Trinity

by Zelda Lockhart

The Hurston-Wright Award Finalist makes her long-awaited return with this electrifying saga—as moving and indelible as The Twelve Tribes of Hattie, The Turner House, and The Love Songs of W. E. B. DuBois —that explores three generations of a family trying to overcome trials and trauma and free themselves from the darkness of the past. Lottie Rebecca Lee is spoken into the world in Fayetteville, North Carolina by a Black nurse who declares, “Lord Jesus, if that ain’t the blackest little baby born this side of heaven.” Later, Lottie will prove that she is the ancestors’ promise to unearth the Mississippi and Ghanaian atrocities that have tormented Benjamin Lee, her grandfather who was born during the Great Depression in Mississippi’s red clay tobacco fields, and Benjamin Junior, his son and Lottie Rebecca’s father, born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where the post Korean War GI Bill promises prosperity. These two generations of men are haunted by the Mother-Spirit who did not survive enslavement’s post-traumatic stress violence. Trinity is the riveting story of the daughter-spirit born to stitch love back into the scattered wombs of her Black mothers and call love back into the fishing blues songs of her Black male kin. Lottie Rebecca Lee is the Divine spirited daughter born to set everything back up right again, in this daringly original novel.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical, Literary Fiction, African American, Race, Audiobook

272 pages, Hardcover

Published July 4, 2023

Reviews

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

God as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are commonly referred to as the The Holy Trinity in Christianity and Zelda Lockhart explores this concept of transcendent interconnectedness in her latest novel – only here, the “holy” can be dropped and the Spirit manifests as a spunky representation of a diligent mother determined to guide her wayward earth-bound children to healing and redemption.

The opening passages of the novel harken to three major remembrances of past sins and betrayal – (1) by Ghanian male ancestors who willfully forfeit the protection, provision, and nurturing of their womenfolk to reap the riches of selling their own for material gain and profit in the slave trade; (2) a disapproving stance on their compromise to fight white men’s enemies to restore their honor; and (3) their indefensible abandonment of the black family. Fast forward to 1939, Sampson, MS, where generations of forced servitude and brutality have hardened a mean, bitter Leander Lee to the point that his drunkenness and heavy-handedness causes his child-wife (Lottie, fifty years his junior) and two sons (James and Benjamin/Bennie) to abandon him along with his youngest son to their lonesome on a sharecropper’s farm. Lottie’s sudden and mysterious disappearance and Bennie’s rash Army enlistment and service in the Korean War set in motion a series of events that truly yield lifelong torment and hauntings for both Bennie (the father) and Bennie Jr (the son) who battles a different type of trauma post the Vietnam War.

The not-so-patriotic bits of American history are weaved into this fictional tale as each man grapples with Jim Crow laws that carry racially discriminating loopholes leading to severe disenfranchisement, irreparable loss, and the overall broken promises of the American Dream. We also witness the women who love them consumed as collateral damage until otherworldly forces intervene. This book is packed with so many relevant themes that will spawn deep discussions among book clubs.

I loved the story and recommend it for those who don’t mind some dark, violent moments and a touch of speculative fiction/magical realism in their Southern tales that explore the stories of the African Diaspora and the call from the Motherland for closure.

Thanks to Amistad and NetGalley for the opportunity to read in advance for an honest review.

[Lorin (paperbackbish) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a tough read. It's around 90% trauma. Deep, generational trauma with heavy character impact. This isn't really what I expected from this book, and I can't say it's something I enjoyed overly much. The majority of the family's story takes place in Fayetteville, North Carolina, which is where I currently live, so I did feel a connection with the characters based on location. Most of the characters though are pretty difficult to empathize with! I wish more of the story had been about Lottie Rebecca, but I understand why it was structured the way it was. The prose itself is beautiful, but be prepared for a heavy read if you pick this up.

Thank you to Zelda Lockhart, Amistad, Harper Audio, and NetGalley for my advance audio copy.

