which is a spoiler (pardon me), is the difference between loving someone and needing someone. They may not necessarily be opposed but often, if you love someone, you will support them to be themselves even if it means for them to take their leave of you. Riding your beloved of their soul to keep them with you, having no autonomy over their life, is not love, if it is, it is a carnivorous cancer of a love that I don't want.
Slavery/magic/colonization/occupation/segregation/African spiritual practices/surrealism/time travel/ black ownership/community/racism/toxic masculinity/ white flight/grief/black male friendship/trauma/love/family
Trigger warning
Death/suicide/lynching/necromancy/drug overdose/rape/murder/police brutality/death of a child/death of a parent
"Freedom didn't mean safety. Saint wanted to supply both. But soon she felt herself falling in love with those she had saved, and if there's anything more shockingly unpredictable than freedom, it's love. If there is an unhealed wound, love takes the shape of the wound. She knew, from the moment Ours became real, that the shadow of her love was cast not by her but by her broad-shouldered, insatiable hurt. It would only widen if she stayed close, if she decided to love them all anyway.
In the first scene of Ours, we see a young black boy who has just been shot, but then he appears to come back to life. We don't come back to this scene until much later in the book when we are told how he comes back to life and how his life is tied to the town of Ours many decades before where the rest of the book takes place.
We start with a woman called Saint, who rescues enslaved Africans from plantations. She does this by killing mercilessly the slave owners. We see her go into a town and rent a home which leads to White flight, then she brings in all the now free Africans to the town. Using spells, she places wards of protection on the town making it very difficult for those who do not live in the town to find it. She named the town Ours.
Slavery tore apart community formation which was why it appeared to be the first thing that they prioritized upon arriving in Ours. They started to shape their lives and their relationships, they started to build families, friendships, and community. As a result of the urgent need for balance and community, they appear to have left their safety and their agency as a people in the arms of Saint whose spells allow them to live in a cocoon of magic.
As time passes, we have a generation of children who have never known slavery but whose lives are shaped by the restrictions born of the community's relinquishing of their agency for safety. These children wanted to go out, wanted to be 'free'. However, whilst time seems to be moving slowly in Ours, outside several things are happening including the American Revolution, none of which the people in Ours are aware of, until the magic fails and the war arrives in Ours.
A bit more about Saint as a person, she is a woman whose history is longer than time and her magic appears to have no source except that within herself. She has a companion who is always on her side, who never speaks or moves, we do come to know who he is a bit later on in the book. Trying to avoid spoilers as much as I can.
Once in a while, outsiders make their way into OURS. One person brings in religion (Christianity) and he comes to relearn that the Christianity he knew as a slave is different from that which the white man knows. When he first arrives in Ours, he is quick to turn his nose up at the spirituality of the people and the place but soon he realises that community was never a bedrock of the religion he knew. After some time, he also became a pillar in the community.
Considering the magic of Saint is rooted in African spiritual practices, we get a lot of insight into these practices. After a while, we see Saint come into town with twin girls and they too start to grow into young women. From this point, we start to see their POV, and get to understand their magic and their place in the story. One of the twins has the power to time travel her consciousness into the bodies of people from different periods. This is what happens at the start of the book when a young boy comes back to life after he is shot by the police. I will stop here to avoid spoilers.
I found this book interesting. It is one of those epics that you have to take your time with to really understand the dynamics and the significance of interpersonal relationships. I think the most important discussion in this book is the submission of collective agency for freedom and safety (most importantly safety). By the time the people in Ours came to understand the hold and power that Saint had over them, some of them had started to hate and fear her. They would blame her for anything that happened in the town but I guess that comes with the territory, heavy lies the crown and such.
Another point that I also wanted to mention which is a spoiler (pardon me), is the difference between loving someone and needing someone. They may not necessarily be opposed but often, if you love someone, you will support them to be themselves even if it means for them to take their leave of you. Riding your beloved of their soul to keep them with you, having no autonomy over their life, is not love, if it is, it is a carnivorous cancer of a love that I don't want.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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