“To be black and a slave and be born in this place is to know nothing but darkness. To be black and a slave who remembers the time before, is to carry a double wound, living in the darkness while constantly remembering the light. This warrior woman is wounded, lost, and still struggling against the dark. The light, not yet gone, still flickers in her eyes.”

A Woman of Endurance is a historical fiction by Puerto Rican author Dahlma Llanos-Figuero, the second book in a series, which can be read as a stand-alone story. It explores the 19th century Transatlantic slave trade to plantations in Puerto Rico.

Pola was born Keera, a Yoruba woman of West Africa. She is stolen from her home and people, and subjected to horrific conditions of the Middle Passage. Her life on the plantation is one of repeated trauma and brutality, being abused and used as a breeder of babies that are wrenched away from her at birth. She then moves to a second plantation where she finally experiences a little humanity and through a lost girl called Chachita finally rediscovers a place in her heart for love.

The story gives a vivid picture of life on the Hacienda. I found Pola to be a fairly passive character in the story. Although her suffering is detailed very explicitly and she endures, I didn’t feel we really got to know her. The romance is clearly with a man of worth and character but was not completely convincing for me. If you struggle with reading about abuse of women I would avoid this one, as this forms a large part of the text. Overall 3.5 stars for me. ( )

Pola, a slave, is used for breeding. As soon as she give birth, her child is taken into the unknown. No longer able to endure, she tries to flee, but is caught and beaten near death. Sold, she finds herself in a different plantation, where she is given the opportunity to work with the house slaves rather than in the cane fields.

This novel was heartbreaking. Pola was a very dynamic character, who I found myself cheering for throughout the story. This author is an excellent writer, her words painted a picture in my mind. I found myself unable to put the book down, needing to know what happened with Pola. Overall, 5 out of 5 stars. ( )

This is a tough read - as one might expect of a novel centered on an enslaved woman's experience in Puerto Rico - and yet I found it to also be a quick, compelling book. Pola is indeed a woman of endurance: she endures tragedy, brutality, and ultimately, love. An excellent, if difficult, book to read. ( )

"Grief is relentless. It will eat your insides out and leave a carcass that can help no one, not even yourself. Been acquainted with it more than once, and this I know: it will seduce you, pull you into darkness, and it will feed on your soul until there is nothing left."

I am writing this review with literal tears in my eyes because I am so emotional. No one ever tells us about the gifts and talents of our ancestors, or about the things that brought them joy, or the power and healing of food and medicinal practices, or of the depths of their spirituality and the strength of their community. More importantly no one ever tells us that they survived because they had each other and that the bond of trust and endurance was their foundation.

A Woman of Endurance also spoke to me about the power of all-consuming grief and its ability to steal the joy of life. Through Pola I have felt the grief of what was stolen from the womb, have felt the abuse and loss of one's body, have experienced the loss of hope and faith and have longed for the memories of original homes.

But Pola's journey has taught me that being open to the healing process is what returns autonomy and brings possibilities for restoration. Grief aims to hold to you hostage and steal the joy that is found all around you. Community is essential for survival and our ancestors survived because they carried each other's burdens. They stayed tethered to their homelands through their spiritual practices and ancestral giftings and wisdoms. They remained open to each other and created spaces where joy was in abundance, joy was the glue that held everything together and joy was what fueled their endurance. Pola's story also taught me that the path of faith is never straight. There are times when we will get lost but we are never too far from our ancestors.

The inner warrior spirit is what kept Pola physically alive but it was the process of opening her heart to her newfound family that ultimately allowed her to usher in a new future & mend the broken parts of her heart. Thanks to @amistadbooks @bibliolifestyle for the gifted copy. ( )