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The American Daughters

By: Maurice Carlos Ruffin
Narrated by: Lynnette R. Freeman
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Publisher's summary

“An enthralling tale of a secret resistance movement run by Black women in pre-Civil War New Orleans.”—Time

“Stirring . . . In telling this important, neglected history with imagination-fueled research, The American Daughters offers an inspiring story of people who show a way forward with their perseverance, bravery and love.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice)

Ady, a curious, sharp-witted girl, and her fierce mother, Sanite, are inseparable. Enslaved to a businessman in the French Quarter of New Orleans, the pair spend their days dreaming of a loving future and reminiscing about their family’s rebellious and storied history. When mother and daughter are separated, Ady is left hopeless and directionless until she stumbles into the Mockingbird Inn and meets Lenore, a free Black woman with whom she becomes fast friends. Lenore invites Ady to join a clandestine society of spies called the Daughters. With the courage instilled in her by Sanite—and with help from these strong women—Ady learns how to put herself first. So begins her journey toward liberation and imagining a new future.

The American Daughters is a novel of hope and triumph that reminds us what is possible when a community bands together to fight for their freedom.

©2024 Maurice Carlos Ruffin (P)2024 Random House Audio
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Critic reviews

“Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s third book is a tour de force. An intelligent and haunting novel that grapples with the legacies of American slavery, The American Daughters features a sparkling cast of engaging Black women that you won’t soon forget.”—Lauren Wilkinson, author of American Spy

"The American Daughters is an emotionally and intellectually captivating journey through slavery and into our future. It is a wholly unique story that challenges what we think we know of the past, truth, American history, and how we will carry what was into what will be. With fully fleshed out characters and enchanting detail, antebellum New Orleans is vivid in Ruffin’s rendering, and Ady is an unforgettable protagonist, a character who meets the crossroads of history with remarkable courage and enduring love."—Imani Perry, author of South to America

“Ruffin’s dignified prose and focus on the bonds of women of color help elevate the novel from the tropes of slavery narratives, and he paints a vibrant picture of antebellum New Orleans. Readers won’t be able to resist this stirring story of freedom by any means necessary.”Publishers Weekly, starred review

What listeners say about The American Daughters

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Love love love!

Powerful! Could not put it down. Beautiful, descriptive words. Went on the journey with the characters.

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Engaging story that made rethink how I reflect on history

The transition of the heroine throughout the story of her life and antebellum New Orleans was well developed. I was immediately engaged in with her and the book. Without waiver, listen to this book!

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Redundent

Boring, could hardly wait for it to be over. Can't say anything good.

RECOMMENDATION: SKIP IT

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