[Jonah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story of Black familial trauma and resilience, my favorite part was "The Son", the prose is amazing 🫡

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most beautiful novel I've read in a long time. The way this book deals with the South's legacies of structural violence against Black women and men is absolutely heartbreaking and only equally matched by how it celebrates and honors the multi-generational fight for healing and remembrance. I love the focus on spirits and ancestors and the way that the spirits are not always able to combat the horrors of the moment in that moment itself. This book is a powerful testament to the slow, imperfect work of healing.

"Love is not to be mistaken for the need to fill holes in hearts. Muscle sinks. When the heart muscle gets weighted down, filled with gravel instead of grain, it sinks that much faster. Good hearts make lots of mistakes. It's your job now. You will have to stop on your way to where you are headed, pick the stones out of the hearts of your guardians. Lay their pasts to rest on the banks and forgive them, so they can help you swim across to the knowing side."

[Shanice · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Diane Rembert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me begin by saying that this is not your average book. You need time to process all that is going on here. The story begins in rural Mississippi (goes to North Carolina and Ghana) and spans across three generations.

What I took away from this book, is that Lottie Rebecca Lee was selected by the ancestors, to tell their story and bring everything to a final rest.

This book was placed in the Historical Fiction genre, but it is so much more than that.

[Natalie Mazzini · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a little hard to get into at first and confusing at times but I really enjoyed the plot line and being able to follow this family throughout the 1900s

[Sharon Dene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting book I like how each generation had a problem They had to survive. It was interesting how this woman who's sold to this man named Robert b.. She was only twelve years old because her parents died. The white overseer who was her father. Gave it to Man to be married. They had a lot of problems in this. Her mother was very high, spirited. She had three sons. James decided he was gonna leave and left benjamin and leonard to stay there with the father. The mother started to go off and to the tavern. To have sex with other men to make morning. To have sex with other men to make money. She also disappeared for a while and then came back. Benjamin was very upset with this and he proceeded to kill her This set up a map for a lot of disappointment in life. A lot of bad things happen in this book, but they kept going on and you can see how hard they tried. There was always one thing after another that tried to solve it by going to war that didn't helped. James and Lyn to seem to handle it OK. But benjamin had a lot anger just like his father and I think by losing that farm. They try to find through God in the church and that helps some of them. But a lot of times did not help Benjamin.. You just drifted around and things always seem to get worse for him. He married a woman named Rebecca. And that did not work out very well, but he had a son.. That didn't work out as well. You'll find out how the story ends. It's pretty interesting how generations came about and hell. The greyhound daughter found out why all this was happening and she was pretty interesting, too.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to bibliolifestyle & amistadbooks for the gifted copy.

Born during the Great Depression, Benjamin Lee is tormented by his ancestors' stolen future while manning tobacco fields. His son Junior tries to escape the curse where the post-Korean War GI Bill promises prosperity. Then comes Lottie Rebecca Lee, Junior's daughter and the reincarnation of Mother Spirit, who didn't survive enslavement's post-traumatic stress violence, and who must stitch back the fractured love in the Lee family.

Following three generations of a Black family in the South, TRINITY examines the dynamic between "holy" father (Benjamin), son (Junior), and spirit (Lottie), and the importance of preserving our ancestor's stories. The first half of the book is told from the men's perspectives, while the last half focuses more on Lottie's POV, which drew me in more.

The exploration of generational trauma and the detrimental effects of unresolved grief on especially women and children is the focal point of TRINITY, and this analysis reminds me of THE LOVE SONGS of W. E. B. DuBois (Honorée Fanonne Jeffers). However, I feel the book lacks accountability for the men who propagate violence. And the women in the book often bear the wrath of the men while assuming caretaking roles—this angle reminds me of MEMPHIS (Tara M. Stringfellow).

At its core, TRINITY is a daring novel honoring all that Black girls and women carry and a celebration of their power to love, heal & forgive.

