Dark Roots

by Jeannie Cobb

Interracial relationships, black mysticism in tribal Africa, and the strong bond of family love all combine for a compelling read in a new novel, Dark Roots, by Jeannie Cobb. An exciting narrative featuring main character Amber Brooks, who is African American, and Clayton, her white boyfriend takes the couple from the corporate boardroom, back in time to 1840s America in a frantic search for Amber's brother, James, an anthropologist whose near-fanatic interest in the African slave trade leads to his disappearance on the Dark Continent. Along the way, Amber and Clayton experience first-hand the power of long-held African beliefs in the supernatural, and discover the true meaning of love and life.

304 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2004

Reviews

[Phyllis | Mocha Drop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amber Brooks is a young, successful, attractive, no-nonsense, go-getter businesswoman who is the heartbeat of her man (Clayton), her brother (James), and her best friend from childhood (Malcolm). Life is good and all is well until her grandmother has "the dream" - when Granny Ida dreams, death is on its way to visit a family member. Granny has dreamt of her grandson, James, a world renowned archeologist on location in West Africa examining a theory of reincarnation and time travel to the 1840's America - specifically the slavery era on a North Carolina tobacco plantation.

When James vanishes into thin air after participating in a tribal ceremony using an ancient artifact, Granny Ida suspects he is trapped in the spirit world. Amber and Clayton rush to Africa to investigate and when Amber eerily vanishes (just like James), Malcolm and Clayton are determined to rescue her. Eventually all four end up at the same plantation where the rules of the day elevate Clayton as the owner of his three African American friends. They are stuck in the past with no clue how to return to modern day - so they fall into their respective roles until they can escape. Amber befriends other plantation slaves and learns critical survival skills (like keeping her mouth shut, feigning ignorance and stupidity, not fighting back). The "modern" characters undergo a humbling experience as they witness beatings, back-breaking work, humiliation, suffering, and learn of sexual abuse of slave women. In her friendships, Amber ultimately bonds with a woman who will serve a key purpose in the novel and her life.

Complicating things are the interracial aspects of Amber (African American) and Clayton's (Caucasian) relationship, Malcolm's desire to become more than friends with Amber, and Clayton and Malcolm's jealousy and envy of one another. Also lurking about is the evil, sadistic overseer, Big Jake, who is determined to have Amber for himself. The author shares a lot of historical knowledge of the era - citing the knowledge of herbs and roots that slaves possessed to heal themselves from beatings and brandings and it uses for other medicinal purposes; and their ingenuity and industriousness when it came to stretching their food, clothing, and other resources.

Dark Roots is a wonderfully imagined and well written speculative and historical fiction novel. I was captured from the opening passages and kept turning pages until the end. I think fans of Tananarive Due (The Between, The Good House), Octavia Butler (Kindred), and/or Stephen Barnes (Lion's Blood) will probably enjoy Dark Roots.

[Daniels]

This is an interesting book with a great twist