ARC Review: “Junie” by Erin Crosby Eckstine

“Junie” by Erin Crosby Eckstine

Publishing Date: February 4, 2025

Genre: Historical Fiction

Page Length: 368 pages (electronic review edition)

Synopsis:

Sixteen years old and enslaved since she was born, Junie has spent her life on Bellereine Plantation in Alabama, cooking and cleaning alongside her family, and tending to the white master’s daughter, Violet. Her daydreams are filled with poetry and faraway worlds, while she spends her nights secretly roaming through the forest, consumed with grief over the sudden death of her older sister, Minnie.

When wealthy guests arrive from New Orleans, hinting at marriage for Violet and upending Junie’s life, she commits a desperate act—one that rouses Minnie’s spirit from the grave, tethered to this world unless Junie can free her. She enlists the aid of Caleb, the guests’ coachman, and their friendship soon becomes something more. Yet as long-held truths begin to crumble, she realizes Bellereine is harboring dark and horrifying secrets that can no longer be ignored.

With time ticking down, Junie begins to push against the harsh current that has controlled her entire life. As she grapples with an increasingly unfamiliar world in which she has little control, she is forced to ask herself: When we choose love and liberation, what must we leave behind?

Review:

Junie is an emotional ride from beginning to end as Crosby crafts a story of teenager trying to carve out her own life (despite the confines of society). As Crosby states in her author note she wanted to shining a light on the individual humanity of enslaved people which this novel does. It does not shy away from the atrocities and horrors of slavery but manages to weave a strong narrative of hope through the viewpoint of the main character Junie. Most importantly it’s a story about healing and dealing with grief which is discussed throughout the novel in scenes such as this:

‘Looking for comfort in the past is like looking for a needle in a haystack; you can search forever and see a whole bunch of things that almost look like that needle you’re missing, but the truth is, you’re never going to find it and you’ll drive yourself mad trying. Best to leave that old needle and get on with the needles you got.’ You understand?”

Crosby has a lyrical way with words in this novel especially seeing as Junie, is literate and has a penchant for romantic poets. This is reflected in Junie’s speech but the overall poetic word flow from descriptions of how she views the world. The effect is a powerful narrative that is deeply layered with many poignant themes. I’m a reader that that often struggles with magic realism featured within novels and it can diminish my reading experience. In this novel this elements was described as “haunts” in the story, and the way the concept was woven into the story was easy for me to grasp and added to the overall plot.

Junie juggles her role as an enslaved woman with her role as a strong-willed, and heartfelt human. She’s a character who manages to see the best in people even though her family may have different opinions. She is a strong character who I admired and her story touched me deeply. This is a debut was written thoughtfully and beautifully. I highly recommend this novel to readers who enjoy historical fiction narratives.

Final Verdict:

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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