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Title: Trinity: A Novel
Author: Zelda Lockhart
Narrator: Lynnette Freeman
Publisher: Harper Audio
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pub Date: July 4, 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pages: 272

This is the story of three generations of Southern blacks trying to free from the struggles of racial discrimination.
Benjamin Lee, is Lottie Rebecca Lee’s grandfather who was born during the Great Depression and his son
Benjamin Junior, his son and Lottie Rebecca’s father, was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where the post Korean War GI Bill promises prosperity.
Story is very emotional; one that was difficult to read but yet couldn’t stop.
Actually this was an audiobook and the narrator Lynnette Freeman is amazing. Her performance of [author: Zelda Lockhart)’s poetic words and characters was a pleasure yet disturbing.
My husband is a big history buff and I had to discuss this story with him after I finished.
In fact, I am sure this will be a very popular discussion with book clubs.
It certainly is a story will stay with me for a long time.

.Want to thank NetGalley and Harper Audio –for this amazing Advanced Audio Edition.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 4, 2023.

[Melannie White · Rating 4 out of 5]

The read was powerful. It was literally the history of black trauma from slavery to the mother land. It gave insight through the eyes of our young black men sent to fight in wars and coming back broken mentally physically and spiritually. I never truly understood the mental health out black men faced in Vietnam and the world wars until I buried my estranged father a few years ago. Soldiers came and talked at his service and it was the first time we truly understood some of the demons he faced in life. He did 4 tours in Vietnam. This is the story of many of our fathers and grandfathers told through the eyes of women. Their mothers and daughters. It raises the question how do we heal the broken spirits of our black men. A broken boy stays broken even when he becomes of age and the world sees him as a man. This book hits your heart right where it hurts. Trigger warnings are domestic abuse, murder, rape, slavery and so on. Read this story! This was a 4.5 star read for me. I’m from Louisiana an we believe deeply in the power of our ancestors. This book gave me all of that. Read it!

[Antoinette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the concept of this book and the thoughts around how trauma follows us for generations and exploring that through a family. I found myself rooting for the characters to overcome the trauma and the impact it had on their lives while also thinking about how sometimes we really don’t know how deeply those things run in us and how they shape the choices we make and the people we become.

My biggest challenge with this book was around some of the figurative language used. There were times when the author used it to describe something literally happening to the characters and times when it was actually used figuratively. Figuring that out had me rereading parts over and over to understand.

[Jesse Hassinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zelda Lockhart has created a deceptively simple tale about one family’s intergenerational trauma. Filled with spirits and physical horrors, the Lee family across three generations bears the wounds of their lineage dating back to slavery. The spirits who try to speak to the flesh-and-blood often inadvertently cause additional harm and it isn’t until one is born who can begin to understand the voices as something other than internal elements to be wrestled against that the investigation of healing can begin.

One of the best representations of this process that I have had the pleasure to read.

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

i thought this was a finely-spun family saga that is brutal and tender and certainly at times quite difficult to read due to what lockhart puts the lees through. it took me a minute to find my groove because this isn't something i would've picked up on my own, but i'm glad that this was an odyssey 1/1 pick because i did ultimately quite enjoy this (and tbh this is true of most of the family sagas i've read; i'm not a family saga enjoyer, but the ones odyssey bookshop has put on my radar tend to be quite good). in any case, the audiobook is also excellent and lockhart has written an exquisite novel.

[Jamie Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was almost too good. The narration is amazing. This was one of the best performances I have ever listened to.
The stuff with the dog fights was amazing. The young boy struggling with becoming a man and still needing his absent mother had me close to sobbing.
I don't want to reveal too much but I will say that everyone needs to read this. I know a lot of black americans don't have access to their family history the way the rest of us do, but this book is a great representation of a fictional family history novel.
I think I will buy this one.

