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Shallow Waters

A Novel

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Shallow Waters

By: Anita Kopacz
Narrated by: Michelle Kopacz
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About this listen

 In this “captivating” (Harper’s Bazaar) and lyrical debut novel—perfect for fans of The Water Dancer and the Legacy of Orïsha series—the Yoruba deity of the sea, Yemaya, is brought to vivid life as she discovers the power of Black resilience, love, and feminine strength in antebellum America.

Shallow Waters imagines Yemaya, an Orïsha—a deity in the religion of Africa’s Yoruba people—cast into mid-1800s America. We meet Yemaya as a young woman, still in the care of her mother and not yet fully aware of the spectacular power she possesses to protect herself and those she holds dear.

The journey laid out in Shallow Waters sees Yemaya confront the greatest evils of this era; transcend time and place in search of Obatala, a man who sacrifices his own freedom for the chance at hers; and grow into the powerful woman she was destined to become. We travel alongside Yemaya from her native Africa and on to the “New World,” with vivid pictures of life for those left on the outskirts of power in the nascent Americas.

Yemaya realizes the fighter within, travels the Underground Railroad in search of the mysterious stranger Obatala, and crosses paths with icons of our history on the road to freedom. Shallow Waters is a “riveting and heartbreaking” (Publishers Weekly) work of ritual storytelling from promising debut author Anita Kopacz. African American Fantasy Fiction Historical Magic

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Critic reviews

"Michelle Kopacz's narration fits the tone perfectly. Her deep voice is warm and measured. This is an audiobook about the power of stories, and listening to Kopacz deliver it is by turns enraging and healing. She's excellent with all the characters, but it's the way she embodies Yemaya's determination and spirit that will capture listeners' hearts."
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wish it was longer and more detailed its so beautiful.I loved how she introduced Yameya and how she found her strength on her journey, loved how she incorporated actual historical figures and real culture into the novel

beautiful book so captivating and soothing

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I really liked working in some of the stories about the indigenous history that went alongside slavery in America but I found the characterisation a bit infantile. The main character was all silly swooning over a man she met once. All the white people were either totally evil and total saints. The main character only draws on her powers selectively without real explanation and the story's progress really relies on this. So all in all, it had potential, but fell short of being truly engaging.

maybe this is young adult fiction

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