Pale A Novel
Pale A Novel by Edward A. Farmer, published by Blackstone Publishing in 2020, is an unabridged edition comprising 248 pages. Set against the backdrop of the sweltering summer of 1966 in Mississippi, the narrative follows Bernice, a black woman who moves to the Kern plantation to work as a servant for a white family. As she navigates the complexities of her new environment, Bernice becomes entangled in a web of hostility and deception, revealing the secrets that have long been hidden within the household.
Readers will find a story that delves into themes of race, loyalty, and the impact of societal norms on personal relationships. The arrival of cotton pickers Jesse and Fletcher ignites tensions within the plantation, particularly with the Missus, who harbors dangerous intentions. As Bernice attempts to protect those around her while uncovering the Missus’s motives, the narrative unfolds to reveal the fragility of human connections and the consequences of betrayal. This edition presents a rich exploration of historical and literary elements, making it a significant addition to the discourse on Southern life and the African American experience.
Official synopsis Publisher
“Some things just don’t keep well inside this house …”
The summer of 1966 burned hot across America but nowhere hotter than the cotton fields of Mississippi. Finding herself in a precarious position as a black woman living alone, Bernice accepts her brother Floyd’s invitation to join him as a servant for a white family and she enters the web of hostility and deception that is the Kern plantation household.
The secrets of the house are plentiful yet the silence that has encompassed it for so many years suddenly breaks with the arrival of the harvest and the appearance of Jesse and Fletcher to the plantation as cotton pickers. These two brothers, the sons of the house servant Silva, awaken a vengeful seed within the Missus of the house as she plots to punish not only her husband but Silva’s family as well. When the Missus starts flirting with Jesse, she sets into motion a dangerous game that could get Jesse killed and destroy the lives of the rest of the servants.
Bernice walks the fine line between emissary and accomplice, as she tries her best to draw secrets from the Missus’s heart, while using their closeness to protect the lives of the people around her. Once the Missus’s plans are complete, families will be severed, loyalties will be shattered, and no one will come out unscathed.
With a dazzling voice and rich emotional tension, Pale explores the ties that bind and how quickly humanity can fade and return us to primal ways.
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