[Cam's Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was heavy😭 & yeah, i should’ve known after reading lockhart’s previous novel 5th child… BUT I DIDN’T THINK IT WOULD HIT THIS HARD.

lockhart chronicles the generational trauma of the Lee family, from rural Sampson, Mississippi to bustling St. Louis, Missouri to the small town of Fayetteville, North Carolina & back. trust me yall when i say this book is GOOD. phenomenal. & best of all? historically accurate (iykyk)!

slowly but surely this year, my opinion on historical fiction is evolving!

[Roslyn Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trinity by Zelda Lockhart may be in my top 10 for this year. This book was amazing. The dog fights was mindblowing. The young boy struggling with becoming a man and still needing his absent mother had me in my feelings: Many African-Americans do nothave access to their family history due to slavery and not being on the census until 1870, but this book is a great representation of a fictional family history novel. I'm an avid genealogist so this book held a special place in my heart. Run, don't walk to get this gem! #Trinity #NetGalley

[Mary Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trinity is a haunting, beautiful, heartbreaking, authentic novel of Black trauma and healing over the span of generations. It follows the Black male heirs of a family and displays the hurt and pain that they are unable to articulate themselves. This was a challenging read, for sure. It's difficult to read about such trauma, especially when it's so raw. But it's beautifully written, and I'm honored to have read it. I'm grateful to Amistad and NetGalley for the ARC.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this a 4.5. I put it down at page 50 because I had my fill of rape and spousal abuse. ( Fortunately none of it too graphic.)

Maybe it was the spirits in this book calling me? I picked it back up and couldn’t put it down.

[Kellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book requires way more concentration than a beach read and as a result, gives more to the reader.

[David Lockwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure what was happening last 1/3.

Strange.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really don't know what to say about or how to rate this book, so I'll just leave it at 3 stars, not knowing for sure if I liked or disliked it. It was extremely heavy & burdensome & painful.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jen Albert opens a review of publishing genres with a list that helped me get a handle on terms currently in use: "Reader interest in speculative fiction—science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural, superhero, apocalypse, fabulism, and other genres of literature that explore liminal and unreal space —is at an all-time high" ("Publishing in Canada 2021: Jen Albert on Speculative Fiction in Canada." Publishers Weekly 268.39 (2021)ProQuest. Web. 14 June 2025).

Although I won't re-categorize my existing bookshelves, I can create new distictions. This list suggests I separate my fantasy and magical realist shelves. Now I'll use "fabulism" to describe novels that interrogate the "liminal space" between (what is usually thought of as) a firm separation between realist (describing the world we know) and supernatural, and scifi (too specific) from speculative (too broad). Perhaps "new weird" (once I get a handle on what that means, beyond the VanderMeers' The New Weird) and "dystopian" rather than apocalyp[tic] (but I'm wondering, whether dystopian is now built into books set in future "Earth" (not alternative histories) since utopian seems have gone the way of the dodo). I should add that the idea that political critique distinguishes these subgenres seems false, since critique of the present is a basis for imaginative fiction itself, and discerning political critique depends on readers themselves.

Well, so I wanted a place to think about this aloud as I considered Zelda Lockhart's choices in relation to novels I've read and recognize as related to her underlying project. I'm thinking about: Ours, Let Us Descend and Sing, Unburied, Sing, and perhaps Freshwater, The Great Reclamation, Daughters of the New Year or Princess Bari?
Can One Night, Markovitch and The Luminous Heart of Jonah S. or Alif the Unseen be said to be doing something sufficiently similar? Who is in and who is out is always a slippery thing. So is remembering what I have read over time....

[Sarah M · Rating 5 out of 5]

As other reviews mention, this story is certainly trauma from beginning to end, but none of it is trauma or violence for the sake of story or drama or entertainment. The history you learn from it is well worthwhile, and it has such a personal and human context. It brings history to life, for sure, and is both researched and vulnerable. I feel like it's a real gift to the reader to receive a story told in this way, and despite the difficult content, I'm walking away really feeling the generosity of the author for her sharing this work and for her having written it so artfully as well. Along all this realness, Lockhart also provides the reader with spirituality and magic weaved in, which I personally love. I know some people may find it difficult to follow, and I will say that I've been acclimated to it by a couple classes I took in college, reading writers who use "magical realism". I feel like it's a very useful tool for stories that contain atrocities that happen here on earth, and rightly so, because humans need ways to cope with the things that humans do to each other and all of the hardest aspects of being human. Maybe that's what spirituality is for, and maybe as conscious creatures, it's a basic human need.

I did take breaks while reading the book, and there's no need to rush through it. I do definitely recommend making sure you finish it, though, because the ending ties everything together and makes really important points about generational trauma and healing as a nonlinear process that happens over the course of decades and through relationships. A lot happens in the last few chapters, not just in terms of plot but in terms of everything the reader gets out of the book. There are really big takeaways. Don't miss out!

If you've read other artfully-written books on this subject, such as Their Eyes Were Watching God or Beloved, this book really goes along well but also really adds a lot of new perspective and just takes a whole other angle on things. It's also beautifully written and in many ways easy to read, as in easy to follow the imagery and picture the scenes and get to know the characters well.

I really loved this book and am grateful it exists! It's a lot. 💗

[Sha-keh-ree · Rating 5 out of 5]

📖: Trinity by Zelda Lockhart
🎵: Fast Car by Tracy Chapman

Generational stories. I wonder if these stories can be considered a sub genre of historical fiction? It’s something special about reading a story about a family’s lineage over the span of time, their different or similar experiences, some shared, and read how healing unfolds because one person was born with the sole purpose or calling to heal their family. These stories have a special place in my heart.

We get to see the old mentor the young. We get to see the younger generations teach older generations new ways of being and existing wholeheartedly. We get to see ancestors finally rest. We may even get to see some smile down from the heavens. These stores are weighty, but intensely good. And Trinity is definitely one of the generational stories that will live with me. Especially, the author’s rhythmic way with words.

If you loved (or even liked just a little lol) The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr., Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, The Lovesongs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, Stay with Me by Ayobami Adebayo, Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, you may like Trinity by Zelda Lockhart.

Favorite Quotes from Trinity:

“Before divinity can be born, there must first be the birth of the protector of that divinity. Will you harbor me? All that I am, all that I came to do?”

“Don’t lose faith when waiting on mountains to turn to pebble, for rain to become rivers, for seeds to become the canopy to cover the crowns of heads…Patience is needed.”

“No matter how old or young your soul, you just want peace of mind. If that comes by wanting something done and doing it yourself, so be it.“

Okay, bye before I try to put the whole book in this tiny space meant for a caption. ✌🏿

Also, please check for trigger warnings and check out this article on shondaland.com for more generational stories: Nine Generational Stories That Capture the Power of Family.

[Cheryl McGhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trinity is described as an “electrifying saga—as moving and indelible as The Twelve Tribes of Hattie, The Turner House, and The Love Songs of W. E. B. DuBois.” Being a huge fan of The Love Songs, I had to read more. It tells the story of three generations trying to overcome tragedy, self-imposed sadness while trying to understand how the past and the present connect.

If you are a lover of historical fiction, and enjoy reading poetry and stories of resilient women, this book is a must read. In it, you will find tragedy, beauty, strong family dynamics and very descriptive voices of spirits driven by their past.

Favorite Quotes:

“His fellow white marines held their faces with a little more confidence in the knowledge that they could go back to the southern soil as survivors deemed heroes. He, who would be a survivor deemed nigger, boarded the gray metal bird that would take him stateside.”

“The taste of the liquid barley of some distant field on the back of his tongue.” “Ice making the cool beer go down over the tongue, like sun melting snow off the top of the mountain and sending it down into the mellow stream in the valley.”

“And James knew part of his lessons had been lost on Lenard, who was apt to get two things confused—the age when a boy needs to be handled with care and the age when a boy needed to grow into a man by being handled by a man’s hands that can knock at the door of his common sense and get him to act right.”

“That night at prayer meeting, the congregation started out in supplication and ended up in the hand rhythms that they did not know had descended through the red blood cells beneath their multihued brown flesh from the Ivory Coast to the church pews.”

Clearly, one of my favorite reads of 2023!

[Octavia · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We are restoring their voice among the ancestors who sing us out of the deep pain."

The Holy Trinity is Believed to be God, The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit in Christianity. Zelda Lockhart metaphorically uses "Trinity" in Tune of the Mother-Spirit in this Spiritual literature.

Opening, we learn a 62-year-old Black sharecropper, Old Deddy, has been contracted to marry his white boss' 12-year-old daughter, Lottie, in exchange for land. Later, having sons by Old Deddy and dealing with his whips and abusive nature, she goes off to retreat; finding pleasure in singing in a juke joint. There's so much more!

This one is to be read with utter Patience. Chronologically, it will stir readers' Sentiments of Generations enduring past traumas toward healing interventions. It's such an emotional tough novel to read because of the depth of the story line, traumatic situations, and the narratives of the Mother-Spirit. I found it easier to switch to the audio book to absorb this novel in its entirety. Lastly, a Highly recommended one in view of the fact that it is a Spiritual Gem. An Amazing Journey! ✳️

[Shawna Alston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ultimately, I was simply unimpressed. Lockhart is an extremely talented writer, and the prose proved that, but this story is just…unimpressive. There were parts, B.J.’s story in particular, that I wanted more of. B.J. was well-written and well-characterized, and this is not to say the other characters weren’t, it’s just that his story was the most interesting part of the whole novel.

Lottie Rebecca, to me, was such a disappointing character. From the very beginning, I was confused about the Ghana-Mississippi plot, and Lottie Rebecca’s (very late) appearance did nothing to clear that up. Hell, the trip to Ghana did nothing to clear that up, and even further, what the hell is Lottie Rebecca supposed to be healing? Why is that her responsibility? It feels like Lockhart is reinforcing tropes this novel sought to deconstruct.

I also hated the places where Lockhart tried to be metaphorical and metaphysical and overextended herself. I’m not stranger to poetic-prose, but in some cases, it felt like Lockhart was just saying shit.


Overall, it was an unimpressive, but interesting read. I was generally disappointed, but I wouldn’t not recommend this to someone.

[Amanda Dingman · Rating 4 out of 5]

With such heavy source material, this book is not for the average reader looking to get lost in a story. Digesting this book and these families took time, and I often found myself having to step away from it to process what I'd just read.

This book is hard to summarize without giving anything away, but worth the read nonetheless. I personally think one should go in without knowing much about a book, but if you so insist, read the synopsis the author provided with an open mind.

I love that this story follows the families for three generations, and that we understand the adults, as we saw them as kids not long before. This book highlights generational trauma, what it is like to be Black in the southern 1900s, and how just one person and one action can change the entire lifeline of a family.

This book is so much more than meets the eye! I was genuinely surprised there weren't more reviews or ratings on goodreads - It was hard to get ahold of this book! 4 stars, and the cover is great. Lollll

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm pretty sure this is the first book I've read by a BIPOC author and I was blown away by the beauty of the writing. The style is very unique - a combination of spoken word and fable - and perfectly conveys this harsh, insightful journey for three generations waiting for Lottie Rebecca to be.

Lottie Rebecca was a tough character to understand at first, given her tantrums and acting out, but when you realize that she's seeing and hearing words and people from generations past and present, one realizes how important a character she is. I felt so much pain for her father and grandfather, dealing with the violence of racism and war, and often at the same time, and Lottie Rebecca makes sure she uses that pain to forge forward in her destiny and bring about something positive for future generations.